Comments on: Magic Johnson has very high expectations for the Dodgers and Don Mattingly

By: halohonk

halohonk — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 07:10:04 +0000

Score more runs than the other team and you win!

By: joegolfer

joegolfer — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:04:08 +0000

That freeway series would be an exciting one for sure.
I’m not sure the Angels have the pitching though, and pitching often wins playoff games due to the nature of the way a series is set up.
I think it will come down to the Nationals and the Dodgers in the N.L for the pennant, but one never knows, especially since Wild Card teams have had great success in recent years.
If Gio Gonzalez gets suspended for PED’s, that’s gonna hurt the Nats, even with Strasburg pitching a full season, but they can survive it.
I don’t think the Nats hitting will be as good as last year, as some guys had uncharacteristically good years, such as the middle infielders Desmond and Espinosa, and the 1Bman, Adam LaRoche.

By: joegolfer

joegolfer — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 05:56:53 +0000

Good point. Magic has always been diplomatic in judging things, at least in public.
He even compliments Dwight Howard of late, and Dwight hasn’t lived up to expectations yet. And Magic stays upbeat on the Lakers, despite their woes this season.
It’s too bad more owners/management aren’t as classy as Magic.
And at least he didn’t become a whiny baby like Phil Mickelson regarding California tax rates (Phil said he backed out of the Padres deal because of it, though he had already been out of it by most accounts).
Magic just goes about his business, being upbeat, encouraging his team, and if he has negative comments, he says them face to face to the person with whom he is dealing.
Dodgers should have high expectations. They’ve assembled a terrific team, even if they missed out on a couple of free agent pitchers.

By: halohonk

halohonk — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 04:21:11 +0000

I know one thing the Angels are the same way but nobody talks about our mgr if we dont get to the series. Im sure the Halos make a move if they dont get there this year. He is a players mgr though and we do have a lot of veteren players. We might see a freeway series here in SoCal.

By: bigharold

bigharold — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:15:30 +0000

Johnson has a point. Considering the talent they’ve added he should have high expectations. Does that mean the Dodgers get to the WS, .. let alone win it, .. well that is any ones guess. But, no point in being coy about ones expectations.

Mattingly is my favorite all time Yankee so I’m biased but I think he’ll deliver. And, he’s no stranger to pressure or high expectations. He was after all employed by George Steinbrenner for most of his adult life.

By: fanofevilempire

fanofevilempire — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:44:39 +0000

Hey Magic,one big problem for the Dodgers is San Francisco…………

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:01:44 +0000

Didn’t the Nats also make a similar comment recently about it will be a bad year if they don’t go to the Series? My expert analysis is that at least one of the two teams is headed for major disappointment.

By: koufaxmitzvah

koufaxmitzvah — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:52:21 +0000

Hello…. Magic Johnson is a proven champion. And all he is doing is professing the philosophy that all proven champions have professed since I ever began listening to them. Which is that disappointment will set in if the team doesn’t win a championship. Nothing wrong with that.

I don’t see a guillotine here. If the Dodgers fail to make the World Series but play well enough to compete to be in the World Series, i.e. win the division, then we’ll see how stringent the call for a championship is over team continuity.

By: jayquintana

jayquintana — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:16:33 +0000

If the Dodgers don’t go far into the playoffs this year, why would they bring Mattingly back?

By: lemfax

lemfax — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:06:18 +0000

What you expect him to say. I’m just a fan but I always want to see my team on the championship..

By: djjackson81

djjackson81 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:02:49 +0000

Or the Diamondbacks

By: riverace19

riverace19 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:59:48 +0000

The Dodgers added payroll but really how many effective players? Hanley, Crawford, A Gonz are all on the downhill slide… Greinke is solid but the rotation still has holes… Beckett? Billingsley? The Dodgers might sneak in the playoffs as a wild card but, even with the additions, they will not finish ahead of the Giants in the NL West.

By: chumthumper

chumthumper — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:56:25 +0000

Apparently, Magic thinks throwing a lot of money at it will make it so.

By: Chris Fiorentino

Chris Fiorentino — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:46:59 +0000

All the hundreds of millions they have spent and they can’t throw Mattingly another year on his contract so he isn’t managing as a lame-duck? Seems to me that doesn’t work out too well too often.

By: moseskkim

moseskkim — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:26:33 +0000

As long as the dodgers win their division and are competitive in the playoffs, mattingly is safe. If they get blown out/there’s dysfunction in the clubhouse.. Then hes probably gone.

By: philliesblow

philliesblow — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:51:49 +0000

Last 2 Dodgers WS championships (1981 & 1988) featured Spartans Steve Garvey & Kirk Gibson. Maybe Magic will have to suit up.

By: cur68

cur68 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:43:36 +0000

This is the dreaded “Vote Of Confidence”, isn’t it?

Donny Baseball, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. . . .

By: manchestermiracle

manchestermiracle — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:31:59 +0000

Setting your sights and expectations high is what Dodger fans expect, particularly from a winner like Magic. There are myriad reasons a club does or does not make the WS and as long as Mattingly is doing his job I see no reason ownership would dump on him if the Dodgers don’t get there. A .500 season might be an entirely different scenario, but presenting the coming season as a “WS or bust” make-or-break for Mattingly isn’t very accurate.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:25:44 +0000

Seems to me that Magic is saying “If we shtup Don in October it won’t be because he didn’t win it all. It will be for some other reason we haven’t thought of yet.”

By: Francisco (FC)

Francisco (FC) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:24:50 +0000

If it’s truly “World Series or bust” for the Dodgers this season Mattingly ought to be very nervous.

Meh, it’s not like he’ll be tossed on the street and forced to get in line at a soup kitchen. Worse case scenario he retires early or finds another baseball job.