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Don Mattingly

Heyman’s Latest: Davis, Zobrist, Zunino

By | November 1, 2015 at 7:10pm CDT

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports takes a look at Pete Rose’s chances for reinstatement in his latest Inside Baseball column. The short version: he has no chance. Heyman has a lot to say on the topic, but it all boils down to a conservative mindset among baseball’s decision makers. While Rose, 74, is relatively harmless, the commissioner’s office won’t take the tiny risk associated with reinstatement. Commissioner Rob Manfred granted Rose a hearing in September and is expected to issue a ruling before the end of the year.

Here’s more from the column:

  • Orioles owner Peter Angelos is making a push to re-sign first baseman Chris Davis. The slugger is entering his age 30 season after posting 13 WAR and 126 home runs over the last three seasons. Davis hit .262/.361/.562 last year with 47 home runs. However, he’s sandwiched two superstar campaigns around a replacement level 2014, making him a high risk, high reward target in free agency. Heyman does not expect Davis to sign before talking with other clubs.
  • The Royals are unlikely to re-sign Ben Zobrist. The club acquired him to fill in for the injured Alex Gordon, then used him to replace injured Omar Infante. The club’s former second baseman will be back and presumably healthy next season. Zobrist’s defensive profile at second base also leaves something to be desired.
  • Marlins manager Don Mattingly hopes to bring pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and coach Tim Wallach with him from the Dodgers. However, L.A. hopes to keep both coaches. Honeycutt is a long standing member of the Dodgers’ coaching staff, but Wallach may search for a new job if he’s passed over for the open manager job.
  • Scouts are worried that Mike Zunino may have to overcome a psychological hurdle. He was widely viewed as unready for a promotion to the majors in 2013, and the Mariners have allowed him to scuffle through the last three campaigns. His biggest issue is a 32 percent strikeout rate which has led to a .193/.252/.353 triple-slash.
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Baltimore Orioles Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Seattle Mariners Ben Zobrist Chris Davis Don Mattingly Mike Zunino Peter Angelos Rob Manfred

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Cafardo On Kapstein, Amaro, Mattingly, Zobrist, Kapler

By | October 31, 2015 at 8:58pm CDT

In his latest column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe discussed the role of former Red Sox advisor Jeremy Kapstein. Newly installed club president Dave Dombrowski did not extend Kapstein’s contract. The former player agent had worked with the Red Sox for 14 years as a senior advisor of baseball projects. Kapstein once represented a number of top players and was among the first to use statistics in arbitration cases. He’ll seek a new role elsewhere.

Here’s more from the column:

  • Freshly minted first base and outfield coach Ruben Amaro Jr. is already familiar with many of Boston’s outfielders. While with the Phillies, he pursued Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and prospect Manuel Margot in trade negotiations for Cole Hamels. Former Phillies closer Brad Lidge noted that Amaro was comfortable spending time in the clubhouse with players, so he should adjust well to his new role.
  • Don Mattingly is the Marlins eighth manager in the last six seasons. The last manager, Dan Jennings, was recently let go after he was told he would return to his former job as GM. The club owes him about $2MM. Mattingly is said to have agreed to a four-year deal although financial details have yet to be disclosed. Marlins fans may recall the four-year, $10MM contract signed by Ozzie Guillen prior to 2012. It serves as a warning to Mattingly that a long term of contract or high AAV will not ensure job security in Miami.
  • As reported earlier this week, Ben Cherington has joined the sports management program at Columbia University. That hasn’t stopped the Pirates from pursuing him for a front office role. Cafardo wonders if Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro might show interest too. In my opinion, the Blue Jays job might not be a fit since Cherington walked away from a similar situation in Boston.
  • One AL executive worries about Ben Zobrist’s age. “Ben is 35 years old. He keeps in great shape and does the job, but he’s not someone you’re going to devote big dollars to over a long-term deal.” Of course, his agent, Alan Nero, believes a three or four-year deal should be well within reach. Nero and the Royals have not discussed an extension.
  • The Orioles will bring back pitching coach Dave Wallace. According to a source, manager Buck Showalter asked him to stay. The Orioles pitching staff had a rough season after outperforming their peripherals for a few years. Free agent Wei-Yin Chen will be difficult to replace if he signs elsewhere. The club also has to carefully manage top prospect Dylan Bundy. He’s missed most of the last three seasons after making a couple relief appearances as a 19-year-old in 2012. He’ll be out of options.
  • Team sources label Gabe Kapler has the leading candidate for the Dodgers managerial job. Kapler “speaks the same language” as president Andrew Friedman and they have an established working relationship. While Kapler has not managed in the majors, he “drew rave reviews” while managing with the Red Sox Single-A affiliate.
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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates Toronto Blue Jays Ben Cherington Ben Zobrist Buck Showalter Cole Hamels Dan Jennings Dave Dombrowski Don Mattingly Dylan Bundy Gabe Kapler Jackie Bradley Jr. Manuel Margot Mark Shapiro Mookie Betts Ozzie Guillen Ruben Amaro Jr. Wei-Yin Chen

