The offseason is upon us, Dodger fans, and with all the uncertainty going on with LA, one thing is for sure: Dave Roberts will return as the skipper for the Boys in Bue in 2024.
I know, I know, many of you guys prefer a new manager for a variety of reasons, but would you rather have Roberts or go back to former LA skipper from 2011-2015, Don Mattingly? Okay, don’t answer that, as he is not a realistic option, but he may be a real option for the hated Houston Astros.
The Astros are looking for a new person at the helm after the great Dusty Baker retired following Houston’s loss to the Rangers in the ALCS. And Mattingly may be looked at as the person to be the next manager for Houston.
Speaking of big names, few are more appealing than Donnie Baseball — and Jackson can give his boss a better Mattingly analysis than most. Mattingly’s .483 managerial winning percentage is not sexy, but most of the setbacks came during a difficult stretch with the Miami Marlins, who endured the untimely death of homegrown ace José Fernández and a subsequent selloff on Mattingly’s watch.
(per Chandler Rome via The Athletic)
As Rome mentioned, the Miami Marlins, in which he was at the helm from 2016-2022, didn’t help his managerial record. However, surrounded by a good team, which he was in LA for five years, he was pretty solid. The former player led LA to three straight NL West titles and snagged 446 wins in 809 games to bring his win percentage to .551 in Los Angeles.
Now, the postseason record is concerning as he sits at 10-14 as a manager. Still, Mattingly has proven he can coach in this league, and with an incredible roster in Houston, he could hop on and ride their coattails.
The search for Houston’s next coach may take a while, and we’ll see if Mattingly could stand out from the crowd.
Photo Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports