For Dodgers, in-season managerial change is rare After his club's slow start, Mattingly now finds himself on hot seat By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com | 5/23/2013 4:56 P.M. ET LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have changed managers in midseason because of poor team play just once in the past 111 years. That was 1998, when the News Corp. ownership group that had traded Mike Piazza a month earlier swept out manager Bill Russell and general manager Fred Claire. Russell, who had replaced Tommy Lasorda after the latter's 1996 heart attack, was replaced by Glenn Hoffman, triggering a very un-Dodgers-like revolving door of Davey Johnson, Jim Tracy, Grady Little, Joe Torre and now Don Mattingly. Lasorda managed 20 years, after Walt Alston's 23-year reign. Now there have been seven managers since Lasorda, and only Tracy lasted more than three seasons. None took a team to a World Series. Already on the hot seat because his 2014 option hasn't been guaranteed by his bosses, and further stressed by a first-place payroll in last place in the National League West, Mattingly potentially turned the heat up himself Wednesday by benching right fielder Andre Ethier and challenging the grit and toughness of his club. Mattingly has been criticized by some for being too soft on his players, and he now is receiving some criticism for being too hard on them. When you don't win, you can't win. Current Dodgers president Stan Kasten has operated three baseball teams (Atlanta, Washington and Los Angeles) over 24 seasons. On his watch, there have been three in-season managerial moves -- Chuck Tanner to Russ Nixon on the 1988 Braves, Nixon to Bobby Cox on the 1990 Braves, and Manny Acta to Jim Riggleman on the 2009 Nationals. Neither Nixon nor Riggleman lasted more than two seasons. Cox became a fixture, but keep in mind that the general manager serving under Kasten -- the one that named Cox manager -- was Cox. Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti's measured words of support for Mattingly earlier this week could be an indication that he would keep Mattingly if it's his call. Colletti was less convincing that it's his call. But whose call is it, if not his? Kasten's track record is well documented and his management style is generally one of patience and stability. His verbal support of Mattingly lately, though, has been lukewarm. Part-owner Magic Johnson? He coached the Lakers for 16 games in 1996 and saw he wanted no part of that job. Johnson isn't shy offering his opinion on NBA coaches, but his otherwise active Twitter account hasn't mentioned Mattingly's name since Spring Training. Dodgers chairman Mark Walter, in his second season as owner of a baseball team, is a proven success in the investment world and is facing his first visible Major League management dilemma. If Walter runs the Dodgers the stable way he runs Guggenheim Partners as founder and CEO, it should be noted that Todd Boehly, a Dodgers part-owner and Guggenheim president, joined the firm in 2001. Scott Minerd, global chief investment officer, joined Guggenheim in 1998. And Walter, a fellow Midwesterner, has been one of Mattingly's biggest backers to this point. While there was no quick housecleaning when Guggenheim took over last May -- compared to prior owner Frank McCourt, whose first move was to fire GM Dan Evans -- Kasten hired former GM Gerry Hunsicker and former manager Pat Corrales as senior advisers over the winter, giving the appearance of a contingency succession plan if needed. The Dodgers also have on their current coaching staff former Major League managers Trey Hillman and Davey Lopes, plus well-regarded managerial candidate Tim Wallach. Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. __
imo something has gotten lost here... in the preseason, dbb himself said something to the effect of "if someone couldn't win with the team guggenheim had put together..." i'm sure he never thought in a gazillion years they would struggle (or at least this badly), but here we are funny how perspective changes things for all the mattingly supporters out there, i'm not going to slam you i'll just say we feel differently because imo, if we had taken a poll in february if dbb should be fired if the team got off to a start like this, i'm relatively sure the results would have been overwhelming that he should get axed yes the players have underachieved... greatly but not holding mattingly accountable is akin to blaming custer's soldiers at little big horn like it or not, he is the captain of this sinking ship and to the ned haters... let me say that i'm not necessarily a big fan of his either... but he did put together what appeared to be a contending roster a rotation of kershaw, greinke, billingsley, beckett, ryu, with harang, lilly and capuano waiting in the wings?... a lineup of crawford, ethier, kemp, hanley, adrian?... we