Finally, Title Is Realistic to Mattingly

For the first time in five years, New York’s hard-luck hero, Don Mattingly, casts a realistic eye at a team title. For the first time in five years, Mattingly doesn’t have to “trick” his mind into believing the remaining games mean something. For the first time in five years, they do mean something.

Starting with the second-half opener Thursday night against Oakland, the next 73 games could be the biggest of Mattingly’s fabulous yet incomplete career. Known throughout his clubhouse and his game as an unquestioned team player, Mattingly is enthralled by the possibility of adding his first team award to his many personal honors. Mattingly desperately wants to avoid becoming this era’s Ernie Banks, a star-crossed star who never made the World Series.

“It’s a great feeling being in the race,” Mattingly said. “We believe we have an opportunity. We believe we can win this division. That’s all it takes.

“If you don’t believe it, it’s not going to happen. In the past couple of years, we didn’t really think it would happen. We knew it would take a miracle. Now, we believe we’ve got a real chance to pull it off.”

Outwardly, there is no noticeable difference in Mattingly’s approach. Like always, everything in his manner says he is deadly serious. Every at-bat is a challenge. Every groundball is played like his last. Just like before, nothing is taken lightly, nothing given to chance.

The difference is on the inside, where Mattingly is bubbling excitedly that his third-place Yankees trail first-place Toronto by only one game in the AL East. For the first time since 1988, Mattingly is in decent position to remove himself from the list of active players who have played the most games without being in the postseason; But, so are the others near the top of that roster: Hubie Brooks of the Kansas City Royals, Pete O’Brien of the Seattle Mariners and Julio Franco of the Texas Rangers. Inside, Mattingly is like a kid at an amusement park.

“I’m enjoying the race and I’m enjoying playing meaningful games. And I know the second half holds a lot of big games,” said Mattingly, who has responded to critics who said he shouldn’t hit No. 3 by batting .328 since returning from his rib injury, bringing his overall mark to .292.

“It makes it easier. You don’t have to trick your mind. You don’t have to try to convince yourself, with tricks, that the games are important. It’s so much easier when you’re in the race.”

Mattingly’s usual steely focus has transformed into tunnel vision. He is looking way past the outside distractions, which might explain his stark quiet so far this year.

He doesn’t want anything to disturb him or his team’s chances, so he has discouraged his usual periodic media gatherings by saying precious little or flat-out declining interview requests. In his stead, catcher Mike Stanley, this year’s biggest discovery, has taken up Mattingly’s old, unwanted role as team spokesman.

Mattingly has done a great Garbo, recessing into the coveted corner stall previously occupied by Graig Nettles, Ron Guidry and Dave Righetti. It’s a comfortable zone, with its stereo and other accoutrements, and it allows Mattingly to be alone with his thoughts.

In past years, he used the media to plead for help, and one time he even wished aloud that George Steinbrenner would come back. There’s less for him to say this year, mainly because there’s less for him to question. Steinbrenner is back, Mattingly loves his manager (unlike the previous one), nobody has said anything about his hair, and most vitally, he likes the components of this team. Now, he isn’t begging for Dennis Martinez or Tim Belcher or anybody else.

“I think we can win just the way we are,” Mattingly said. “To me, this is our club.”

Presumably, that was a major part of his message to his teammates during the club’s 55-minute meeting Friday in Anaheim. Normally a man of few words, the Yankees’ captain can hold his teammates’ attention with his heartfelt soliloquys. No matter what he is doing on the field, Mattingly has remained the unquestioned leader and captain, the honor ironically given him by ex-Manager Stump Merrill before the Haircut Affair spoiled their relationship.

Mattingly’s demeanor is often a barometer of the team’s plight. As the Yankees’ recent seasons soured, Mattingly did, too.

Whatever happens, he envisions this club sticking together. In fact, he credits some of their early-season resiliency to their togetherness. It’s a trait not shared by some other recent Yankee clubs.

“I think we actually like each other,” Mattingly said of this club. “I think we’re in the same boat. It’s nothing that comes out publicly, but you have teammates every year and sometimes you don’t like some guys. Usually, if it’s one guy, it’s three or four who feel that way. This club likes each other. We’re pulling in the same direction.”

Mattingly praised club decisionmakers for checking beyond statistics and looking into players’ personalities this winter, and he said, “Whoever made the decisions, did a really good job of putting together this team.” He also likes that manager and good friend Buck Showalter was allowed strong input into the type of players they chased and eventually acquired.