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**Kitty** · 01-23-2008, 03:09 PM

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Don Mattingly's brief stint as Dodgers hitting coach - and as the obvious heir apparent to manager Joe Torre - is over for now. But early indications are it might not be over for good.

Mattingly, the longtime New York Yankees hitting star who lost out in his bid last fall to become Torre's successor in the Bronx, informed Torre and Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti last week he won't be able to fulfill the duties of hitting coach for the upcoming season because of an undisclosed family issue.
Mattingly, 46, will remain with the organization as a special-assignment coach, a role that will allow him to be based at his home in Evansville, Ind.

Mike Easler, who had been slated to return for a second season as hitting coach for the Dodgers' Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate, will instead assume the big-league role, at least for this year.
The question now is whether Mattingly, who has yet to put on a Dodgers uniform for the first time, will rejoin the major-league staff in 2009.

"We're open-minded to it," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "We'll see how it goes, but that is all I can say right now. I can't predict the future for Donnie. He will continue to work in the organization, but he'll be able to spend more time back home, which is important to him. "From time to time, he will be with the club or take a look around the minor leagues. He'll continue to stay vested with the Dodgers and continue to contribute."

Mattingly will attend the early stages of spring training. During the season, he is expected to make occasional visits to the Dodgers' minor-league affiliates, as well as joining the big-league club as a pregame instructor during visits to cities near Evansville, such as Chicago and Cincinnati, and possibly Milwaukee and St.Louis.

LA Daily News - Mattingly won't be on bench this year for Dodgers