Can Don Mattingly’s chin survive the entire season?
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During his postgame interviews -- which typically meant following a loss -- Don Mattingly would act like a man counting the hours on death row.
He’d sit in a chair behind his desk, eyes straight ahead, his right hand constantly rubbing his chin, looking forlorn, serious and, maybe, just a little uncomfortable.
“You need to relax,” I told him. “Need to stop rubbing that chin. It makes you look too nervous.”
Mattingly chuckled, and I honestly think he tried to stop ... for a game or two.
But he can’t help himself, and as the losses have mounted, it’s become painful to watch.
You know how vigorous men get elected president and then seemingly within a few years their hair goes white and they look all haggard? I fear this season is wearing on Mattingly beyond simple losses.
It’s his rookie season as a manager, and you’d hate for him to be left looking like he’s been doing this for a dozen years. This misbegotten season has enough casualties.
And at some point, he’s going to rub that chin off.
-- Steve Dilbeck