After a very disappointing series in Atlanta in which the Dodgers were swept despite holding early leads in all three games, it appears as if Don Mattingly's tenure in LA is in serious danger.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has just penned an article stating that he believes Mattingly will get the ax today. And if not today, then after the upcoming three-game set in Milwaukee, especially if the Dodgers continue their poor play. Throw in the fact that Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu are the starters, and you can see why Mattingly would be on a very hot seat if they still lose.
There's been no noise out of the Dodgers' management that this is going to happen, but the signs are there. We can all recall that before the season, the club chose not to pick up his option, effectively giving him "lame duck" status for this season. It was understandable considering he's failed to make the postseason in his first two years, so they wanted to see how he'd do with a revamped, mega-rich roster this year.
So far, not so good. At all.
Rosenthal, who's a very respected baseball reporter, makes many good points. He accurately observed how annoyed Mattingly was this weekend with the defense and bullpen, which is a big change from his usual calm, upbeat demeanor. That's a sign of a man who knows he could be on borrowed time.
A scout who talked to Rosenthal also made a good point. That calm demeanor of Mattingly appears to be backfiring right now. This is a team that is so boring and lifeless, it's hard to get excited about them. These guys need someone to fire them up, and like it or not, Mattingly isn't doing that right now.
My opinion is that I believe Mattingly will manage in Milwaukee. Thursday is an off day, and if the Dodgers continue to stink up the joint, that's the day it could happen. Stay tuned.
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