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Marlins To Hire Don Mattingly

By Steve Adams | October 29, 2015 at 7:28am CDT

The Marlins will hire Don Mattingly as their next manager, reports Molly Knight of Vice Sports. Mattingly has agreed to a four-year deal with the club, but there may not be an official announcement until the World Series comes to a close, she adds.

Don Mattingly

Incredibly, the 54-year-old Mattingly becomes the Marlins’ eighth man to manager the Marlins since the 2010 season, Knight points out (though that does count bench coach Brandon Hyde, who managed just one game on an interim basis in 2011). Mattingly will replace GM-turned-skipper Dan Jennings, who bizarrely transitioned from the front office to the dugout in nearly unprecedented fashion earlier this year after Mike Redmond was fired as manager. The Marlins will pay Redmond through the 2017 season and only recently had Redmond’s predecessor, Ozzie Guillen, come off the books, as his four-year contract expired upon completion of the 2015 season despite the fact that he was fired three years ago.

The Marlins interviewed a wide variety of candidates, though reports throughout the interview process indicated that owner Jeffrey Loria would consider Mattingly the favorite were he to part ways with the Dodgers. That scenario came to fruition last week, when Mattingly and the Dodgers mutually parted ways. Mattingly is said to feel that the team didn’t want to commit to him for the long haul, though some form of extension was discussed prior to his departure. (Speculatively speaking, it seems plausible that the Dodgers only offered Mattingly a one-year extension of his contract, which would’ve extended it through the 2017 season.)

Though Loria is notoriously fickle with his managers — as evidenced by the fact that seven men have filled that role from 2010-15 — the New York native is said to be a huge fan of Mattingly dating back to Mattingly’s days as a six-time All-Star first baseman with the Yankees. Perhaps, then, that will buy Mattingly more leeway than was afforded to the men he is succeeding in his new role.

In five seasons as manager of the Dodgers, Mattingly posted a 446-363 record, guiding his club to the NL West Division title in each of the final three years of his term. While the team won only one postseason series in four attempts under Mattingly, he recorded a winning record in each of his five seasons and was generally well-regarded by his players. Notably, Mattingly managed in an extremely high-pressure market while juggling a large number of highly paid players on his roster, many of whom had been reduced to part-time roles. Managing the number of egos and dealing with the L.A. media undoubtedly took a toll on Mattingly, and he’s likely to encounter a more low-key environment in Miami. Mattingly said in a recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show that he’s intrigued by the Marlins’ young core and considered it a “new challenge” that appealed to him (this was prior to his reported hiring but after his initial interview).

Knight notes that it’s unclear whether or not Mattingly will be able to bring any of his field staff from Los Angeles to Miami. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and bench coach Tim Wallach would be candidates, though Wallach is still in the running for the managerial vacancies in both L.A. and San Diego. The Dodgers did tell their coaches at season’s end that they were free to pursue opportunities elsewhere, so perhaps Honeycutt could jump ship with Mattingly.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Miami Marlins Newsstand Transactions Don Mattingly

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Marlins In “Serious Talks” With Don Mattingly

By Jeff Todd | October 28, 2015 at 12:56pm CDT

The Marlins are in “serious talks” with Don Mattingly regarding the club’s open managerial position, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Both sides expect to reach agreement, per the report.

All indications have been that the former Dodgers skipper was the focus of Miami’s managerial search. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro said yesterday that an interview on Monday went well, with the sides seemingly set to talk about contract terms. And today’s report suggests that negotiations are progressing in earnest.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, a noted Yankees afficionado, is said to be a huge fan of Mattingly. Miami put a hold on its nascent managerial search to see how things would shake out with Los Angeles, and move quickly on Mattingly after he agreed to part ways with the team.

