Nov. 30: The Blue Jays announced that Mattingly has been hired as their new bench coach. Candaele will return to his prior role managing the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate.
Nov. 29: The Blue Jays are closing in on a deal to bring in Don Mattingly as their bench coach, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman and Jon Heyman first reported earlier this evening that Mattingly and the Jays were in discussions about a coaching position, which Shi Davidi of Sportsnet specified was for the bench coach vacancy.
Assuming the deal is completed, Mattingly will step right back onto an MLB staff. He’s spent the past 12 years managing, leading the Dodgers from 2011-15 and the Marlins from 2016-22. Towards the end of this past season, Miami and Mattingly announced they’d part ways at the end of the year. The 61-year-old suggested he was open to continued coaching, managerial or front office work at the time, and he’ll indeed jump into another key role.
The Marlins only once qualified for the postseason during Mattingly’s seven-year tenure as manager. Miami was rebuilding for the early portion of that stretch, and it looked as if they’d taken a step forward with a 31-29 showing during the shortened 2020 season to secure a Wild Card berth. Their efforts to build around a developing rotation didn’t lead to continued progress, though, and Miami and Mattingly went their separate ways after 2021-22 seasons with 93 and 95 losses, respectively. The Fish subsequently hired Skip Schumaker away from the Cardinals as manager.
Mattingly will bring a wealth of high-level experience to the bench coach position. That’s surely welcome for 42-year-old John Schneider, who was named Toronto’s manager just prior to the start of the offseason. He’d served in that role in an interim capacity for the final couple months, taking over when the Jays dismissed Charlie Montoyo in July. This’ll be his first full season as a big league manager, though, so it’s sensible to bring in a veteran voice like Mattingly to assist in those decisions.
Schneider entered the 2022 season as Toronto’s bench coach under Montoyo. When he vacated the position to take the lead role, the Jays promoted Triple-A manager Casey Candaele to interim bench coach for the second half. It’s not clear whether Candaele will remain on the MLB staff or is set to head back to the minor leagues in 2023.
The forthcoming bench coach hiring is just one part of what could be a very eventful week for Mattingly. He’s one of eight former players under Hall of Fame consideration by the Era Committee. The six-time All-Star will find out on Sunday whether he’ll be enshrined in Cooperstown in 2023.
Poster formerly known as . . .
This thread should be good.
Al Hirschen
Donnie wants no part of the Yankees. He wants Toronto,Ontario Canada
CaptainJudge99
Yeah I really have no idea why Donnie can’t manage the Yankees, and why we can’t get rid of that loser we have right now?
Nothing
Lol at all the salty Yankee fans in here. More and happy have welcome Don to Toronto. He’s gonna be a big help on the coaching staff.
TheDogDays
Salty? Who?
RobM
Jays attempting to bring a touch of maturity to their team. It’s needed. 100% ballplayer. Zero percent bullsh*t..
nowheredan
Bill James would like a word with you, something about plagiarism.
RobM
@nowheredan, historically speaking baseball wise, at least in an abstract sort of way, you are 100% correct.
PhiladelphiaCollins
Ok wow seriously this is feeling a bit like Tom Berenger in that scene from Major League – are we being prank-ed?
Either way it couldn’t hurt to have a live chicken ready for spring training…
I pray to Jobu ask him to take fear from bats, I offer him rum, cigar. He will come
PhiladelphiaCollins
If you build it, he will come.
User 3044878754
The Guardians finished as runner-ups for Mattingly.
He would have supplanted Hale as bench coach and then become the Guardians manager when Francona retires.
Yankee Clipper
Donny is an A+ guy by all accounts. He’s perfect for a bench manager role too because of his disposition, influence, and experience.
Jays are going to reap rewards for this move, imo. Good move, Blue Jays.
Edp007
Guess John is on the Schnied
CaptainJudge99
Yes, Donnie will be Toronto’s new manager by mid-year.
SonnySteele
I had the same thought, All Rise99. John Schneider is one losing streak away from unemployment now.
CaptainJudge99
@rodcannon- I really think the Yankees will regret not firing Aaron Boone, and hiring Don Mattingly. A big mistake. Mattingly will make Toronto better.
TheDogDays
I love Mattingly but what has he done to be considered such a difference-making manager?
watup0100
Thought he was going to hang out with Marlins FO?
