Suddenly available former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has one thing that no other known candidate for the Nationals vacant job can offer, according to MASN.com : The team's ownership has talked to him about the job in the past.
In 2009, when the Nationals eventually hired Jim Riggleman as their manager, the team asked for permission to speak to Mattingly, who was a coach on Dodgers manager Joe Torre's staff at the time.
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There is this, as well: Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo, who fired Matt Williams after a disappointing 2014 season, is known to be a fan of Mattingly, according to MASN.
Not only does Mattingly, 54, have a strong resume as a player, but he also has a 446-363 record (.551 winning percentage) and never finished lower than third in the NL West, although, frankly, the Rockies frequently and Padres occasionally make it difficult to finisher lower than third.
Mattingly has played on and managed teams dotted with high-dollar, high-upside talent with prickly personalities. Yet he faces questions about his in-game strategy, as did Williams.
Does he have Dusty Baker's credentials? No, but he's at least equal to Ron Gardenhire and Bud Black, according to MASN, and outstrips candidates such as Giants bench coach Ron Wotus, Diamondbacks third base coach Andy Green and D-backs Triple-A manager Phil Nevin.
And now he's available.
