The Philadelphia Phillies dropped their series against the Cincinnati Reds this week, but it was just the first series loss since Don Mattingly took over the team.<\/p>\n
After parting ways with long-time skipper Rob Thomson, the Phillies have surged under Mattingly and seem poised to make another run at the postseason. While the new manager hasn\u2019t made any significant personnel changes, it seems like his perspective as a long-time star player for the New York Yankees is aiding his approach with the players.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt might give you some credibility that you\u2019ve kind of been there and did some things,\u201d Mattingly said of how his own playing experience factors into his role as a manager, according to Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation<\/a>. \u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s how you handle things is really what\u2019s going to get me more across.\u201d<\/p>\n FORBES | By Peter Chawaga New York Yankees Legend Sends Philadelphia Phillies Manager Don Mattingly A Message After Scandal Update<\/p>\n While Thomson never reached the major leagues, Mattingly was a six-time All-Star, an MVP, a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner and a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner. Mattingly also won an American League batting title in his first full season with the Yankees, in 1984, barely edging out star teammate Dave Winfield.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Now, with Mattingly leading a Phillies turnaround and Winfield providing some updates on his tenure with the Yankees in a new book, the former Yankees teammates revisited their time together.<\/p>\n \u201cDonnie, he was coming to work just doing his thing,\u201d Winfield told Claire Smith for The Philadelphia Inquirer<\/a> this week. \u201cPeople should know that there\u2019s never been any ax to grind with Donnie, for sure. I\u2019m happy for him, definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n Though Mattingly stole the batting title from Winfield on the last day of that 1984 season, which was his first as a full-time big leaguer, it seems like Winfield had bigger things to worry about at the time. Though details were not divulged until a public scandal resulted in a ban for Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, Winfield was embroiled in some significant tensions with the team.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is known now is that while battling for a batting title in an otherwise lost season, Winfield had a handicap: The secret, increasingly harsh war of attrition being waged against him by Steinbrenner,\u201d Smith wrote.<\/p>\n
Red Sox World Series Champions Reunite With NL Powerhouse<\/a><\/p>\n