AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS v YANKEES

October 7, 1999

Don Mattingly

DON MATTINGLY: Well, I think it would be great. Honestly, playing here, I can't think of anything more exciting really than Game 7 in this town with the Yankees and the Mets. I think it would be a scary sight to see. I'd love to see it myself. It would be great. Hope they invite me back for that one. I don't have to throw the ball or nothing, I'll just come and see it.

DON MATTINGLY: They gave it to me. I have to rub it down a little bit, make sure it doesn't slip out of my hand. Everybody's saying on the way down here, "don't bounce it."

DON MATTINGLY: Thought of it. Different aspects of it. I coach a lot right now, actually. My boys don't listen to me. But I would like to do so one day, if I was speaking right now, this is the timing and, you know, let the kids grow up a little bit. Especially the hitting aspect, I love to watch guys hit and mechanics of it, always have kind of tinkered with it, as you probably know. You guys were around here. But I feel like I have a pretty good sight in seeing what guys are doing wrong and right.

DON MATTINGLY: Jim told me I wasn't old enough yet to come. But I really was planning on coming this year, wanted to come. But my oldest boy played in Washington, Pennsylvania, was in the Pony League World Series this year, so we figured we better stay with him. But really I'm looking forward to coming. Goose Gossage was on me the other day about not coming, getting on me. So I feel like it's about the time for me. In the past, just really haven't -- you know, I want to come. The first year I wasn't playing, second year didn't feel right. But this year I kind of told Debbie Tymon that I really feel like it's kind of time for me, I'm ready to play. It didn't work out this year, so hopefully next.

DON MATTINGLY: In terms of games, not that much. More like along the highlights and the papers, just try to keep up with the season. Really almost like every other team, just try to keep up and see how everybody's doing. In the last, I'd say month -- I really like to watch the last month of baseball, seeing how teams react down the stretch, how guys are doing, who's swinging the bat good towards the end, who's coming on pitching-wise, things like that. I haven't really watched on a day-to-day basis, kept up like that. But more like ESPN, that type of network.

DON MATTINGLY: Well, it's a great honor for me really to be asked to do it, and it's really just a matter of a phone call and asking me to come. I said yeah, pretty much. You know, just the excitement of being here during the playoffs, this time of the year, I've seen a lot of guys throw them out; DiMaggio, Yogi, or somebody, you know, and I guess it's a little uncomfortable to be that guy, but I think I can take the pressure of getting it over somehow.

DON MATTINGLY: I don't know. Honestly, I haven't really thought about it too much. I haven't thought about it at all, actually. I played when I played, you know. I'm glad that everything has, you know, as far as I was concerned, worked out perfect for me. I got to play with some great players, and, you know, some of the older guys. And the players just, to me, seem to be getting better and better. I always -- I've been ask this question a couple times. I always think of the kid, Andruw Jones, the play he made in Atlanta over his shoulder, he made it look so easy, it was scary. That was an unbelievable play. He made that play look so easy that I don't know if we all realize how good the guys are, and so I just feel like the players are getting better. I played when I played, and I feel like I could have made a team somewhere, while I was playing, swing the bat good.

DON MATTINGLY: Those two guys, I think it's been every year so I think it's hard for them to appreciate it. A guy that would know would be a guy like John Franco. I bet he's feeling pretty good right now, having fought all those years, watched them down the stretch a little bit. So the guys that had trouble getting there are the ones that realize how hard it is. I think obviously, though, the wild card makes it easier. I like the wild card, I think it's more exciting for baseball down the stretch, keeps more teams in it. But I don't think Chipper or Derek realize how hard it is. It seems like their teams have been there every year.

DON MATTINGLY: Well, just making it. Really, I guess from that point, a lot of flashes, the excitement of playing here the first game and just the crowd reaction towards me, you know, being able to take Dennis -- a guy from my home town, it was kind of nice in the post-season. The disappointment of the way we finished, you know, three straight out in Seattle, that was a big disappointment. It was tough to get over.

DON MATTINGLY: I'm hoping. I would like to. I talked to Mr. Steinbrenner during Yogi's day, and I told him that I feel like the timing's right, I'd like to go to spring. He said to count on it, so I don't know. But in the past, he's had workouts, again, it's one of those timing things. With our stables and our horses, spring is the breeding season, it's the time when all the horses are having babies. We're taking care of that ourselves. Now we've hired a guy and I feel more comfortable taking off so hopefully next year.

DON MATTINGLY: Anyone. I shouldn't say anyone. But I look at Bernie as, you know, as a great choice. I think Bernie's obviously been a great player, came through the organization, been here a long time. Obviously did great here, has struggled here, knows what this playing here is all about. I think he'd be a great choice.

DON MATTINGLY: I'm still feeling the same way, really. The toughest year was '96. I mean, your first year out and then, you know, the team that you played on, all the guys, just the memories are right there. That was the toughest year. It just really has gotten easier and easier. It's been a lot easier to just become more of a fan, watch the games, admire the teams, instead of feeling so close to it. A lot more like a fan watching the team. And admiration, a lot of respect for what they did and have accomplished; you've been here watching it, just an amazing team.

DON MATTINGLY: I definitely had no choice in who got it next. But that corner, it seems like it goes to the guy with the most, I guess, seniority. I remember Nettles was there when I first started and Gator -- Graig had it for a while. Housed a lot of uniforms for a couple of years. So it's a great locker. Do they still have a fridge -- I used to have a fridge and everything in there. It's a great locker.

DON MATTINGLY: Well, I tell you, it's tough. I kind of went through a lot this year. I have two boys actually, Preston played and they ended up winning a tournament in Omaha, Nebraska. Then Taylor played deep in the tournament and got to the finals. It's hard to pull back. You can see why parents get involved, I definitely think sometimes too involved though. I have a lot of ideas really with kids and really some stuff I want to put down on paper as far as instruction and really what I thought would be best for kids, I really feel like those early years have got to be instructional and foundation and really teaching kids how to play and keep them in -- just keep them out of bad habits. I think there's a lot of things we could do as teachers and parents for young players to just kind of keep them out of bad habits when they're young. I feel like, you know, 14, 15, when they decide they really want to play, not mom and dad wants them to play, if they're in pretty good order as far as foundation-wise, I really feel like kids would really have a chance to explode and become a good player. So as a father, that's what I try to do with my boys so far, is really just not help too much unless they want help, but just kind of keep them out of bad habits as far as their swing or talking about different stuff. So I really just try to lay a foundation for them. If they want to play, great. If they don't, it's okay, too. But as a parent, I think you got to back off as far as the -- definitely as far as pushing them. Because if they don't want to play later on, they're not going to be any good anyway. But I have a lot of ideas on that.

JAY STENHOUSE: Good luck with your pitch tonight, and thank you very much for joining us.

DON MATTINGLY: Thanks.