Mattingly likely to succeed Torre and other chatter

Oct 21, 2009, 8:55 AM EST

Jon Heyman’s latest SI column is chock full ‘o goodness:

It’s not in writing but Don Mattingly is basically Joe Torre’s heir-apparent in Los Angeles. Of course, most folks say he was the heir-apparent in New York too, but Torre leaving under a cloud and Mattingly’s domestic issues put a wrench in all of that. Here’s hoping that Mattingly, one of the game’s truly good guys, gets the gig in 2011 in a nice smooth transition.

Heyman talks about how amazing Mariano Rivera has been in the postseason. How he hasn’t discounted all of the numbers he cites for Rivera’s blatant spitballing is beyond me. I also hear that Rivera was in on that whole balloon boy scam too, so we should even be more skeptical.

Jim Riggleman is likely going to get the Nats job on a full time basis. Not very inspired — I had argued in favor of bringing in a new face — but maybe it’s best to keep some continuity until the team is truly on the upswing. I would be less than inspired if I were a Nats’fan, but it’s a defensible decision, especially given how much change there has been in the front office. Give the new folks some time to get comfy with the team before making a move.

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Grant - Oct 21, 2009 at 9:30 AM

Unlike the Yankees, the Dodgers don’t have any particular sentimental reasons to love Donnie Baseball. Torre is not a long-time beloved manager but a late-career hired gun (or hired brain, or whatever). I don’t see why the Dodgers should feel obligated to give Mattingly the job unless he’s truly the best man for the job.
I’m not saying he’s not. I’m just saying that there seems to be no compelling reason for an heir apparent situation in this case.
Then again, I’m rarely in favor of an heir apparent situation in baseball. In football or other more highly-integrated, gameplanned team sports I think it can work, for continuity’s sake. But in baseball you just send the best guys out there and manage egos (oversimplifying, I know). I’d say hire the best guy, regardless of whether he was a coach for the old guy.

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Church of the Perpetually Outraged - Oct 21, 2009 at 11:06 AM

Heyman talks about how amazing Mariano Rivera has been in the postseason. How he hasn’t discounted all of the numbers he cites for Rivera’s blatant spitballing is beyond me. I also hear that Rivera was in on that whole balloon boy scam too, so we should even be more skeptical.

It’s official, my comment on shysterball is true, you have balls of steel.

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RP - Oct 21, 2009 at 3:45 PM

He may want to change his website name to “Balls of Steel.” Or at least put that as the tagline.
Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure he’s wrong about Rivera’s involvement with Balloon Boy. I’m pretty sure he was too busy covering his tracks from his sales of nuclear technology to Iran.

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