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Don Mattingly Online - March 2005 Interview
.: March 2005 Interview :.
======================= Interview begins here. ======================= Susan Wrote: Hi Donnie, I heard that when you pitched in High School you did it both right handed & left handed in the same game! So awesome! Were you always able to do things as both a lefty & righty? Did anything ever happen that made you able to do this or were you born that way? Thanks a million! Don Mattingly Wrote: Susan, Sorry to disappoint you, but that story is not true. I never did pitch both right and left handed. I could always throw with both arms, quite well, as a kid. Once I was in High School I was more dominant left handed and it kind of took over at that point. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Steve Wrote: Hello, I have a Nashville Sounds baseball card of you and I was wondering if you have any fond thoughts of playing back then? Don Mattingly Wrote: Steve, No doubt I do! A great city and I loved the minors. I look back at the minors as a special time. I was working my through and everyone was trying to make it and they were all hopeful. Nashville is a great town, the people are friendly, and it was very fun playing there. There were always a bunch of fans and they were always excited to see us play. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Keith Wrote: Don, I have one more question for you. What was the weirdest autograph request you ever got? Thanks again, and thanks for the memories. Don Mattingly Wrote: Keith, Nothing really silly I suppose. Sometimes I signed paper bags and things like shoes. I sometimes thought those were weird request because they surely threw the paper bag away at some point. No really strange stuff though, sorry. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Miguel Wrote: Don, I just wanted to know how your son Taylor is doing in the minors. God Bless you and your family. Don Mattingly Wrote: Miguel, Taylor stopped playing before spring training this year. He has enrolled in college this fall and is doing very well. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Jerry Wrote: I am a baseball coach in Omaha, Nebraska. Also, I have been a lifelong fan of your hitting stroke. What is your favorite hitting drill to use? Thank you for your time. Don Mattingly Wrote: Jerry, My favorite is the tee and the soft toss. Those two make a great combination. I use the tee and the soft toss for mechanical work. Straight on soft toss that is. There are so many different drills for different reasons and different times. I may do a certain drill to help with balance, etc. It depends what needs work and when. Basically though I think the tee and soft toss are your overall best bet. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Jeff Wrote: Donny Baseball, I am the biggest Rickey Henderson fan of all time. There's been nobody better since 1979 at getting on base and scoring runs. I heard either he is your favorite teammate or you're his favorite teammate, is this true? And what do you really think of him as a ballplayer/teammate? Don Mattingly Wrote: Jeff, I love Rickey, he is a great player. He is probably one of the best players I have ever played with. He was a great teammate as well and we always got along. Rickey changes games, he is dangerous. If he gets on base he steals like crazy, he mixes it up all the time. He was fun to watch and play with. As for the rumor I am not sure about that. I had so many great friends, I consider Rickey a friend and he is one of my favorites. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Greg Wrote: Have you had any contact with your old high school coach Quentin Merkel lately? Don Mattingly Wrote: Greg, Not in a while. I saw him in the winter and I said, "Hello." I have not seen him since then though. Sincerely, Don Mattingly SSgt Jan Whisel, USAF Wrote: Don, I can remember in the early nineties that you studied video of John Olerud. How was it working with him when he was picked up by the Yankees late in the 2004 season? Don Mattingly Wrote: Jan, It was great, John is a great guy and he has a great swing. I really enjoyed working with him. Sincerely, Don Mattingly John Wrote: Dear Mr. Mattingly, To this day you epitomize the way baseball should be played and all that is good with it. I will forever thank you for being a great role model for me as an 8 year old to learn baseball from. I remember emulating your swing and getting it just right when I was in little league. From the weight transfer to the back swing, if I could have grown a mustache I would have been a mini version. Well at least in my young mind. Was there a player's swing you imitated as a kid? Thank you very much for your time. Don Mattingly Wrote: John, There certainly was, I imitated Carew's swing when I was a kid. Thanks for being a fan. Sincerely, Don Mattingly Jonathan Wrote: Were you nervous when you played in your first playoff game? Don Mattingly Wrote: Jonathan, I was nervous, but not overwhelmed or anything. I think there were always nerves involved, not even in my first playoff game, but in a lot of games. It was just part of it. Sincerely, Don Mattingly ======================= Interview ends here. =======================
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