Don Mattingly and the Los Angeles Dodgers "mutually agreed" to part ways earlier this week, following another early postseason exit. For the past five years, with Mattingly as manager, the Dodgers have been nothing more than a regular season team.
Los Angeles won 55 percent of their regular season games with Mattingly, posting a 446-363 record in the five seasons, but never found postseason success. Their 2015 campaign came to another early end after winning a division title, falling to the New York Mets in five games of the NLDS.
Mattingly met with the team's front office for several days after their game-5 loss, where the team and their manager agreed it was time to move on. There was a possible contract extension talked about, which Mattingly, who had one year left on his contract, would not have taken. There was not an extension officially offered by the team.
Sources say that it may not be long before we see the former infielder back in a dugout, as teams such as the Padres and Nationals may take a look at him to fill their managerial vacancy.
Some believe that Mattingly will feel more comfortable working in a front office, where he can imply his own plan, rather than adapting to someone else's. He has worked under two ownership groups and two general managers in his career.
Mattingly replaced Joe Torre with Los Angeles heading into the 2011 season, and led his team to three straight NL West division titles, which is a first in franchise history. The postseason failures is what made this move make sense, as the team was ousted in the NLDS the past two years, and in the NLCS in 2013.
The 54-year-old has had his public disagreements with the Dodgers' front office in years past, but said he is "honored and proud to have had the opportunity to manager the Los Angeles Dodgers." He went on to thank the organization, city and fans, and wished them the best in the near future.
But now it's time for Mattingly to think about his own future, with numerous managerial positions opened this off-season. Will he want to find a front office job, or remain in the dugout with the team? One thing that is known, with the frustration that was shown by his club at the end of the year, this move was bound happen.
Los Angeles won 55 percent of their regular season games with Mattingly, posting a 446-363 record in the five seasons, but never found postseason success. Their 2015 campaign came to another early end after winning a division title, falling to the New York Mets in five games of the NLDS.
Mattingly met with the team's front office for several days after their game-5 loss, where the team and their manager agreed it was time to move on. There was a possible contract extension talked about, which Mattingly, who had one year left on his contract, would not have taken. There was not an extension officially offered by the team.
Sources say that it may not be long before we see the former infielder back in a dugout, as teams such as the Padres and Nationals may take a look at him to fill their managerial vacancy.
Some believe that Mattingly will feel more comfortable working in a front office, where he can imply his own plan, rather than adapting to someone else's. He has worked under two ownership groups and two general managers in his career.
Mattingly replaced Joe Torre with Los Angeles heading into the 2011 season, and led his team to three straight NL West division titles, which is a first in franchise history. The postseason failures is what made this move make sense, as the team was ousted in the NLDS the past two years, and in the NLCS in 2013.
The 54-year-old has had his public disagreements with the Dodgers' front office in years past, but said he is "honored and proud to have had the opportunity to manager the Los Angeles Dodgers." He went on to thank the organization, city and fans, and wished them the best in the near future.
But now it's time for Mattingly to think about his own future, with numerous managerial positions opened this off-season. Will he want to find a front office job, or remain in the dugout with the team? One thing that is known, with the frustration that was shown by his club at the end of the year, this move was bound happen.