Though he was unable to guide the Dodgers deep into the post-season, he was seemingly successful at managing the club’s big contracts and big personalities. Under Mattingly’s leadership, the club carried a .551 overall regular season winning percentage.

The Marlins present something of a different challenge, of course. There’s much less media attention and a much lower payroll, though keeping a dugout job for a Loria-owned team has not proven easy over the years. In recent years, the organization has churned through Ozzie Guillen, Mike Redmond, and past (and future?) GM Dan Jennings.

As Heyman notes, the Dodgers remain on the hook for the remaining $1.6MM owed Mattingly under his prior contract. A new deal with Miami would be expected to “easily top” that amount in annual value, per the report.

It’s worth bearing in mind that a deal may well not be announced until after the conclusion of the World Series, even if it’s reached before that point. Frisaro tweets that the club likely will indeed hold off on officially naming a new skipper until that point.

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Miami Marlins Newsstand Don Mattingly

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Marlins’ Managerial Search Focused On Mattingly

By Steve Adams | October 27, 2015 at 12:25pm CDT

The Marlins’ managerial search is in full effect after the team formally announced that Dan Jennings would not return to the dugout and has been asked to rejoin the front office. To this point, it’s known that Larry Bowa, Manny Acta and Bo Porter are candidates for the Marlins, who are said to prefer someone with previous managerial experience.

Here’s the latest on their search…

  • Mattingly’s interview went well, tweets Frisaro, who says it may simply be time for the sides to talk numbers and work out the terms of employment. Bowa, meanwhile, appears to be out of the running after agreeing to return as the Phillies’ bench coach.
  • Jackson reports that the Dodgers wouldn’t be responsible for the $1.6MM that Mattingly would’ve earned in 2016 if he receives a new managerial job that pays him more than that figure. Mattingly wants assurances that he can hire his own coaches, which the Marlins are willing to grant, and he also wants financial security with a new deal. As Jackson notes, Loria has shown a willingness to spend generously on managers that appeal heavily to him.
  • Mattingly is interviewing with the Marlins today, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro (via Twitter). FOX’s Jon Morosi notes (also on Twitter) that if Mattingly is hired by Miami, his 2016 salary would be subject to being offset due to the fact that Mattingly is still under contract with the Dodgers.

Earlier Updates

  • Mattingly has interest in the Marlins’ job, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Miami will likely reach out to him to open discussions within “the next few days,” per the report. Because the sides have yet even to meet, Jackson says it would be premature to call the match-up a done deal. But he echoes the other reports suggesting that Mattingly is the front-runner to become the next Miami skipper.
  • Don Mattingly will hit the open market after parting ways with the Dodgers, and the Marlins have often been said (see here and here) to have keen interest in him. That is indeed still the case, as MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com says (on Twitter) that the Fish have “serious” interest, explaining that their managerial search has been on “semi-hold” while waiting to see what would happen in Los Angeles.
  • Nevin has also received two interviews, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today, who calls Mattingly a “favorite” for the position now that he’s free to join any club.
  • Bowa is taking his second interview with the Fish on Oct. 24, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports on Twitter. Currently the Phillies bench coach, Bowa has previously skippered the Padres (1987-1988) and Phillies (2001-2004).
  • Among the candidates in Miami is Alex Cora, who’ll receive an interview. But reports indicate that the organization may prefer to wait until the Dodgers decide on Don Mattingly to make their own hire. Mattingly would make for an appealing candidate to the Fish.
  • The Marlins have received permission from the Diamondbacks to interview Triple-A manager Phil Nevin, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter. His interview will come tomorrow and be backed by a “strong endorsement” from D-Backs GM Dave Stewart, Nightengale adds. While Nevin lacks Major League managing experience, he’s been a very successful minor league manager and has been oft-regarded as a future big league skipper over the past couple of seasons.
  • The current coaching staff will have the opportunity to get some face time with whichever candidate the team elects to hire, president of baseball operations Michael Hill told reporters, including the Miami Herald’s Clark Spencer (Twitter link). Spencer adds in a followup tweet, however, that everyone on the coaching staff has also been granted the permission to seek opportunities in other organizations, should they wish to do so.
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Arizona Diamondbacks Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Alex Cora Don Mattingly Phil Nevin

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Dodgers Notes: Friedman, Urias, De Leon, Holmes

By | October 24, 2015 at 10:22pm CDT

Dodgers president Andrew Friedman has made sweeping changes throughout the organization, writes Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Now that former manager Don Mattingly has stepped down, Friedman will have the opportunity to remake the major league coaching staff too. Today’s managers must serve as a conduit between analytical front offices and the players. Friedman plans to make a hire by the Winter Meetings in two months. Presently, the top rumored candidates are Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez (a former Friedman employee), former Padres manager Bud Black, and Dodgers personnel Gabe Kapler, Tim Wallach, and Ron Roenicke. Of course, other candidates could enter the fray too.

