RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Sports and Wrestling donnie baseball is definetly back

This morning they said he's back in ny! Congrats rob!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!

Don Mattingly is returning to the Yankees. A six-time All-Star who was the team's captain from 1991 until his retirement in 1995, Mattingly was persuaded by owner George Steinbrenner to become the team's hitting coach. While no announcement was made Nov. 3, his hiring was disclosed by a baseball official with knowledge of the team's decision. A news conference was expected Nov. 4. Mattingly replaces Rick Down, who was fired after New York hit just .140 with runners in scoring position during its six-game loss to Florida in the World Series.

Baseball Returns

NEW YORK -- Don Mattingly is returning to the New York Yankees.


A six-time All-Star who was the team's captain from 1991 until his retirement in 1995, Mattingly was persuaded by owner George Steinbrenner to become the team's hitting coach.


While no announcement was made Monday, his hiring was disclosed by a baseball official with knowledge of the team's decision. A news conference was expected Tuesday.


When Mattingly was at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 15 to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 6 of the AL Championship Series, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to return to a full-time role with the team.


He replaces Rick Down, who was fired last week after New York hit just .140 with runners in scoring position during its six-game loss to Florida in the World Series.


Willie Randolph, who had been third base coach for the last 10 years, becomes bench coach in place of Don Zimmer, who quit the day after the Series loss, saying he would never again work for Steinbrenner.


Lee Mazzilli, the first base coach for the past four years, replaces Randolph as third-base coach -- unless Baltimore hires Mazzilli as its manager. Luis Sojo, who played in parts of seven seasons with the Yankees from 1996 through this year, takes over from Mazzilli as the first-base coach.


Rich Monteleone remains as the bullpen coach, and Gary Tuck stays on as the catching instructor.


Mel Stottlemyre, who became pitching coach when Joe Torre took over as manager before the 1996 season, said after the World Series he will take several weeks before deciding whether to return.


Mattingly, known as Donnie Baseball, was the 10th Yankees captain, the last until Steinbrenner gave Derek Jeter the title in June.


Mattingly hit .307 with 222 homers and 1,099 RBIs in a career that lasted from 1982 to 1995, when he retired because of back trouble. He won nine Gold Glove awards at first base, won the 1984 American League batting title and was voted the league's MVP award the following year.


His No. 23 was retired by the team in 1997, and he returned to the field three years later as a spring training instructor. He said then he didn't want a full-time baseball job, wanting to watch his three children grow up.


Mattingly's oldest son, Taylor, was selected by the Yankees out of Evansville (Ind.) Central High School in the 42nd round of the amateur draft in June. He hit .224 for the Gulf Coast Yankees with no extra-base hits and seven RBI in 58 at-bats.


When the Yankees fired Chris Chambliss as hitting coach after the 2000 season, Mattingly was contacted by Torre.


"It was back on the road, and I didn't want to go back on the road," Mattingly said then. "I didn't want to be gone."

Donnie Baseball back in pinstripes
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- The Yankees hung No. 23 in Monument Park six years ago. Tuesday, they will put it back into play, as Don Mattingly is expected to be named as the team's new hitting coach.
A press conference has been scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium to introduce the team's 2004 coaching staff.

Mattingly, a six-time All-Star and a one-time Yankees captain, decided to leave his farm in Indiana to come back to the only organization he has ever been a part of. Mattingly will replace Rick Down, becoming the fourth hitting coach in five years under manager Joe Torre.

The New York Post reported that Mattingly agreed to a deal last Friday. George Steinbrenner, who pushed hard to bring Mattingly onto the coaching staff, will not attend the press conference, but Torre will be on hand for the announcement.

New York is also expected to announce that third-base coach Willie Randolph will shift into the dugout, replacing Don Zimmer as Torre's bench coach. Lee Mazzilli, who interviewed for the Orioles' managing job, will shift from first-base coach to third-base coach if he returns, and Luis Sojo, who served as a special instructor in 2003, will become the new first-base coach.

Bullpen coach Rich Monteleone and catching instructor Gary Tuck are expected to return to Torre's staff.

The only coach whose future remains uncertain is Mel Stottlemyre, who has been Torre's pitching coach since 1996. Stottlemyre said last week that he planned to take some time at his home in Washington to discuss his future with his family.

Mattingly, 42, has turned down the hitting coach job before, choosing to stay at home with his three sons. His oldest son, Taylor, was drafted by the Yankees this season and played with the rookie-league Gulf Coast Yankees in Tampa, batting .224 in 24 games.

Mattingly retired after the 1995 season, having battled chronic back problems for several years. Mattingly ranks among the club's all-time leaders in hits (5th, 2,153), doubles (2nd, 442), runs (9th, 1,007), home runs (8th, 222) and RBIs (8th, 1,099). Mattingly's .307 career average ranks 10th all time among Yankees with 500 or more games played. He also won nine Gold Gloves at first base.

Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

all in all, fantastic moves -- upgrading willie's status to bench coach, moving lee to third, bumping sojo to first base coach...

and of course, bringing in the hitman, donnie baseball.

i just watched the whole press conference, and seein the 23 shirt come "outta retirement" was just amazing.

this rules

Too bad they lose Zim, though.

losing zim was bad. but retaining (and bumping) randolph and, much more importantly, gaining mattingly more than makes up for it.

im really having a field day with all this extra mattingly coverage. all the old clips they keep showing, all the highlights, all the classic baseball card shots... im lovin this. just beaming with old-school, little kid happiness.

i'm definitely gonna grab opening day 04 tix for my dad and i. can't wait for the ovations!!

I've been seeing a lot of those commercials for "official authenticated baseball autographs", with Mattingly's signature.

Willie is a step away from being a manager now. He interviewed for the M's job but Melvin got it on the basis that he was a bench coach. Give Willie two years and someone will hire him IF George let's them.

<yawn>

Maybe George is going "Coach? WTF? I thought he was gonna DH!"

i was just talking about something like that with my father, yesterday. he grew up in a time where player/managers weren't uncommon, and you could have guys, like yogi berra, in both roles.

i guaran-damn-tee ya, donnie coulda still smashed a clutch double, were they to have popped him in as a pinch hitter in 2003's world series.

Julio Franco's older than him. So is Ricky. Mattingly's only a month older than Andres Galarraga.