I like being close to the bats. Don Mattingly More Quotes by Don Mattingly More Quotes From Don Mattingly Honestly, at one time I thought Babe Ruth was a cartoon character. I really did, I mean, I wasn't born until 1961, and I grew up in Indiana. Don Mattingly baseball character mean When I gave up me, I became more. I became a captain, a leader, a better person and I came to understand that life is a team game...And you know what?...I've found most people aren't team players. They don't realize that life is the only game in town. Someone should tell them. It has made all the difference in the world to me. Don Mattingly team player games Good teams I played on... just the tone that they play with, the energy they play with, how they go about it. When you get it going the right way, you get everyone going in the same direction and it's a powerful thing. Don Mattingly team powerful play If you don't second-guess yourself, then you are not trying to get better. Don Mattingly get-better ifs trying I have had many occasions this year where I questioned and second-guessed my decision in a game, but it comes down to learning from mistakes and being accountable for what you did right or did wrong. Don Mattingly games mistake years Baseball's still a game. I don't want it to be work. I want it to be a game. Don Mattingly baseball games want I'm always writing at night - things I would change, things I would do differently. When I write a note, it sticks in my head differently. Don Mattingly sticks writing night We all have the temptation to be backseat drivers when it comes to decisions that don't work out the way we want. Don Mattingly work-out decision temptation His reputation preceded him before he got here. Don Mattingly new-york-yankees reputation yankees You never know who’s watching. Don Mattingly smile-because knows I definitely want to manage. I just don't think it's the time right now. Don Mattingly right-now want thinking I'm not afraid of criticism or what somebody may think. Don Mattingly criticism may thinking What did I do to deserve this? Don Mattingly new-york-yankees yankees deserve I can't concern myself with what's going on with the club or what the media is writing. If you pay attention to those things, that's when you get yourself in trouble. Don Mattingly media writing attention When I write a note, it sticks in my head differently. Don Mattingly notes sticks writing Nobody can see into the future. Nobody knows what going to go on. Don Mattingly nobody-knows goes-on knows I don't know what to say other than you're really honored another team is looking at you. Don Mattingly honored team knows Has he (Rickey Henderson) ever been here (Spring Training) the first day? You have to say Rickey's consistent. That's what you want in a ballplayer - consistency. Don Mattingly consistency training spring Managers have people second-guessing them all the time. Don Mattingly second-guessing guessing people I want to be on the field. It's a better place to talk to the guys. It's a relaxed atmosphere. You want to make sure you know what's going on, not just with the hitters. Don Mattingly atmosphere guy want