It’s bad enough that the Dodgers decided to option catcher Tim Federowicz back down to AAA Albuquerque today to make room for second baseman Mark Ellis. The veteran second bagger is coming off of a sore quad, and is in the starting lineup this afternoon in the third game of the three game series against the Braves in Atlanta. The move is suspect, as it leaves us with the horrendous Ramon Hernandez once again as the backup catcher to A.J. Ellis, but was the move perhaps more of a disciplinary move?

Has Mattingly lost his control?-Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Apparently Mattingly was not happy with Tim Federowicz’s pitch selection in that fateful bottom of the eighth during last night’s 3-1 loss to the Braves. With Fedex behind the plate, the Dodgers were clinging to a 1-0 lead. Before the inning, starter Chris Capuano told Mattingly that he was tiring and his calf was hurting, despite allowing just four hits and no runs up to that point. In that fateful eighth frame, Capuano allowed a one out piddly groundball single, and then was yanked. Mattingly went to the bullpen and brought in Kenley Jansen. The right hander has been the Dodgers best and only good reliever all season long.

With a runner at first, the Braves called up 26 year old rookie Evan Gattis to pinch-hit. Before the at-bat Gattis was seen talking with Justin Upton and former Dodger Reed Johnson on how to hit Jansen. The Braves easily scouted Jansen, telling Gattis to wait back on an inside cutter.

Jansen threw eight straight cutters to Gattis. With the count 2-2 and on the eighth pitch, Gattis waited back on an inside cutter and hit it out pulling it down the left field line. Jansen than allowed a second home run to Andrelton Simmons, which gave the Braves a 3-1 lead, and eventually the win.

Mattingly had called for a slider. Fedex had called for an outside cutter. Jansen listened to nobody, instead shaking off both his manager and his catcher, instead choosing to throw that inside cutter. He said he wanted to back Gattis off the plate. But on a 2-2 pitch? Is that wise?

Jansen made a typical rookie mistake. He should have thrown a slider. Gattis was sitting dead red there. He knew what was coming and just waited for Jansen to make a mistake. He did. Gattis made him pay for it. What’s more concerning is Mattingly’s lack of control during that whole scenario.

So did the Dodgers send down Fedex again because of this pitch selection mix up?

Mattingly went on to tell Gurnick….

“You want him to pitch to his conviction, but he pitched right into [Gattis'] strength,” Mattingly said. “[Catcher Tim Federowicz] called a slider, he didn’t want to throw it. He called for a fastball away, he wanted to come inside. For me, [Federowicz] has to go out and make sure. If he says, ‘I can get this guy inside,’ that’s his conviction

“But you can’t go to the mound and say, ‘Kenley, throw what he says,’” Mattingly said. “The pitcher has the game in his hands.”

This is what poor game management leads to. Losing-Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Yes the pitcher has the game in his hands, but the manager calls the shots. If these guys aren’t on the same page during the game, then they can’t be on the same page in the clubhouse either. It’s Mattingly’s job to get these guys together and make good decisions quickly during the game. How about stopping the game and going out to talk to Jansen and Fedex and make sure they are aware of how you want to pitch Gattis?

These kind of issues spell a bigger issue with the Dodgers that comes from the top. Can’t go out and tell Kenley what to throw? Are you kidding me? Of course you can do that. It’s simple, you go out to the mound and tell him. You are the manager Don, and you must have control of the players, not only in the clubhouse but also on the mound and on the field. Having control of the players on the field is just as important. I fear that Don Mattingly has lost control of his team on the field.

The Dodgers made a move today by calling up catcher Tim Federowicz and optioning infielder Justin Sellers back to Albuquerque. I was very pleased to hear this because it means the management is finally doing something to improve the roster. We have all been extremely frustrated with management’s inability to do anything, or make any kind of roster move. It’s not just the losing that frosts our cookies, but the inactivity.

Mattingly confirmed the move was to strengthen the bench and give him more pinch-hitting options late in the game. It makes sense. It would be even better if Ramon Hernandez could manage to get more than one hit in a Dodger uniform, but hey one small step at a time I guess.

Mattingly had this to say about the move….

“We have plenty of infielders. This gives us a better hitting bench. The third guy allows us to use him as a pinch-hitter. Ramon can play first base, and this gives us another thumper off the bench.”

Someone asked mattingly who would be the second catcher behind A.J., and Mattingly quipped,

“The guys who’s playing after A.J.”

Don Mattingly-Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Ahhhh, I see, very clever Donnie.

(uh-oh I just had horrible visions of Dioner Navarro pinch-hitting back in 2011. Noooooooo!!!! Get out of my head nightmares!)

On Crawford…..

Mattingly also let us know, that apparently Carl Crawford’s tight hamstring is bothering him again. He wasn’t sure when it acted up again, but Crawford seems fine, and Mattingly wanted to get him an extra day before their scheduled day off tomorrow. Elian Herrera is playing left field, and Dee Gordon batting lead-off tonight for the Dodgers.

On the closer situation….

The question was asked if Mattingly was thinking about a change at the closer position, with Brandon League’s recent struggles.

Mattingly said….”I’ve given it some thought. We’re still thinking about it. We’ll see.”

Given League’s 5.40 ERA, and career low 4.7 whiff per nine rate, it’s something I hope Mattingly starts thinking about some more.

On the returns of second baseman Mark Ellis, and Left hander Scott Elbert, both are making progress and appear to be ready to return soon. Mattingly said Ellis is getting close to a rehab game possibly sometime next week, while Elbert is due to begin his rehab assignment with Rancho Cucamonga on Friday night. Mark Ellis is due to come off the disabled list on Sunday. Ellis has been battling a sore quad, while Elbert has been rehabbing his surgically repaired elbow since the winter.