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January 22, 2008
Mattingly Leaves Torre's Field Staff
From MLB.com -
Don Mattingly, named by the Dodgers as hitting coach two months ago and the presumed eventual replacement for new manager Joe Torre, stepped aside on Tuesday for family reasons and was replaced by Triple-A hitting coach Mike Easler.
Mattingly will remain in the organization as a special assignment coach, but requested the change so he could spend more time at home in Evansville, Ind. He also requested that further details of his situation not be released.
When Mattingly left the Yankees, after 1995, there was some talk about him, perhaps, going on to play for the Cardinals - but, Donnie elected to stay home. At that time, it was rumored that Mattingly wanted to be closer to home for family matters.
A friend with some access to the Yankees scene, back then, told me that the story they heard was that Don's wife, Kim, needed some support from him at that time. But, again, that's all hearsay.
Mattingly's boys are now 16, 20, and 22. And, for sure, the 16-year old is still at home. (The 22-year old could be there too.) With boys that age, under your roof, it could almost be anything that brought cause for Donnie to step down.
For the sake of his family, and their well-being, I hope it all works out quickly and well.
This would have been some spot, if the Yankees had hired Mattingly to replace Torre (and not Girardi). Imagine trying to find a new manager just three weeks before pitchers and catchers report?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at January 22, 2008 10:40 PM