Here’s more from the Dodgers:

  • Los Angeles has not developed a meaningful starting pitcher since Clayton Kershaw, writes Shaikin in a separate column. GM Farhan Zaidi claims the club will get younger, but the drafts since Kershaw have not been kind. They’ve made 12 first round picks since Kershaw was selected, and 10 of them have been pitchers. It’s telling that Corey Seager has produced more WAR than all of them in just one month of play. As the Mets demonstrate, a deep, young rotation can bring you a long way. With the Dodgers massive resources, the next step is to develop better pitching.
  • Pitching reinforcements won’t arrive by the start of 2016, per Shaikin. That will force the club to spend big to re-sign Zack Greinke or acquire another top arm. However, prospects Julio Urias, 19, Jose De Leon, 23, and Grant Holmes, 19, all show promise and could move quickly. Urias is the most recognizable of the trio. He has appeared numerous times here on MLBTR. De Leon also came up in deadline rumors, particularly for Cole Hamels. Holmes, the club’s first round pick in 2014, may be slightly less visible than the other two. However, prior to the season, FanGraphs’ Kiley McDaniel rated him as the fourth best prospect in the system – ahead of De Leon (seventh ranked).
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Los Angeles Dodgers Andrew Friedman Bud Black Clayton Kershaw Don Mattingly Farhan Zaidi Gabe Kapler Jose De Leon Julio Urias Ron Roenicke Zack Greinke

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Managerial Notes: Gordon, Mattingly, Servais

By charliewilmoth | October 24, 2015 at 2:08pm CDT

The Padres have interviewed former big-league reliever Tom Gordon for their open managerial position, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports. As Heyman notes, Gordon certainly would be an unusual candidate, since he has no managerial experience anywhere. He did, however, pitch 21 seasons in the big leagues. He is the father of Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon and top Twins shortstop prospect Nick Gordon. Here’s the rest of the latest on the Padres’ managerial search. And here are more notes on managers, all on the West divisions:

  • Don Mattingly’s separation from the Dodgers was amicable, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. The pressures of managing an expensive team with championship expectations weighted on Mattingly, as did whispers about whether he would be fired. When the two sides spoke on Monday, the Dodgers told him they were not interested in offering a long-term extension, which told him their commitment to him wasn’t strong. The new Dodgers front office would, evidently, prefer to hire its own manager, even though Mattingly was willing to work with the front office with its use of advanced metrics.
  • The Mariners are gambling that Scott Servais is the right hire for them despite his lack of managerial experience, John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune writes. As McGrath points out, gambles like this one are common nowadays: Mike Matheny of the Cardinals, Robin Ventura of the White Sox, Brad Ausmus of the Tigers, Walt Weiss of the Rockies, Craig Counsell of the Brewers and Kevin Cash of the Rays are, like Servais, all former players who lacked significant managerial experience before taking their current jobs.
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Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres Seattle Mariners St. Louis Cardinals Don Mattingly Scott Servais Tom Gordon

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Heyman’s Latest: Mattingly, Red Sox, Ozuna, Heyward, Giants, Storen

By Steve Adams | October 23, 2015 at 1:12pm CDT

The Marlins have interviewed at least five candidates for their managerial opening, but they put their search on hold to wait to see what the future held for Don Mattingly, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman also looks at the Dodgers’ upcoming managerial search, noting that former Padres manager Bud Black, current Dodgers third base coach/former Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke and current Dodgers bench coach Tim Wallach could factor into L.A.’s search for a replacement in addition to early favorite Gabe Kapler. Here are some more highlights from the column…