can argue all day whether or not it is mattingly's fault that the players are underperforming... but there is no way to pin this on ned the team has quit on dbb, and imo benching one of the team's best hitters isn't exactly the best way to re-earn their trust may have been less offensive if he himself had accepted even an iota of the blame but no, he criticizes the players and the front office mattingly needs to go, and the sooner the better and imo the only reason they haven't let him go now (as rosendouche predicted), is that they don't want to throw a new manager to the dogs right away against the mighty cardinals my guess is that mattingly is gone after this short homestand... maybe sooner if he continues to go rogue and throw his players and employers under the bus end of rant :soapbox:
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/...-los-angeles-dodgers-front-office-sources-say When Dodgers manager Don Mattingly abruptly criticized the lack of fight and competitiveness on his team's "All-Star" roster Wednesday morning, he wasn't aiming that critique at the Dodgers' front office, despite widespread assumptions to the contrary, sources say. In fact, the manager and general manager Ned Colletti were in agreement on those sentiments, sources told ESPN. And multiple sources say Mattingly is in no imminent danger of being fired. Mattingly's harsh words for his players, along with the benching of struggling right fielder Andre Ethier, came just hours after a late-night meeting Tuesday with Colletti and his coaching staff, after the Dodgers' 5-2 loss in Milwaukee, their fourth in five games and 12th in their past 17 games. The meeting was held in the clubhouse and lasted until after 1 a.m., even though the team had a noon game the next day. That meeting was not an outgrowth of a divide between Mattingly and his front office, however, sources said. And what came out of it was described as being something that everyone involved viewed as very positive. "I think the air was cleared and a new direction was given," according to one source. Mattingly's decisions to criticize his team and to bench Ethier was an outgrowth of the meeting, but were his call, not the GM's, multiple sources said. The manager emerged from the session determined to be more assertive and outspoken -- a stance Colletti was said to encourage. Before Wednesday's game, Mattingly told reporters covering the Dodgers that he wants "a team with talent that will fight, and compete like a club that doesn't have talent." "I felt like we got more out of our ability [last year]," Mattingly said, according to MLB.com. "I don't know if that team was tougher. I don't know why, and it was only for a short period of time. "Part of it is the mixture of competitiveness. It's not just putting an All-Star team out there and the All-Star team wins. You try to find that balance of a team that's got a little grit and fight, and has enough talent to get there also. It's not all grit and no talent that gets there, and it's not all talent and no grit. It's a mixture of both." People around the Dodgers say Colletti has been concerned about his team's lack of competitive fire in some cases, and they point out that, as far back as spring training, the GM said that, despite all the big-name and big-buck talent on the Dodgers' roster, "for us to be successful, we're going to have to prepare better than every other team, execute better than every other team and compete harder than every other team." Mattingly did not specifically name Ethier in his comments, but did little to dissuade reporters from drawing that conclusion. Asked by reporters why Ethier was out of Wednesday's lineup, the manager said he was "trying to put the club out there that I feel is going to fight." Mattingly also did not inform Ethier he was being benched, or explain the reasons for it, before speaking to the media. When Ethier learned, after Wednesday's game, of Mattingly's comments, and the insinuation that those words were directed at him, he told the Los Angeles Times: "I take offense to that. I work hard. Whether I'm going good or going bad, I work just as hard, both sides." Ethier told reporters he was upset that Mattingly had criticized him to the media without speaking with him, and said he would "take a look at" Mattingly's comments "and address it." Clubs that have spoken with the Dodgers say they're letting it be known Ethier would be available, but the approximately $80 million he has left on his contract through the 2017 season will make trading him difficult, unless they're willing to eat a significant chunk of that money. The Dodgers, who have fallen seven games below .500 (19-26) and six games out of first place in the NL West, were off Thursday. On Friday, they begin a five-game homestand that includes three games against the Cardinals and two with the Angels.
