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Mattingly comfortable with Roenicke coaching third

OAKLAND -- Ron Roenicke said he accepted the Dodgers' third-base coaching position only after he was assured by manager Don Mattingly that he was comfortable with the hire.

"The biggest thing was: Does Donnie want me to do it?" Roenicke said. "Whoever's decision it was -- and I don't know -- but Donnie said, 'Absolutely,' and that made the difference, that and the fact he had had the conversation with Lorenzo."

Roenicke, dismissed as Milwaukee manager in May, on Monday replaced Lorenzo Bundy, who will focus on outfield defense.

Mattingly would not say who decided to make the change or provide the reason for it coming on a first-place team this late in the season.