  • The Braves will pursue bullpen upgrades this winter after their relief corps struggled tremendously in 2015. Presumably, the club could be in the mix for some short-term upgrades that could be flipped come the trade deadline, though I’ll point out that the Braves will probably be better off in 2016 with the returns of Shae Simmons, Chris Withrow and perhaps Daniel Winkler from Tommy John surgery.
  • While the Red Sox are more willing to trade prospects under president Dave Dombrowski than they were under former GM Ben Cherington, the club is said to consider infielder Yoan Moncada, outfielder Andrew Benintendi and right-hander Anderson Espinoza off-limits as it looks to upgrade its pitching staff on the trade market.
  • The White Sox are on the lookout for third base help and will also pursue upgrades behind the plate. Chicago wound up designating Conor Gillaspie, its primary third baseman from 2013 through the first half of 2015, for assignment this summer and trading him to the Angels. Tyler Flowers had a poor second half, although as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes noted in his Offseason Outlook on the ChiSox, Flowers has worked hard to become an excellent pitch framer, so he does bring some value to the table in that increasingly important element of the game.
  • Some feel that the Reds are going to blow things up and go for a full-on rebuild this winter, though Heyman writes that Brandon Phillips is said to have negative trade value. Considering the fact that Phillips had a decent rebound season at the plate and is still a sound defender whose contract no longer is too burdensome, I wonder if that’s a universal sentiment. While he’s not a bargain, Phillips seems to be at least reasonably priced.
  • The Cardinals will try to re-sign Jason Heyward, but while they could go “a bit beyond” Matt Holliday’s franchise-record $120MM guarantee, Heyward’s camp will insist on topping Jacoby Ellsbury’s $153MM sum and inching as close to $200MM as they can get.
  • The Indians still have interest in Marcell Ozuna, as they reportedly did prior to the non-waiver trade deadline. I mentioned in my Offseason Outlook for Cleveland that a pursuit of Ozuna would make some sense and speculated on a potential match sending Trevor Bauer to Miami. Heyman notes that the Marlins are looking for a frontline pitcher to pair with Jose Fernandez, but history shows us they’re not likely to spend on a top-tier free agent.
  • The Astros, too, are looking for bullpen upgrades. Houston pursued top-end relief talent prior to the non-waiver trade deadline, with GM Jeff Luhnow candidly telling the Houston Chronicle’s Evan Drellich that he’d like to pursue a “flamethrower.”
  • The Twins are expected to pursue a reunion with A.J. Pierzynski, as many have speculated on recently (myself included). Heyman notes that the Braves will probably try to bring Pierzynski back as well. Minnesota also wants Torii Hunter back, but in a reduced role.
  • Starting pitching will be a focus for the Giants, who are interested in Zack Greinke and Mike Leake, Heyman writes. They will also exercise their $5.5MM club option on Nori Aoki, so long as he continues to progress from late-season head injuries that stemmed from being hit in the head by a pair of pitches. San Francisco will decline Marlon Byrd’s $8MM option.
  • The Nationals will try to trade both Drew Storen and Jonathan Papelbon this winter, though the latter, of course won’t have much of a market due to his personality issues. Storen’s an expensive but talented option, and Heyman opines that he “absolutely has to go.” While I wouldn’t go that far, I’ll admit that it does seem like a change of scenery would be best for all parties involved. I’d imagine a number of teams — the Tigers, Cubs, Astros, Red Sox, Yankees and Rangers, to name a few — would have interest in Storen. Papelbon’s $11MM salary strikes me as nearly impossible to move unless the Nats eat the majority of the deal or take on an even more undesirable contract.
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Atlanta Braves Boston Red Sox Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Cleveland Guardians Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Minnesota Twins San Francisco Giants Washington Nationals A.J. Pierzynski Andrew Benintendi Brandon Phillips Bud Black Don Mattingly Drew Storen Jonathan Papelbon Marcell Ozuna Marlon Byrd Mike Leake Ron Roenicke Torii Hunter Yoan Moncada Zack Greinke

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Don Mattingly Won’t Return As Dodgers Manager

By Jeff Todd | October 22, 2015 at 11:02am CDT

Don Mattingly and the Dodgers have mutually decided to part ways, as first reported from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The 54-year-old had served as the team’s manager for the last five seasons. Los Angeles will pay Mattingly the salary he was owed for 2016, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter.

Aug 27, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly gets ready in the dugout at the beginning of a game with Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

It was a successful run overall for Mattingly, who oversaw three straight NL West division winners and five consecutive winning ballclubs. While his .551 overall winning percentage was impressive, though, the Dodgers’ post-season performances haven’t matched their regular season marks. Los Angeles won just one playoff series under Mattingly’s command.

Heyman describes the situation as amicable, even in parting. The front office continues to hold plenty of respect for Mattingly, who in turn does not feel mistreated by upper management. The broad issue, according to Heyman, is that “there wasn’t support for the long-term” for Mattingly.

