Don Mattingly Hopes 19th Attempt Secures Baseball Hall of Fame Induction
Don Mattingly, a former New York Yankees star, faces his 19th attempt for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mattingly has been on the Hall of Fame ballot 18 times without success. This year, he is one of eight candidates being considered by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, which will meet during the Winter Meetings in Orlando.
Mattingly’s Path to Hall of Fame Induction
The committee consists of 16 members who will cast their votes on Sunday. To secure a place in the Hall, Mattingly needs at least 12 votes. This is a significant increase from the eight votes he received three years ago. Notably, Fred McGriff was inducted last time with 16 votes, while Mattingly finished second.
2023 Hall of Fame Ballot Candidates
- Barry Bonds
- Roger Clemens
- Carlos Delgado
- Jeff Kent
- Dale Murphy
- Gary Sheffield
- Fernando Valenzuela
Due to recent changes in voting rules, any candidate receiving fewer than five votes will not remain on the ballot for the next cycle. Mattingly’s journey began in 2001 when he first appeared on the ballot. He achieved a career-high of 28.2 percent of the vote during this initial attempt.
The Case for Mattingly
Mattingly’s career highlights include six All-Star selections, nine Gold Glove awards, and impressive statistics over his playing years. From 1984 to 1989, he was one of the best players in MLB, winning an MVP award while averaging over 26 home runs and 114 RBIs. Despite these achievements, back injuries limited his performance and led to his early retirement at age 34.
Career Stats
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Hits | 2,153 |
| Home Runs | 222 |
| RBIs | 1,099 |
| Batting Average | .307 |
| OPS | .830 |
Since his playing days, Mattingly has transitioned into coaching and managing. He led the Los Angeles Dodgers to three consecutive NL West titles from 2013 to 2015 and received the Manager of the Year Award in 2020 while with the Miami Marlins. Most recently, he served as the bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in their World Series campaign.
Looking Ahead
As the voting approaches, opinions among committee members vary. It remains uncertain whether they will favor shorter, impactful careers like Mattingly’s or larger-than-life figures burdened by performance-enhancing drug controversies. Mattingly’s hope for induction into the Hall of Fame symbolizes a long-awaited recognition of his contributions to baseball.
