Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Is Mattingly staying or will he go?
Jeter says manager’s future should be discussed ‘sooner rather than later’
MIAMI — As the Miami Marlins’ 2019 season draws closer to an end, the franchise has an imminent decision to make regarding Don Mattingly’s future.
With 44 games remaining in the regular season, the Marlins manager is on final stretch of the four-year contract he signed prior to the 2016 season. Hired by former owner Jeffrey Loria, the skipper has served as a bridge between the organization’s two ownership groups.
In the second year of a rebuild, led by majority owner Bruce Sherman and CEO Derek Jeter, the Marlins were 44-74 entering Wednesday night. Speaking with reporters, Jeter said the front office is still in the evaluation process regarding the managerial position.
“There hasn’t been a decision yet,” Jeter said. “We’ve been so focused on getting through the trade deadline and seeing what we can do. At the end of every year, we sit down and evaluate all
members of the organization, whether its the manager, coaches, player development, scouting or front office.
“To be fair to Donnie, it’s something that we need to talk about sooner rather than later. We have touched base and we’ll continue to talk about in the next few weeks.”
In four seasons as Miami’s manager, the former New York Yankees star has accumulated a 263-339 overall record. Taking over in 2016, he guided a team on the brink of playoff contention, led by Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and the late Jose Fernandez. The Marlins fell short of the postseason in his first two seasons and Mattingly later saw the core of the roster disbanded after new ownership took over following the 2017 campaign.
The past two seasons, he’s been tasked with leading an extreme youth movement as the team builds toward the future. Considering the roster turnover, Jeter said the decision won’t be made solely on wins and losses.
“When an organization and a team is at this point, I think it’s very easy for fans and very easy for people to look at wins and losses and that’s how they evaluate the job someone’s doing,” Jeter said. “But there’s a lot of things that go into it.
“I think Donnie has done a good job, and yet again, we have to sit down like we do with coaches every year as well and ask ‘How can we get better?’ ”
With 602 games under his belt, Mattingly is the longest-tenured manager in Marlins history. In the franchise’s 26-year history, no skipper has ever lasted four full seasons. Only four managers have previously reached a fourth year.
Rene Lachemann (1993-96), John Boles (1996, 99-01) and Fredi Gonzalez (2007-10) were fired in the middle of their final seasons. Jack McKeon (2003-05, 2011) came out of retirement in 2011 to manage the final 90 games of the season.
“I’d love to be back, especially if they want you to be back,” Mattingly said. “You don’t want to be anywhere where you feel it’s not the best situation.
“[If ] they think they want to go in a different direction, then that’s something you just deal with at the time. I think as humans you’re going to think about what’s going on next year. ‘Do I pack up everything at the end of the year and get it home?’ Those types of things.
Mattingly, who previously spent five seasons as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager, has taken an even-keeled approach to the whole situation. Dating back to baseball’s winter meetings in December, the 58-year-old skipper has said he’s not worrying about his contract situation.
“I talked about it from the very beginning — I’m comfortable with whatever happens and whatever way it goes,” Mattingly said Wednesday. “I’ve said all along this is a place I came to hopefully help turn this thing around and get it in the right direction.
“Obviously there was a little bit of bump in the road with that with ownership change. They turned the roster and went in a different direction. It’s something we’ll talk about it and see where it goes. “