Dodgers think of life after Torre

Associated Press

GLENDALE, Ariz.

On his first day as Dodgers interim manager, hitting coach Don Mattingly said Wednesday that the team has made overtures about him eventually becoming Joe Torre’s permanent replacement.

With Torre en route to Taiwan to manage a Dodgers split squad for three exhibition games, Mattingly is in charge of the team in Arizona and will work at least five games as manager.

Mattingly interviewed with the Indians for their manager opening this offseason. He then turned down an interview request from the Nationals.

In a meeting this winter with Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, owner Frank McCourt and team president Dennis Mannion, Mattingly said the word manager was brought up but “nothing definitive” was said or done.

“We talked about it, for sure,” he said.

Mattingly’s first day managing came complete with a rookie gaffe when the Dodgers batted out of order against the Diamondbacks. Andre Ethier came to the plate twice in the span of three Dodgers batters. Crew chief Mike Winters wanted Ethier to hit behind Matt Kemp to adhere to the lineup card the Dodgers submitted to the umpires before the game.

Dodgers bench coach Bob Schaefer filled out the lineup cards, but the one posted in the dugout listed Ethier batting before Kemp.

“I could have avoided it simply by just checking the lineup card,” said Mattingly. “We usually look at it before the game but I didn’t even look at it.”

Torre’s contract expires after this season but both he and McCourt said they are working on a one-year extension. Mattingly would then take over the Dodgers in 2012.

“Obviously with Joe, everything is off of him,” Mattingly said. “[After] the first interview with Cleveland, talking to the Dodgers I felt like I was part of their future and they liked me. I like it here. I’ll keep working toward that.”