Mattingly or Hernandez: Who Ruled the Diamond? 

About as even as it gets…and both are HOF worthy

Mattingly...even to this day he's a legend among the baseball card collecting community.

This was a great analysis. As a kid in the 80s, Don Mattingly was absolutely the man. Keith Hernandez may have ended up having the better overall career

the man's nick-name was Donny Baseball... pretty sure that answer's the question right there lol

I'm a Yankees fan so my vote is obvious. As far as the team success, The Mets had great pitching while the Yankees were medicore. Look at how well Mattingly played in his lone playoff. That was in his last season

Prompting umpires to tighten defensive positioning rules? Please explain. The catcher has a box and the pitcher has to keep a foot on the rubber, but, up until last year's ban on shifts, those are the only two positioning rules I know of.

Hernandez was great no doubt, but Donnie Baseball has borderline HOF numbers, and in fact may make the hall via the vet committee. He was probably the best player for a span of 6 years from 84-89, most gold gloves for a first basemen in the AL, MVP in 85 and should won MVP in 86, has single season HR records for Grand Slams and consecutive HR games. Yes hes back injury in 1990 halved his power but he still hit for high average and he ended up with a .307 career BA.

Both were really good fielders, Hernandez was slightly better. Mattingly was a much better hitter though. Average, power, Mattingly was the best hitter in the American league from 1984-1988, Hernandez was a decent average hitter with very little power for a 1st baseman. Overall Mattingly was better, but Hernandez lasted longer.

Both should be I'm the HOF.

Don was the best player in baseball for almost 500 games. Cant say that about Keith, no matter how good his defense was. Mattingly won 9 gloves

I had this argument growing up. I pick Hernandez biasly

Hernandez, he actually shaved his sideburns.

Everyons says how great of a fielder Hernandez was......Mattingly was so good defensively he played 1b, 3b,LF.CF,RF......

Before I give my decision, I probably have to be a bit biased and say that there is not a player on this earth, who wears a baseball uniform that I like more than Mattingly. There’s not many human beings I’ve seen on a baseball field, make the plays that Keith Hernandez has made. But I will say there is this one play in particular where Mattingly was running down the right field line and made a catch over his shoulder, and in one action, Threw a dead strike to the catcher at home plate to nab the runner trying to tag up. While Keith Hernandez was a very good hitter, mattingly was just magic with the bat. And while Mattingly is still in the league as a coach, Keith Hernandez, along with Ron Darling and Gary Cohen are the absolute best broadcasting trio ever. So with everything said, I call a draw. And I absolutely demand that both men go to the baseball Hall of Fame.

As someone who lived in the 1980's (granted yes I am a Mets fan) but Keith was so much better.

1986 World series game 6 is possibly one of the greatest games in World series history. Definitely top 5. But in my opinion the 88 Mets were a better team and should have won in 88 too. As a Mets fan I have been saying maybe next year for 37 years

Mattingly at both ends

Keith Hernandez dated Elaine Benes.

Donny baseball. Keith a slight edge in defense (both were elite), but that only gets you so far. And Mattingly should have been MVP in ‘86 for his 2nd in a row.

I’m Keith Hernandez 😂😂

Mattingly hands down

Advantage Hernandez, he hit a home run on seinfeld😂

I have been following MLB for over 65 years. Keith Hernandez was the best defensive first baseman I ever saw.

Mark Grace.

"Mattingly I won't tell you again, get those sideburns cut" Still like him better than steinbrenner 😅😅😅

All I know is that Keith Hernandez was on Seinfeld

Mattingly was better, easy one

I am 65 yrs old, and a layman baseball historian. In my opinion( and all these type questions are really not truly answerable definitively-ever) Keith Hernandez is a notch above Mattingly because of some smaller intangible things. Obviously Don Mattingly had a bit more Power for 4 consecutive seasons( 1984-1987), but he also played on some Offensively stacked NY Yankee teams with Dave Winfield/Ricky Henderson INSIDE a stadium BUILT for short LEFTY home runs. Mattingly also got to utilize his offensive strengths by having the DH spot to use. This afforded rest at times as well. As a league the American league scored more runs and Home runs as a league, almost always, because of the DH spot producing more runs scored for teams. The Yankees were a very offensive minded ( and weaker starting pitching) during Mattingly's big offensive 4 years. Mattingly only played in 150 games or more a season 6 times in his 14 years. Hernandez rang up 150 games a season for 9 years, and he never got credit for "playing" a game solely as a DH. Hernandez became a true tutor and mentor to young players as he learned that from Lou brock as he always points out. A couple of Mattingly's large offensive seasons were produced while the Yankees either were the Top offensive team in the entire American league and always in the top 3-4 slots. Hernandez's 1979 Co-MVP year( with D Parker), the Cardinals were only ranked 5th in the national league. Hernandez played on Carpet for half his career. A bit tougher defensively in my opinion because of the speed of the ball. I mean also, for all of Mattingly's Offensive numbers in those 4 short years, he only hit 61 more Hr's than Hernandez, and drove in only 36 more Rbi's than Hernandez. Hernandez actually made more errors, but fielded over 3000 more chances at 1b, and never rested at the DH spot, or had a short porch in his home stadium. I personally give the nod to Hernandez because of his ON THE FIELD team leadership skills and mentoring of young players, but also pitchers on the mound. Hernandez was an innovator defensively. Hernandez's TWO World series championships and League MVP along with 11 Gold glove seasons( in a row), edge out Mattingly's MVP, No Championships, and 9 gold gloves. They BOTH belong in the Hall of Fame over ridiculous guys like Scott Rolen!!! Don Mattingly AND Keith Hernandez both deserve to be in the HOF already, or at least get some serious reconsideration, based on the type of players they allowing in these days.

MAttingly

Is this a joke? Hernandez was a solid player but not at the level of Mattingly. In the mid 80s, Mattingly was considered the best player in MLB. That says it all

Hrbek was my guy

Both had great careers, but at their peak? Donnie Baseball waz better.

My former neighbor was an ex-big league pitcher, and he played with both. He told me that Hernandez was by far the better player. I disagreed with him vehemently.

Prowess.

this AI voice sux!

Mattingly led the downfall of a dynasty. Keith brought a winning culture and leadership to his team that culminated in a championship. No contest.

Definitely Mattingly all around the best fielder is hernandez

Good ball payers but lotsa NYC hype.

Hernandez massively under rated Mattingly massively over rated