Several hours after the Dodgers confirmed Don Mattingly wouldn't return to their bench next season, Gabe Kapler was asked if he was ready to take over as the team's manager.
"I have to go work out," Kapler said.
He smiled, politely declined to comment further and slipped into an elevator.
Kapler, who recently completed his first season as the Dodgers' farm director, has emerged as the early industrywide favorite to replace Mattingly. The former major league outfielder is one of three in-house candidates under consideration for the position, along with bench coach Tim Wallach and third base coach Ron Roenicke.