Rsox
Maybe they wanted him to shave his sideburns
BeansforJesus
I thought Mr. Burns owned the Pirates?
outinleftfield
Excellent Smithers
baseballteam
How the mighty have fallen…
Gwynning's Anal Lover
Curiosity question. Do you think Don Mattingly is HOF worthy?
King Floch
I do, but YMMV.
Longtimecoming
Borderline but if not for injuries I’d say he would have gotten a sure bet.
King Floch
He was absolutely on a HOF course when his health began failing him.
If he’d had another like 3 or 4 years before his back started acting up in ‘89 or ‘90, it would not even be a discussion because he would have been in ages ago.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
I remember when he hurt his back goofing off and picking up someone during batting practice. He still hit though. Not the same as earlier in his career, but still left an impact.
King Floch
People forget just how much he hit. He got MVP votes in 5 of the 6 years immediately prior to his back issues, winning one award and placing in the top ten in 3 other years.
Beast.
tstats
Id say give it to him
CaptainJudge99
No borderline. Donnie is a Hall Of Famer, his #’s are comparable to Kirby Puckett’s. Smh
Sunday Lasagna
If Donnie Ballgame and his magnificent peak years (35.7 seven year peak WAR) prior to injury gets him in the hall, then another guy nicknamed Will the Thrill who had a 36.1 seven year peak WAR before injury slowed him down should be in as well. Why is Clark not even being considered?
CaptainJudge99
I’m alright with Will Clark getting in the Hall Of Fame. Was he steroid free?
Sunday Lasagna
@all rise99 good question. I’d like to think Will was steroid free, but he did play in SF and in Texas, two alleged hot beds.
JackStrawb
@WampumWalloper Should be because neither is a HOFer. Neither has quite a HOF peak, and fares much worse wrt longevity.
Solid Hall of the Very Good players, though. No shame in that.
smuzqwpdmx
Will Clark certainly never had a steroid user’s body. His muscles looked a lot more like Mattingly than like a Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Palmiero, Brady Anderson or Marvin Benard. And Clark’s power decreased as he got older, rather than increasing like for PED users. I see absolutely zero reason to suspect PEDs.
TheDogDays
I’m totally biased so I’ll refrain……
……..
Hell yeah!!!!
outinleftfield
No. Not close.
Bill M
I vote yes
DBH1969
I say yes for the simple reason that I’m a Red Sox fan, and I absolutely HATED when Donny Baseball came to the plate. Setting aside coaching and managing, the dude could play like a boss.
On a side note, him are Jeter are the only Yankee players I can show respect for. All others should be pushed into an active volcano. Just needed to add this so Stankey fans don’t try to recruit me >;?
TheDogDays
Ok well two guys is a start.
You actually didn’t like any others or really didn’t respect them? That sounds pretty harsh.
Paulie Walnuts
No. He’s a loser.
Note how the Yankees started to dominate after he retired. Same goes after he quit managing the Dodgers.
TheDogDays
The above would make sense if he was a golfer or tennis player…
Munsontime
there was a lot more to his teams losing than him playing for them
SonnySteele
Mattingly has to pay admission to the Hall of Fame like the rest of us. 😉
TheDogDays
Maybe, and you can hate all you want but he was a fantastic player despite what the biased Yankee haters have to say.
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Donnie would have been more than welcome in Anaheim.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Agreed, which is only a small part of the reason why I really dislike that he signed with Toronto.
I simply don’t like Canada’s leadership, there, I said it…
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Curly o’l sport, you and I can go on a maple syrup and hockey strike. What do ya say?
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Hockey strike, no problem, but I do have a sweet tooth, but there’s always Vermont…
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Spoken like a true patriot Curly
User 2079935927
@Curly
We have a 3 Stooges film fest every year in Glendale, CA on Thanksgiving Weekend. Went this past weekend . They showed 6 shorts. 5 with curly and 1 with Shemp. Some of the family members show up. Apologies to rest of the gang to go off topic.
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Winslow, you talkin the Galleria? And don’t you dare apologize! If I apologized for going off topic then 90% of my posts would be apologies!
