All Things Bubba

Wow. This is a surprise:

Mattingly Cuts Coaching Role to Spend More Time at Home

Don Mattingly, who followed Joe Torre west to work for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, has told the Dodgers that he cannot be their batting coach after all. Mattingly has decided to spend more time with his wife and his youngest son at home in Evansville, Ind. He will remain with the team as a special assignment coach.

After Mattingly lost out to Joe Girardi as Torre’s successor as the manager of the Yankees, Mattingly was hired by the Dodgers to work for Torre. As recently as last month, Mattingly spoke excitedly about his new position. But Ray Schulte, Mattingly’s agent, said unspecified family issues caused Mattingly to revise his plans.

The Dodgers created a special position for Mattingly this year; he is expected to return as Torre's batting coach in 2009.

The article says the problem isn't anything medical. Maybe his youngest son is getting in trouble in school or something. His two older kids are already out of the nest, and his wife of 28 years is surely used to the life of a baseball wife by now. (I hadn't realized Mattingly was still married to the girl he wed when he was 18. That's pretty impressive, especially for a star athlete.)

I guess it's a good thing for all concerned the Yankees chose Girardi instead.

In other news, the Dodgers avoided arbitration with "Every Day" Scott Proctor, signing him to a one-year deal worth $1.115 million.

Then there's this: Johnny Damon is stumping for Guiliani. Just in case you were wondering which candidate is getting the millionaire baseball player vote.