Managing Better With Less

I have been calling for Don Mattingly's job now for about a year and I feel I have had justifiable reasons. A bigger payroll than Wal-Mart, a ton of talent, and the best starting pitching in baseball are just a few of the reasons the Dodgers should be running away with the National League West. If I have noticed one thing about Don Mattingly's managerial style over the past couple of years it is that he seems to manage better when he has less talent on the field. When Mattingly has to make the pieces fit and somehow work, it brings out the best and more creative manager in him. The left side of the infield over the course of the past three weeks has been a combination of Jeff Turner, Miguel Rojas, Jamie Romak, and Carlos Triunfel with an occasional guest appearance thrown in by Hanley Ramirez and the Dodgers are 13-6. Outside of Hanley Ramirez,three rookies (I am not sure about Triunfel) and Mets castoff Turner, none of them a household name. Scott Van Slyke and Drew Butera have played key roles off the bench. Mattingly seems to have a better feel as to when to use the lesser players as starters and off the bench rather than roll the superstars out there and watch them play.