So, maybe he's here to stay and it looks like this is what the organization wants. For him to be louder. Hopefully it doesn't lose them, and hopefully he plays Ethier lol
Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal 2h Rest of Kasten quote on Mattingly: "He's trying everything he can think of. We're all behind him." 3:25 PM - 23 May 13 yeah, behind him, as in ready to usher him out the door this was cursed from the start, not offering an extension to him before the season i don't disagree with that from a business standpoint, but it wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement for dbb not saying the results would have been any different; impossible to say but that lame duck noose around his neck certainly didn't help... :hanged: __
whether you like or hate simers and/or want mattingly to stay or get the ax this is a great article and if you scroll down, he rips dre for being selfish and says kemp himself said he cannot extend his swing Dodgers' bosses get points for patienceThe experts said Don Mattingly would be fired, but Mark Walter and Stan Kasten show restraint. Don't forget, it's still early and the Dodgers aren't out of it.By T.J. Simers, Los Angeles Times | May 23, 2013, 10 minutes agoI don't know Mark Walter, the Guggenheim guy who runs the Dodgers. We had one phone conversation, and I'd rather talk to Jamie McCourt.I've written off Stan Kasten as a blowhard, and while I really like Ned Colletti, we have our disagreements.But they all get high marks today as bosses.I thought after we watched Walter run on the field last season to celebrate a game-winning hit and generally come across as a yahoo fan, he'd panic in defeat.I thought Kasten would do something dramatic to reassert himself as some kind of baseball whiz. Or at the very least take the opportunity to bring in some pal from Atlanta or Washington.And I figured Colletti would buy time, shifting focus from the general manager to the manager.More than anything I thought Dodgers management had no choice and would bow to national media pressure and resume play Friday with a new manager.It's disturbing. So many media types seemingly are in a rush to get rid of Mattingly as if he did something to them. Many of these people have spoken with authority, as if they really know the Dodgers' thinking.But I don't imagine Walter is calling USA Today, or talking to the folks at FoxSports.com. Kasten isn't the helpful sort, and while Colletti knows everyone in the media, he has said there are no plans to dismiss Mattingly. I've never known him to lie.And he knows I am prone to write very bad things when someone does lie.So why is everyone piling on Mattingly?I did so when he went ridiculous and said he felt better about his team after losing three straight to the Giants. But if we start firing every coach who sounds ridiculous we will be coachless.OK, the Dodgers millionaires are in last place — in May. But they are only six games out and in a far better position to recover than the Angels.In Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu, they have the pitching the Angels lack.As for Mattingly being a bust as a manager, everyone knew he had no experience when he took over. I thought the Dodgers could do better.But once he was hired, he deserved a chance to develop. Wednesday's benching of Andre Ethier clearly was an indication he's developing.Mattingly's critical comments of the team and Ethier came a day after being assured by Colletti that he had management's support.I've been writing it for years: Ethier is the most selfish athlete in town and counterproductive to a team's achieving success.I thought the Dodgers' off-season should have begun by trading Ethier, but that's something for Colletti to explain later.Mattingly's mistake was waiting too long to publicly demand more from his players. Unlike Mike D'Antoni, who blasted Pau Gasol almost before meeting him, Mattingly took the heat.Whether you agree or disagree a manager should do such a thing, Mattingly is 1-0 as a tough guy.It's true Mattingly doesn't have a lot going for himself other than he's a nice guy. He's a former Yankee. His teams won nothing while he was a player, but as a player under such tough circumstances, he won massive respect as Donnie Baseball.He worked for Frank McCourt as a rookie manager, short on resources, and then took on new management, Boston baggage and great expectations.Quite the ride, and it's only May in his third season as a manager; each of his first two years ended with more wins than losses.Sure, he makes his mistakes. And emailers who know so much about handling the bullpen and the lineup are more than willing to remind everyone.But it's May, the Dodgers are a good winning streak away from being back in the race, and so what does everyone have against the guy?Maybe he never will be a special manager. It's guesswork right now.This season he's managing a team shy a third baseman, starting shortstop and dependable closer.Will a new manager change that?I talked at length to Matt Kemp recently. He cannot fully extend his swing. Whether it's a mental or a physical issue, he doesn't know. He had two teammates experience the same thing after shoulder surgery, and they have told him time is the only answer.Will a new manager change that?How much of a difference did a coaching change make in the Lakers?There is a feeling in the air it's only a matter of time before management dismisses Mattingly, appoints an interim field boss and begins the off-season searching for a new manager.But unless a serious case can be made that all this is Mattingly's fault, why not continue to show leadership, end the uncertainty and announce Mattingly will lead the team the remainder of the season?I might even find myself writing positively about Dodgers ownership with regularity, and I never thought that would happen again. __