It appears that the sides considered a continued relationship, as both acknowledged in announcing the move. Mattingly’s contract did have one year remaining on it, and some manner of extension was contemplated. (ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that an extension was offered, while Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets that it was discussed conceptually, but never formally offered.)

Ultimately, it does seem clear that all agreed to part ways. In a prepared statement, Friedman said that extensive discussion “evolved to a point where we all agreed that it might be best for both sides to start fresh,” a conclusion that ultimately was confirmed after further deliberation. Mattingly, meanwhile, echoed that, saying that “a fresh start would be good for both the organization and me.” He thanked the organization and said he hopes to continue managing with another team.

For Mattingly, it’s not a bad time to be hitting the open market. Numerous clubs — including the Marlins, who are said to have interest, as well as the Nationals, Mariners, and Padres  — are in search for new skippers. There’s little doubt he’ll draw interest after managing winning teams under two rather different front office regimes, in a huge market, and with a variety of high-priced and somewhat volatile players to be accounted for. As Heyman notes, though, his in-game strategy has drawn some critics.

Likewise, the Dodgers should have no trouble attracting candidates to their open post. With a talented roster (and the deep pockets to add to it), Los Angeles figures as a perennial contender. Of course, running the Dodgers ship is also one of the higher-pressure gigs in the game. It’s hard to know at present what direction president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman might go with a new hire. He inherited Mattingly when he came to L.A., and only oversaw one manager (Joe Maddon, now with the Cubs) while serving as the general manager of the Rays.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Newsstand Transactions Don Mattingly

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Heyman On Cespedes, Davis, Mattingly, Phillies

By Zachary Links | October 18, 2015 at 10:46am CDT

The Mets seem to love Yoenis Cespedes, and for good reason, but based on talks with Mets people, one rival executive told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he would be “shocked” if the Mets retained him.  After all, Cespedes could be in line for a $150MM+ deal and the Mets are intent on keeping their rotation together for years to come.

The Mets’ other key free agent, Daniel Murphy,  has “made himself millions,” said one scout, in reference to his postseason heroics.  Even though his stock is trending upwards, however, one rival GM said he still thinks the Mets will pass on extending him the $15.8MM qualifying offer.

Here’s a look at more of the highlights from Heyman’s article..

  • The Orioles would appear to have a hard time hanging on to Chris Davis given their usual budget, but Peter Angelos has stated his interest in keeping the slugger and even with a potential ~$200MM asking price, re-signing him hasn’t been ruled out, Heyman writes.  In the most recent edition of Tim Dierkes’ 2016 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings,  Davis is ranked No. 4 ahead of several notable names, including fellow slugger Yoenis Cespedes.  Tim projects that Davis will be vying for a seven-year deal with a mid-$20MM AAV.
  • “Dodgers higher-ups are said to give Don Mattingly big credit for the way he’s handled the clubhouse,” Heyman writes.  It’s not certain that Mattingly will return in 2016, but Heyman notes that the approval of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke doesn’t hurt his case.
  • Sources confirmed to Heyman that the Phillies have interviewed Royals assistant GM J.J. Picollo and Angels assistant GM Matt Klentak for their GM job.  Both men have been mentioned as candidates for the vacancy.
  • The Cubs love Kyle Schwarber’s bat but they’re still unsure where he’ll end up in the field.  Schwarber is currently slotted in the outfield and it remains to be seen whether he’ll eventually end up behind the plate.
  • Reds bench coach Jay Bell is “thought to have at least come up at some point” in the Marlins’ managerial search, but a source tells Heyman that he is “not in the mix” at this time.
  • Some Padres people could see team exec Moises Alou taking over as manager, but three of Alou’s friends told Heyman that they doubt he’d even want the job.  The known managerial candidates there are Diamondbacks minor-league manager Phil Nevin, former infielder Alex Cora, Diamondbacks coach Andy Green, Angels assistant GM Scott Servais, and ex-Twins manager Ron Gardenhire are said to be candidates for the position, but Heyman hears that Dusty Baker and ex-red Sox catcher Jason Varitek are not candidates at this time.
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Baltimore Orioles Chicago Cubs Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies San Diego Padres Chris Davis Daniel Murphy Don Mattingly Dusty Baker J.J. Picollo Jason Varitek Kyle Schwarber Matt Klentak Moises Alou Yoenis Cespedes

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