Don Mattingly Quotes

I'm not afraid of criticism or what somebody may think.

— Don Mattingly

“If you don't second-guess yourself, then you are not trying to get better.”

— Don Mattingly

“The players get no respect around here. They give you money, that's it, not respect. We get constantly dogged and players from other teams love to see that. That's why nobody wants to play here.”

— Don Mattingly

“Nobody can see into the future. Nobody knows what going to go on.”

— Don Mattingly

We all have the temptation to be backseat drivers when it comes to decisions that don't work out the way we want.

— Don Mattingly

Good teams I played on ... just the tone that they play with, the energy they play with, how they go about it. When you get it going the right way, you get everyone going in the same direction and it's a powerful thing.

— Don Mattingly

“I definitely want to manage. I just don't think it's the time right now.”

— Don Mattingly

“I don't know what to say other than you're really honored another team is looking at you.”

— Don Mattingly

“I'm always writing at night - things I would change, things I would do differently. When I write a note, it sticks in my head differently.”

— Don Mattingly

Managers have people second-guessing them all the time.

— Don Mattingly

“I have had many occasions this year where I questioned and second-guessed my decision in a game, but it comes down to learning from mistakes and being accountable for what you did right or did wrong.”

— Don Mattingly

I'd like to say this was our worst game. Unfortunately, I can't.

— Don Mattingly

Honestly, at one time I though Babe Ruth was a cartoon character. I really did, I mean I wasn't born until 1961 and I grew up in Indiana.

— Don Mattingly

I've wanted to manage a long time and I've been moving in that direction.

— Don Mattingly

“On the playing side, a lot of guys I played under were pretty good managers.”

— Don Mattingly

I want to be on the field. It's a better place to talk to the guys. It's a relaxed atmosphere. You want to make sure you know what's going on, not just with the hitters.

— Don Mattingly

“When I gave up me, I became more. I became a captain, a leader, a better person and I came to understand that life is a team game ... And you know what? ... I've found most people aren't team players. They don't realize that life is the only game in town. Someone should tell them. It has made all the difference in the world to me.”

— Don Mattingly

“Baseball's still a game. I don't want it to be work. I want it to be a game.”

— Don Mattingly

“His reputation preceded him before he got here.”

— Don Mattingly

“You never know who's watching.”

— Don Mattingly

I can't concern myself with what's going on with the club or what the media is writing. If you pay attention to those things, that's when you get yourself in trouble.

— Don Mattingly

“What did I do to deserve this?”

— Don Mattingly

“I like being close to the bats.”

— Don Mattingly

Has he (Rickey Henderson) ever been here (Spring Training) the first day? You have to say Rickey's consistent. That's what you want in a ballplayer - consistency.

— Don Mattingly