MafiaBass
That’s impossible because 80% of those apologies would be for nothing
User 2079935927
@Trumbo. Its at the Alex Theatre on Brand.
terrymesmer
> I simply don’t like Canada’s leadership
As a Canadian, I agree. I mean, how can he be so “holier than thou” after being married THREE times, and banging adult film and magazine stars while married? He ran a phony university, a phony charity, he’s a documented tax evader, he demanded the department of justice investigate his enemies and free his criminal friends, he minimized the COVID pandemic and so hundreds of thousands of people died who would otherwise be alive, and — if that wasn’t horrible enough — he tried to overturn election results, and he stoked a violent insurrection!!! And he is STILL doing some of that!
That Canadian leader should be in jail!!!
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Terry, You talking about Fidel’s Son?…..Kidding people…Kidding…
Poster formerly known as . . .
Tip o’ the iceberg, terry. Tip o’ the iceberg.
Silas
URANIDIOT
TheDogDays
yeah that’s not a good Canadian leader, agreed.
We had a lousy leader too , but at least he thought it was ok to protect ourselves and our families!!
mt in baltimore
Well—- you’re right about that. There isn’t any leadership to be seen around that dugout full of goofballs.
Edp007
Mlb getting like the nfl , ratio: 3 coaches , an athletic coordinator , and a water person for every player on the roster
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You forgot masseuse/massage therapist..
Edp007
My bad. Indeed. Some like DeShaun have thirty of those lol
Munsontime
bench coaches are far from a new coaching position.
fre5hwind
Wow, bench manager guess he got demoted.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
No, just disrespected…
Toronto, eeew
I’m sure there’s a truck driving co. that could use Donnie as a dispatcher…
Shatner
Maybe he wants to leave america so his kids don’t get shot in the face at school
Edp007
Tired of wearing body armour every trip to Walmart
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
You’re right “Shatner”, make your millions in America & run back to your country & become condescending on you’re employers.
Back stabber…
marlinsfan818
Man you had me, but then you used you’re first correctly then followed it up with a your….BUT how can you completely screw up the last… “YOUR EMPLOYERS”
Jesse Chavez enthusiast
As an American thats lived in Canada in the past. Toronto isn’t too bad bro, people were friendly and the only problem I had was with there taxes (which might even be worse in California and New York.) Nashville is home now though.
Murphy NFLD
I’d say he is this is more of a backup plan to the current manager
rct
Going from manager of the Marlins to bench coach of the Blue Jays is arguably an improvement.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
1.) Don is not a Hall of Famer as a player 42 WAR OPS 0.830 222 HRs as a 1B or OF
Compare to McGriff, Edmonds, Abreu, Bobby Bonds (the Dad), D. Evans, Olerud, Damon, Wynns, Teixeira, Berkman, J. Clark, Cey, Kinsler, Kent) he has lesser stats and those guys did not make it
2) Don is not a HOF as a manger (enough said)
3) Kudos to him on taking this job he must love baseball (or need the money) to come back as a bench coach, most people like him though he never seemed like a master strategist
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Damon belongs in the hall. A few more hits and it would be a foregone conclusion. Probably Vizquel too.
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And I’ll save my Juan Pierre speech for another time.
Jesse Chavez enthusiast
Visquel is a POS that tried to diddle and autistic ball boy. Keep him away from the hall. The “character clause” should be to keep him out while letting bonds and Clemons in!
DonOsbourne
There is some context that needs to considered though. Non of those guys was considered the consensus best player in the sport at any point in their careers. Mattingly was considered by many to be the best player in baseball in the mid 80’s.
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Don, long time no talk amigo.I get the gist of what you are saying….But if need be, I could probably think of a few players that were not the best of their time. What about Piazza or Biggio for example?
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Molitor was great too but never the best.
DonOsbourne
Right, I’m just saying that Mattingly should get some additional consideration over guys who have better lifetime counting stats.
PhiladelphiaCollins
Don i like your point guys – The player being discussed is Mattingly leave the others out of it.
brodie-bruce
@don neither was harold baines but he’s a hof’er, and by that logic all guys listed in manny’s post are hof’ers including donnie. the committee lowered the bar so if harold is in then anyone better should also be in
King Floch
Those guys did not have lingering health issues that started smack in the middle of their prime while they were still arguably the best hitter in the entire sport.
If Mattingly’s back doesn’t get screwed up at age 29 or 30, he gets into the HOF easily.
HankHollywood
It did tho.
