In the midst of this Marlins rebuild, manager Don Mattingly is among the most recognizable members of the team. That iconic mustache of his circled the drain years ago, but fans of the Yankees and Major League Baseball in general still respect his sweet left-handed swing and superb defense at first base.
But Mattingly’s playing career as a whole hasn’t been able to earn him true baseball immortality: a plaque in Cooperstown. The latest rejection came Sunday night at the MLB Winter Meetings, when the 16-person Modern Baseball Era Committee considered a ballot of 10 candidates.