That’s right, time to give Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly some credit

Fire the manager! He bungled another. Just has to go. He doesn’t have a clue how to use his bullpen. His lineup is lefty-righty crazy. My great-grandmother could do a better job.

This is brought to you by the fans of every single baseball team in the history of the universe.

Disappointed? Thought this was going to be a Don Mattingly takedown and a call for his head?

Sorry, never going to happen. Not with him or any other manager or coach. You can point out mistakes and areas that need improvement, but I’m never going to demand anyone be canned.

For all the heat Mattingly takes in the comment sections and tweets and on Dodger Talk, I think this has been his finest season as the Dodgers’ manager. He seems more comfortable making decisions, more confident in what he wants to do and when.

Does he still have moments when you’re left scratching your balding head (don’t leave me alone here)? Certainly. Maybe not intentionally walking Albert Pujols on Wednesday night wasn’t the best move.

But every manager has those moments. You think everyone in San Francisco loves each move Bruce Bochy makes after another Giants loss? The key is how many times you watch a manager make a move and you ask yourself in the moment what the heck is going on.

And he’s had increasingly less of those. Mattingly has – as you would hope – grown as a manager. This is his fifth season leading the Dodgers. The assumption all season by many has been that if the Dodgers don’t at least make it to the World Series, he would be the fall guy.

There is clear logic to that view, but Mattingly is on the verge of winning his third consecutive division title. An accomplishment achieved by exactly zero other Dodger managers.

The bullpen has been a major roller-coaster experience all season, but he is using the relievers provided to him. It’s not his fault when they fail to deliver as expected. He didn’t sign or trade for them.

His job is to put players in the best position to succeed, for themselves and for the team. And he does a pretty good job of that. Seems more comfortable in his managerial skin.

The Dodgers are a blend of veterans, youngsters, role players, stars, rookies and utility players. Players on the way down, and those just beginning their ascent. And he’s kept them together, all heading in one direction. Not so simple.

He should get kudos for that, not daily calls for his ouster. The Dodgers head into Phoenix this weekend with an 8½-game lead and 23 games to play. Sounds like something to celebrate, not to disparage.