BaseballisLife
The last 5 years of his career he was roughly league average.
He doesn’t have either the 7 year dominant stretch nor the career numbers to get in.
Mattingly is HOVG caliber.
BaseballisLife
Part of being worthy of getting voted into the HOF is longevity of quality play.
TheDogDays
I’m just curious, why are you arbitrarily using 7 years as a dominant stretch? Because 5 or 6 doesn’t fit your narrative?
riffraff
It is what baseballreference.com uses which is where he got his stats – no hidden agenda or narrative.
JackStrawb
@King Floch True, but you could say that about dozens of players. Maybe a full hundred.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
From 1984 to 1987, he was awesome sauce but he only made six all-star teams in his whole career. He only had five seasons with 19 or more home runs and played in a position traditionally associated with some power. Closer to Willie McGee (4 AS), Dave Parker (7 AS) or Keith Hernandez (5 AS) than to Mike Schmidt (12 AS) or Eddie Murray (8 AS). Koufax as a pitcher had three top two MVP tallies in the three years that he won Cy Youngs. Boggs was a much better hitter and Mattingly was no better a defender than Keith Hernandez.
TheDogDays
Look, I’m fine with saying Don doesn’t belong in the HOF based on longevity. But I think the accumulation thing is a little absurd.
Comparing Mattingly to guys like Kinsler, Jack Clark and Tex is laughable.
He’s also the victim of advanced stats because the experts can’t figure out a way to access defense at first base properly. He was phenomenal.
BaseballisLife
Mattingly: 42.4 career WAR | 35.8 7yr-peak WAR | 39.1 JAWS | 3.8 WAR/162
Average HOF 1B (out of 23): 65.5 career WAR | 42.1 7yr-peak WAR | 53.8 JAWS | 4.9 WAR/162
He doesn’t belong on the HOF. He doesn’t have the dominant stretch nor the totals to get in.
terrymesmer
Lou Whittaker (75.1 WAR) is surprised that you all are arguing about this.
The Fiend
The first time the Jays lose 4-5 games in a row everyone is going to call for a firing of Schneider.
JackStrawb
@DonOsbourne In the third and fourth year of his best four year stretch, then that talk stopped.
And that was only by people who didn’t understand that Wade Boggs was significantly more valuable.
King Floch
I grade him on the Koufax Curve and would thus vote for him if I had a HOF vote.
Had his back not gotten injured and prematurely cut his prime off, he 100% gets in.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
King
Will Clark, Nomar Garciaparra, David Wright tons of guys where injuries stopped their march to the hall.
Comrade Tipsy McBlotto
Johan Santana easily deserves the hall over Donnie Boy. Mattingly was never the best player. Possibly the best first basemen for a year or two. He has decent counting stats and Hrbek WAR. About 50 people deserve it over him.
LongTimeFan1
He’s not a Hall of Famer but he was indeed the best player when he won A.L. MVP in 1985 and nearly won it again the following year coming in 2nd. He led the league both seasons in Total Bases.
baseball-reference.com/players/m/mattido01.shtml
TheDogDays
Lol! Now we’re comparing Mattingly to Hrbek!!???
Geez
JackStrawb
@LongTimeFan1 He really wasn’t. Rickey, Boggs, and Brett all had much better seasons. Rickey had the same OPS as Mattingly while playing stellar CF to Donnie’s 1B, for example.
rct
You forgot Keith Hernandez. If Keith isn’t in, no way should Mattingly be in.
Also, to pick a guy off your list who you never hear about in re: the HoF, Jon Olerud is about as borderline as it gets if you ask me. Nearly 60 WAR, a great hitter and an even better defender. Pretty close to Keith’s stats, incidentally.
TheDogDays
I couldn’t stand Hernandez as a player, but he definitely merits much more consideration than he’s received.
CaptainJudge99
@rct- let’s stop being delusional now. Keith Hernandez was never no Don Mattingly. If you think so, try to ask Keith someday. Smh
JackStrawb
@MannyBeingMVP Amazing how many of those players were done as stars by their early 30s.
Still, I’d put Edmunds, Abreu, and Dwight Evans in.
AND GRAIG NETTLES! !!!
StupendousYappi
Yankees should have fired Boone and brought Mattingly back. Course Cashman and his ego wouldnt want someone to take the glory away from him when the Yankees finally win, That’s why they hired Boone to begin with not an established manager.