Don Mattingly not critical of brass Updated: May 23, 2013, 10:43 PM ET By Jayson Stark and Buster Olney | ESPN.com When Dodgers manager Don Mattingly abruptly criticized the lack of fight and competitiveness on his team's "All-Star" roster Wednesday morning, he wasn't aiming that critique at the front office, despite widespread assumptions to the contrary, sources said. In fact, general manager Ned Colletti agreed on Mattingly's sentiments, sources told ESPN. And multiple sources say Mattingly is in no imminent danger of being fired. Mattingly's harsh words for his players, along with the benching of struggling right fielder Andre Ethier, came just hours after a late-night meeting Tuesday with his coaching staff and Colletti. The meeting, following a 5-2 loss in Milwaukee that was their 12th in 17 games, was held in the clubhouse and lasted until after 1 a.m., even though the team had a noon game the next day. That meeting was not an outgrowth of a divide between Mattingly and his front office, sources said. And what came out of it was described as being something that everyone involved viewed as very positive. "I think the air was cleared and a new direction was given," according to one source. Mattingly's decisions to criticize his team and to bench Ethier were an outgrowth of the meeting, but they were also his call, not the GM's, multiple sources said. The manager emerged from the session determined to be more assertive and outspoken -- a stance Colletti was said to encourage. Before Wednesday's game, Mattingly said he wants "a team with talent that will fight, and compete like a club that doesn't have talent." "I felt like we got more out of our ability [last year]," Mattingly said, according to MLB.com. "I don't know if that team was tougher. I don't know why, and it was only for a short period of time. "Part of it is the mixture of competitiveness. It's not just putting an All-Star team out there and the All-Star team wins. You try to find that balance of a team that's got a little grit and fight, and has enough talent to get there also. It's not all grit and no talent that gets there, and it's not all talent and no grit. It's a mixture of both." People around the Dodgers say Colletti has been concerned about his team's lack of competitive fire in some cases. They point out that, as far back as spring training, the GM said despite all the big-name and big-buck talent on the Dodgers' roster, "for us to be successful, we're going to have to prepare better than every other team, execute better than every other team and compete harder than every other team." Mattingly did not specifically name Ethier in his comments, but did little to dissuade reporters from drawing that conclusion. Asked why Ethier was out of Wednesday's lineup, the manager said he was "trying to put the club out there that I feel is going to fight." Mattingly also did not inform Ethier he was being benched, or explain the reasons for it, before speaking to the media. When Ethier learned, after Wednesday's game, of Mattingly's comments, and the insinuation that those words were directed at him, he told reporters: "I take offense to that. I work hard. Whether I'm going good or going bad, I work just as hard, both sides." Ethier told reporters he was upset that Mattingly had criticized him to the media without speaking with him, and said he would "take a look at" Mattingly's comments "and address it." Clubs say the Dodgers are letting it be known Ethier would be available in a trade, but the approximately $80 million he has left on his contract through the 2017 season would make one difficult, unless Los Angeles is willing to eat a significant chunk of that money. The Dodgers, who have fallen seven games below .500 (19-26) and six games out of first place in the NL West, were off Thursday. On Friday, they begin a five-game homestand that includes three games against the Cardinals and two against the Angels. __
Didn't read the article yet but if Kemp is still too hurt to be effective then why the fuck is he playing? Call up Puig or Pederson.
Wow. A positive article from Simers. That's enough to make me reconsider my stance on Mattingly. Trade Dre for a 3B? Bring up Puig? And keep going at it.
We should have traded Dre in the offseason. Now we gotta let him go on a hot streak to get his value back up, right now would be selling at his all time low.
I see your point, and after I saw him icing his shoulder I put alot of thought into that exact question. What I came up with is this... Time is what he needs. He has to play and continue to play. He's not injured to the point of being on the DL. The Dr.s cannot do anything else at this point. He needs to keep swinging the bat. Where else is he going to do that? I'm pretty sure there's rules against sending him down(AAA) against his will. And if you were him would you accept that? I don't think I would. Minor league life sucks compared to the big leagues. It's one thing to accept a 1 week rehap in Rancho, but this is going to take a long time...maybe all season. My only cure for this problem is not a cure, but the best way to make this time go by the best and that's to bat him lower in the order. That's all we can do. And honestly bro, this stuff of call up Puig or Pederson to replace Kemp is just not a realistic idea and it's also a terrible idea. Kemp is the high payed superstar on the team. He needs to play. We will need him to get better, not rot on the bench as a backup OF. We wanted high priced talent and we have it, this is what it's like. you are stuck with them for the most part. If we had more guys like Cruz, this wouldn't be a problem...we'd just bench him and put another cheap guy in there. This is how high payroll teams have to operate. Don't get pissed off...we all wanted this. It would be different if we were talking about an old high paid veteran on his last year or two, like Uribe, or Wells (Angels), Or Luis Gonzales a few years back. Yeah, you can brush those guys aside knowing they will be gone soon, Kemp is signed until the next decade! Kemp sucks right now, I know it and it is hard to watch. He should improve, hopefully sooner rather than later. He has shown signs of improvement and hopefully that's a trend that will continue. Ethier on the other hand, there's no excuse. As bad as Kemp's been for a reason, Ethier's right there for no reason.
