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Don Mattingly Online - August 2005 Interview
.: August 2005 Interview :.
======================= Interview begins here. ======================= Billy Wrote: Hey Donnie! I am a 27 year old physician from Brooklyn, NY. The two most memorable moments of my life are my wedding and being at Game 1 - 1995 vs. Seattle when you trotted out behind 1st base to warm up. I tell everyone that you are my Mickey Mantle, how does it truly feel to know that you are a true idol to many both as one of the best ballplayers of all time and as a great human being? Thanks for the great memories! Don Mattingly Wrote: Billy, Well, number 1, I appreciate you feeling that way. Thank you for the complement, but I really just try to be myself all the time and have fun playing. It is nice to know that people appreciate that, but also it is good to know people respect me for who I am. To me that is also a complement to my parents and I believe I turned out the way I did because of them. Thank you for being a great fan. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Susan Wrote: Donnie, What do you do differently as a hitting coach compared to other coaches you've known? Thanks! Don Mattingly Wrote: Susan, I am not really sure. I do not really compare myself to the other coaches. I am not really sure what they are doing differently or what I am doing differently. I think your personality is what makes you different between coaches. Some are funny, others are quiet, and I would say that is a big factor. I just try to be honest about what I see and be a good coach. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Rebecca Wrote: Donnie, Which year of playing for the Yankees do you think you had the most fun? Thanks! Don Mattingly Wrote: Rebecca, I have to say that I had fun every year! Obviously there were a few years that were tough, but I still always had fun. I had more fun on the better teams, but I always had fun. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Susan Wrote: Dear Donnie, What is the hardest part of your job as hitting coach? Thanks! Susan Don Mattingly Wrote: Susan, The toughest part of my job is that no matter how good the team is doing there is always someone struggling. It seems that even though you are winning and things are going great, there is always someone that needs help and there is always someone I am worried about. Aside from that I think the traveling is hard and being away from home and my family. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Jason Wrote: Hey Don, I went to college for music and one thing that I really lacked in the beginning was rhythm. After taking some courses to improve my musicianship and getting myself rhythmically sound I realized that I could use rhythm to help me time pitches when I go into a batting cage. This way it wouldn't matter how fast the pitches were coming at me. My question is how much of a factor do you think having good rhythm is to being a great hitter? Thanks! Don Mattingly Wrote: Jason, Well, I think it is a great plus if you have it. A lot of guys do it without it, but most of the good hitters you see have good rhythm. Hang on to it and use it to your advantage. The smoother it is, the easier it works and I think rhythm certainly helps. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Peter Wrote: Don, I first became a Yankee fan in 1985 & I'm really disappointed that you, Winnie and Ricky didn't get to experience a championship together. I felt that all that team lacked was some starting pitching & a shortstop. What are your thoughts? Don Mattingly Wrote: Peter, I think the biggest thing that the teams I played on, on and off, during my time there was a lack of depth in pitching. We obviously had some good pitchers, but we did not have the depth we needed in my opinion. We were always scoring runs, but our pitching was never what we needed to win. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Sara Wrote: Don, I was looking at your stats, and under the club name in 1979 was Oneonta. What kind of club is Oneonta? I know of an Oneonta, New York... is that where you were playing? Don Mattingly Wrote: Sara, It is Rookie Ball, it is your first year and it was half season. Oneonta yes, it was in upstate New York. Sincerely, Don Mattingly John Wrote: Donnie, During the Dynasty run, did you ever think of coming out of retirement and playing one or two years for the Yankees and if so what made you change your mind? Don Mattingly Wrote: John, No, pretty much when I was done, I was done. I have probably answered this before, but during the 96 season I laid low to see how I felt, but after that year I knew I was done and did not want to play any longer. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Bill Wrote: Don, Which do you enjoy the most, fielding grounders at first or taking the field for batting practice? Don Mattingly Wrote: Bill, I liked taking ground balls, but pretty much everyone likes hitting so I would have to choose BP. All of us liked to hit and do well there. I enjoyed ground balls a lot, but hitting was always the most fun. Sincerely, Don Mattingly John Wrote: Donnie Baseball, My list of favorites from the 80's... Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig, Awesome Bill Elliott and Donnie Baseball! When your popularity hit its first peak in the mid 80's did you ever look to other sports athletes to see what it takes to be the ultimate professional? Don Mattingly Wrote: John, No, not really. I had not really looked at anything much more than just performing. I looked at it like I just wanted to get better and be the best player I could be. Tunnel Vision was probably the best way to describe it. I did watch what was going on with other players, but I never really compared as I was just trying to improve myself and play the best I could. Sincerely, Don Mattingly ======================= Interview ends here. =======================
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