Don Mattingly sounded hopeful but not worried Friday about what might happen Sunday when a Baseball Hall of Fame committee decides whether he’s enshrined in Cooperstown.

“Nothing’s really, truly going to change about me, who I am or what I do with or without (being elected),” Mattingly said. “I’m hopeful like anybody else would be.”

Mattingly, the longtime New York Yankees first baseman, was the guest speaker at the 17th annual Holiday Benefit Luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel, sponsored by the Law Foundation of Berks County and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs.

Now 64 years old, Mattingly is one of eight players the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee will consider. It’s a ballot stacked with names like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.

“I’m not going to put myself in the same category as the greatest players who ever played,” he said, “but I know I could play a little bit.”

Mattingly played for the Yankees from 1982-95, was a six-time All-Star, won nine Gold Gloves, was named the 1985 American League MVP, drove in 1,099 runs and finished with a .307 career batting average. His 53 doubles and 388 total bases were the most by any player during the 1980s.

His career was hampered and shortened by congenital back problems. His Hall of Fame candidacy has received much support from baseball writers and broadcasters.

“There have been a lot of votes,” Mattingly said before he spoke to a crowd of 600. “I had 15 years that not enough people thought I was (a Hall of Famer) and a couple of these committees where I didn’t get enough votes.

“To hear people you feel have knowledge of the game and watched you play over the years think you’re that caliber of player is a good feeling.”

Mattingly never reached the World Series as a player or as a manager, but he did so for the first time this year as the Toronto Blue Jays bench coach. The Jays lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.

“It was incredible, a great experience,” he said. “I’ve been close a few times with different teams. Just to be able to get there was, I guess in a sense, relief. Just really joyful for that group of guys. They played well. They hung together. They were a team. It was fun to be a part of that.”

Boyertown High School graduate Trey Yesavage played a large role in Toronto making the World Series. Yesavage, a  22-year-old rookie right-hander who began the season at the Class A level, pitched in six postseason games, going 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 27.2 innings.

“He was really good,” Mattingly said. “With his weapons, he puts other teams in a lot of trouble. It doesn’t matter if he was 30. It was amazing the way he handled it, the way he handled the media, the way he handled himself in the clubhouse.

“It’s not an easy thing to do to walk into a clubhouse with Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman and guys who are big-time performers.”

Mattingly resigned from the Blue Jays last month after spending two seasons with them but would like to remain in baseball in some capacity. Preston, one of his four sons, is the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, who have an opening for a bench coach with manager Rob Thomson, who he has known for 25 years.

He was coy when he was asked whether he’s a candidate to fill that job.

“I don’t know,” he said. “That’s probably not a question for me. I thought I was already a Phillie because I got grandfathered in by Preston. I figure I’m just part of the family now.

“There’s nothing official at this point. There’s nothing to really talk about. I’ve already given advice to Preston. I told him if it was up to me, I’d sign (free agent Kyle) Schwarber.”

Mattingly spent 12 seasons as a major league manager, five with the Dodgers from 2011-15 and seven with the Miami Marlins from 2016-22. He guided Los Angeles to three straight division titles and was named National League Manager of the Year in 2020 with the Marlins.

“I think the managing days are over for me,” he said. “I feel like it’s a lot. I feel great. I feel like I have great energy, but managing takes another type of energy. I guess you should never say never.

“The amount of conversations you have with the players and the front office and doing media twice a day, it’s a lot. And then trying to raise an 11-year-old (Louis) and balance all of that, I’d say the chances aren’t really good.”

Mattingly, his family and his supporters hope his chances of gaining election to the Baseball Hall of Fame are much better Sunday.

“I’m hopeful it goes well and it goes in my favor,” he said. “I kind of leave it at that.”