So much for D-Day. If Don Mattingly made any sort of decision yesterday, it was news to general manager Bob Watson.

"I don't know what's going on," said Watson, who spent the afternoon at the Yankees' minor-league facility in Tampa.

That seemed strange. Just the day before, Watson revealed that he would speak by telephone with the Yankees captain, who was supposed to tell him his plans for next season. But the GM said he did not talk with Mattingly, and then Watson was reprimanded by principal owner George Steinbrenner for subsequent newspaper stories.

Every back page in the Metropolitan area heralded Mattingly's impending decision. Would he retire? Would the Yankees offer him a new contract? Would he consider playing for another team?

None of the answers to those questions were revealed yesterday. Watson and Mattingly's spokesman, Ray Schulte, acknowledged only that there would be an official announcement Monday. Jim Krivacs, Mattingly's agent, and Steinbrenner did have a telephone conversation yesterday but it is unclear what transpired. Neither Krivacs nor Steinbrenner returned phone calls.

"I know there have been talks between Mr. Krivacs and Mr. Steinbrenner," Schulte said. "That's all I can say."

If the Yankees follow through with aformal announcement Monday, that certainly points to a retirement party for Mattingly at Yankee Stadium because Watson said Thursday he would sit down with Mattingly if he decides to play next season, and only then would they discuss a contract.

Unless negotiations between Krivacs and Steinbrenner accelerate the process, it is unlikely the club would skip that step with Watson and announce a new contract agreement on Monday. The secretive nature of the discussions also may indicate the end of Mattingly's 12-year career as a Yankee.

The team has insisted the decision is Mattingly's to make, and Steinbrenner appears willing to welcome the captain back. Steinbrenner initiated the talks with Krivacs, possibly in an effort to diffuse the negative publicity generated by the departure of manager Buck Showalter.

If Mattingly opts to return, it would be at a reduced salary. The first baseman earned $4.42 million in 1995, the last season of his five-year contract extension, but his production was limited. One club official said the Yankees were prepared to offer him a one-year contract worth nearly $2.5 million, which would be generous considering the 34-year-old Mattingly hit .288 with seven home runs and 49 RBI last season.

When the Yankees were eliminated by Seattle on Oct. 8, Mattingly said he would go home to Evansville, Ind., and consider his options as a free agent. Aside from spending time with his family and supervising his restaurant, that has been Mattingly's most pressing concern. Scott Hughes, a manager at Mattingly's 23, said the staff was very interested in the captain's plans.

"We're all very tied in," Hughes said. "But we don't know if he's going to play for the Yankees or not. He really seems to be up in the air about it."

Either way, the Yankees need to know - and the sooner, the better. There are free agents to pursue, such as Atlanta's Fred McGriff, and trade possibilities, including Seattle's Tino Martinez or Oakland's Mark McGwire. If Mattingly does come back, that might push the Yankees toward a free-agent second baseman, such as Roberto Alomar or Craig Biggio. By David Lennon. STAFF WRITER

Copyright 1995, Newsday Inc.