Dodgers' Web musings: Don Mattingly and his new beginnings

Don Mattingly isn’t shying away from the small stuff or throwing himself completely into his new job as the Dodgers manager.

The Times’ Dylan Hernandez has a terrific profile on Mattingly, who talks about everything from work habits to his recent personal trials to his faith.

Mattingly is currently managing in the Arizona Fall League, taking his first steps as the clubhouse leader. At his own request, he arrived early in its season.

-- LADodgerTalk.com’s Mark Timmons was moved enough by the Hernandez piece that he’s decided to put aside his initial reservations about Mattingly’s hire.

Timmons logically reasons he is the Dodgers manager now and deserves a fair chance in the public eye.

-- ESPNLA.com’s Tony Jackson gives his try at determining the Dodgers’ potential postseason moves.

He said free-agent Hiroki Kuroda, 35, does not want to return to Japan but wants to spend one more season in the major leagues. And Jackson is big on signing Adam Dunn.

-- Dodgers.com’s Ken Gurnick talked to second baseman Ryan Theriot before his charity golf tournament in Louisiana, and the potential non-tender candidate said he wants to return to the Dodgers.

"I don't know the situation. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be there," he said. "Last year, arbitration [losing to the Cubs], that stunk. It's not very fun. I want to play ball. Actually, I just want to win. That's why I want to be in L.A."

-- MikeSciosciasTragicIllness.com’s Mike Petriello gives an in-depth look at Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Japanese infielder that Hernandez reported is interested in signing with the Dodgers.

-- VinScullyIsMyHomeboy.com has an update on the items Kirk Gibson is currently auctioning off, with his bat closing in on $100,000.

[UPDATE: From Toby Zwikel of Brenner Kwikel and Associates.

Leading bids as of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday (auction closes Saturday):

Gibson jersey - $129,690; Gibson bat - $126,377; Gibson helmet - $14,272; Gibson 1988 WS MVP Award - $42,875; Gibson 1988 World Series trophy - $15,000; Honus Wagner T206 card - $156,925.]

-- OaklandA’s.com Jane Lee has the A’s as the latest team dreaming of Matt Kemp.

-- New York Post’s Joel Sherman said Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has flown to Arkansas to personally meet with left-hander Cliff Lee.

It’s not all about the money with the Yankees, who also demonstrate how to be aggressive in the pursuit of designated free-agent targets.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Comments

[skyharbor]

Mattingly may be talented, deserving and sweet (donnie baseball!) but in the wrong place at the wrong time. Another lamb being led into the Dodger slaughter house. It is illusionary...no matter how many feel good articles are written about him...to think he exercised sound judgment to become the face of today's Dodgers. Donnie's famous trip(s) to the mound will be his legacy in Los Angeles.

[OldBrooklynFan]

I go along 100% with Tony Jackson on getting Dunn and placing him in left field which would be a no-brainer, if only the Dodgers have the doe-re-me to shell out.
I wonder where Jane Lee gets the crazy idea that the Dodgers need pitching more than they need hitting and would be willing to trade Kemp for a pitcher. I think it would take a very good pitcher, somebody we already heard about.

[Whamo]

If Mattingly didn't have a clue about what to do when the Dodgers weren't hitting last season, as the hitting coach, why should anyone have confidence in him as a Dodger manager?