Mattingly Magic

It's been a great three weeks since Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as Phillies manager.  The defending NL East champs, after struggling to a 9-19 start, have righted the ship -- going 16-4, with quality starting pitching, more timely hitting, and to be candid, an easier schedule.

What really changed?  A new voice, coming from a deeply respected former player who was one of the game's biggest stars of the middle- and late-'80s.  Marching orders for the Phillies to play "better baseball."  And -- with staff ace Zack Wheeler returning from surgery, closer Jhoan Duran back from injury and ineffective Taijuan Walker off the roster -- the results have been impressive.  The Phils are back on the positive side of .500 and climbing.  From the worst record in the majors when the managerial change was made, they're now tied for second in the NL East.  And with so much of the league bunched together, the Phils are just four games out of the number three wild card with 116 games (more than 2/3 of the season) to go. 

After coaching under Joe Torre in New York, Mattingly followed him to LA in 2008, and succeeded him as manager three years later.  Despite three NL West titles in his final three seasons, LA swapped him out for Dave Roberts, while Don moved onto Florida, running the penny-pinching Dodgers but only making the post-season in the COVID-shortened 2020.

Since then, he coached for the Blue Jays, reaching the World Series for the first time and retiring (seemingly) last fall.  A plea from his son Preston (the Phillies GM) brought him to Philadelphia.  And the team's futile first five weeks landed him an unexpected opportunity.

Now back in charge, and handed a talented (if not quite perfect) roster, Mattingly has helped jump-start a lifeless team.  We'll see if his wise guidance can close the gap with the sizzling Braves and help Philadelphia claim a 2026 Wild Card.
I never photographed Don Mattingly during his playing career -- and have yet to see the Phillies in person since he took over.  So these images from his days as Marlins and Dodgers skipper will have to do.


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