When the Dodgers return to The Bronx tonight for the first time since winning the World Series in 1981, they will bring along a familiar face.
More than five years after interviewing to take over for Joe Torre as Yankees manager, Don Mattingly will be in the visitors' dugout, guiding a last-place team with a $216 million payroll.
Yesterday, general manager Brian Cashman recalled what kept him from giving Mattingly the job after the 2007 season, which ultimately went to Joe Girardi.
"It was a very tough call," Cashman said. "The only thing for Donnie, at the time, he hadn't managed before. That's a hard hurdle to get over when you're trying to put forward a team that is ready to win now."
AP
Don Mattingly
Girardi, having previously managed the Marlins in 2006, got the job over Mattingly and current bench coach Tony Pena and helped the Yankees win a title a year later.
"That was a big separator," Cashman said. "Joe had one year under his belt already."
Cashman added he was given "full authority" from George Steinbrenner in the decision.
"I believe I made the right selection," Cashman said. "Joe Girardi has been a great asset for us."
Mattingly eventually did take over for Torre — in Los Angeles in 2011 after working on Torre's staff.
"He hadn't managed a game in the big leagues," Cashman said. "So was I going to be in a position to be comfortable enough to turn over $200 million worth of assets … to someone who hasn't done that before? That was something he was going to have to overcome."
Mattingly has had mixed results with the Dodgers. Earlier this season, it appeared his job might be in jeopardy. Even with the exploits of new Cuban slugger, Yasiel Puig, they have not made any headway in the NL West, entering this two-game series with a 29-39 record.
Cashman still spoke highly of Mattingly, though the Dodgers have underachieved in his third season.
Speaking to reporters in Pittsburgh, where the Dodgers played over the weekend, Mattingly insisted he had no issues with his former employer.
"They treated me fairly I thought," said Mattingly, who was divorced after losing out on the Yankees job. "Things work out for a reason. That would have been really bad timing for me. Terrible. I was going through some personal stuff that would have been miserable trying to manage for the first time and have that going on. So, that was a blessing in disguise."
This season has not been. With free-spending new ownership and star players such as Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers have been perhaps the biggest disappointment in the majors.
Cashman continues to believe Mattingly will do well in the dugout.
"Donnie knows the game inside out," Cashman said. "He's got the right personality and demeanor. He's got the résumé as a former player, so he knows the players' ups and downs and players can easily relate to him with that."
Mariano Rivera anticipated a bizarre reunion with his 1995 teammate.
"I can't imagine what it's going to be like seeing him in a different unfiorm at Yankee Stadium," said Rivera, who received a humanitarian award from the New York Board of Rabbis. "I still call him the captain. You get used to seeing people with different teams, but it's even stranger with him. I always thought he would be a great manager."
dan.martin@nypost.com
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