Los Angeles is often criticized for having fair-weather fans, but this year many fans seemed to vanish at the first sight of a cloud. The Dodgers had their best season since 2009, not only making the playoffs but coming just a few games short of their first World Series appearance in 25 years. However, for a large portion of Dodger fans, the past season is one to be looked upon with scrutiny.
After the St. Louis Cardinals eliminated the Dodgers, the blame quickly fell upon manager Don Mattingly. However, a little more must be known before anyone can jump to point the finger. Mattingly was not just the scapegoat after the Dodgers’ elimination, but literally during the entire season. When the Dodgers came out to a slow start, almost every Dodger fan was hoping, almost demanding, that Mattingly be fired.
The Dodgers did manage to turn things around in mid-June, causing many Dodger fans to take a step back and remember that professional sports are a business, and there is a reason that the fans are not in charge. The Dodger fan base, which seemed almost nonexistent in the early months, came back in alarming numbers and eventually accounted for the highest attendance in all of Major League Baseball. The majority of fans not only dismissed their prior thoughts of Mattingly, but also began arguing that Mattingly should win Manager of the Year. However, some fans still held Mattingly accountable for any minor blunder. After the Dodgers’ elimination, many fans returned to their past ways of criticizing Mattingly.
While the scrutiny behind Mattingly’s in-game managerial skills may have been a basis for argument, many fans are looking past one of the greatest responsibilities of a manager, the ability to communicate and establish good relationships with his players.
With the Dodgers’ horrible start, it seemed very likely that the season would end in complete disaster. Every team has their conflicts, but the Dodgers’ seemed insurmountable. Matt Kemp was rarely healthy and was often effective when he was able to play, Louis Cruz was released and replaced at 3rd base by Juan Uribe who at the time seemed to have no value. The pitching staff which at one time had eight starting pitchers struggled to fill out a five man rotation, Brandon League lost the lead in the 9th inning in numerous occasions, and Andre Either was publically called out for not being a competitor.
Mattingly was able to sweep all of these problems under the rug allowing the great turnaround to occur. The emergence of Yasiel Puig and the return of Hanley Ramirez are credited for this turnaround, but even with these two players Mattingly had his hands full.
When he was on the Florida Marlins, Hanley Ramirez was considered one of the best young players in all of baseball. However, the Marlins were forced to trade Ramirez in the prime of his career due to issues that occurred between Ramirez and Marlins’ manager Freddie Gonzalez.
Once Ramirez arrived in Los Angeles, these behavioral problems seemed to disappear and no known conflicts have occurred between Ramirez and Mattingly. Many said that Ramirez should be moved to 3rd base, but Mattingly did not listen, and left which is putting Ramirez at shortstop where Mattingly knew he was more content to play. This resulted in Ramirez not only playing solid defense but also reemerging as one of the league’s top hitters.
When Yasiel Puig joined the Dodgers, he sparked the team with his fiery yet somewhat reckless attitude. Mattingly eventually had to step in and bench Puig after he lost his temper over a call made by an umpire. The following day, Puig was late to the ballpark, and a feeling of panic swept through Dodger fans. There seem to be too many examples throughout the years of conflicts arising between young stars and management that eventually lead to a player’s, and sometimes an entire team’s, downfall. However, Mattingly suppressed any such outbreaks, and the conflict seemed to be nonexistent just days later.
In the late 1990s, George Steinbrenner and the Yankees were able to change the business of professional sports by winning four championships in five years. The Yankees did this by spending enormous amounts of money, creating the belief that with money comes championships. With a new ownership group, the Dodgers managed to compile a payroll over $200 million, which may explain why so many fans feel discontent with the past season. Fans must realize that money does not guarantee anything, which is shown by the fact that only three of the top ten teams in payroll made the playoffs this season, while three of the bottom five teams also made the playoffs.The Dodgers’ large payroll should not lead to disappointment, but rather to excitement for many successful seasons in the future.