Buzz Killington
Thought the exact same thing.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
I’m with you, as a past Yankee fan, I concur, but Manny needs to get back on his meds…
TheDogDays
I’m not saying Boone is Whitey Herzog but he can’t hit for these guys. I blame the players.
outinleftfield
Why?
Edp007
Donnie be in my hof , with about 10 others not in , and about ten I’d throw out , first would be Ozzie Smith , couldn’t hit how could he be in hof ? next some relievers who are just failed starters imo, I digress
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
But he could do a mean back flip, let’s be real…
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Ozzie Smith…Good example 007
brodie-bruce
@trumbo i disagree but i’m also very biased when it comes to the wizard, i didn’t get to see him play in his prime because i was a toddler, but the way my dad has told me he stole just as many runs as power hitters scored runs, and without the wizard the cards don’t win in 82 nor even go back to the ws in 85 & 87
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I hear you Brodie as well. That is how I am with Juan Pierre and I actually saw him play his whole career. Intangible value!
mrperkins
Ozzie’s career batting average would be about 30-50 pts higher in a different age or other team. He was a master at bat control, and getting the baserunner advanced. If there was a man on second, noone out (which was common hitting behind Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, and Ray Lankford, and Lonnie Smith most of his career), you could guarantee he would get that man to third, probably on a roller to the 2nd base. He was the consumate team player as a batter, and his stats suffered for it. No he didn’t have the most hits or many home runs, but he was an excellent hitter. The Cardinals ran a clinic on small ball through the 80’s and he operated like a surgeon.
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Sounds about right Perkins. I would throw Mr. Juan Pierre into the mix as well when we are talking bat control.
Edp007
What are you guys off the proverbial John Rocker ? Defense does not make u a HOFer , only media loves the Oz personality , Mark Belanger should be a first ballot then. !!!
Who the heck ever said with two outs and the game on the line u want Pierre or Oz at the plate ?
A HOFer ( non pitcher discussed here) is a great reliable year in and year out star bat as first criteria. You do not have that , go home and off ballot , no matter what other skill ( great smile) u possess.
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007, 2 outs and the game on the line I would straight up want a Pierre or Gwynn or Ichiro type at the plate. They will keep the going and get on base no matter what!
Edp007
Ichiro couldn’t drive in a run with two outs if his life was on the line later in his career. But he was a terrific hitter most of career. Not much of an rbi guy though ever.
Gwynn great.
My cream are guys who hit for power , drive in runs , hit for average. Run. Play defence. All tools. Hof should be limited to the cream. Too many guys in who only were great in some not all categories
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Hey we can still be friends!
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**keep the GAME going
Edp007
Besties
BaseballisLife
Ichiro hit .302/.424/.374/.798 with 2 outs and RISP.
His OPS was higher than his overall numbers.
LongTimeFan1
Ozzie Smith revolutionized his position and owned the basepaths as offensive player who stole almost 600 bases and almost never struck out.
76.9 WAR is Hall of Famer. Period. Ozzie was greatness.
LongTimeFan1
Ozzie’s in because he revolutionized SS, stole 580 bases, had almost 2,500 hits and was impact player. with the skills he had. It’s not unlike Yadier Molina’s future Hall induction.
Ozzie was 15x All Star and 13x Gold Glover, 76.9 WAR which exceeds the average WAR of Hall of Fame SS’s by 8 or 9 WAR. No brainer Hall of Famer.
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LongTime, Juan Pierre checked a few of those boxes too.
Poster formerly known as . . .
Do you know that Ozzie Smith ranks 47th in career bWAR? That’s pretty high on the list of all players in baseball history. Fangraphs ranks him lower because they calculate WAR differently. Over there, he only ranks 74th. But that still puts him above quite a few HOF players. Only six players played more innings in the field than Ozzie and none had as many assists, and he’s second only to Brooks Robinson in his Total Zone rating.
I think Ozzie belongs in the Hall of Fame because defense is important in the game of baseball, even though it gets less love than hitting and pitching. And it’s not like he was an automatic out. He struck out only 5.5% of the time, same as another Cardinal, Stan Musial.
brodie-bruce
well said fink, like i said in an earlier post i missed out on his prime years and only got to see his down years, but from what i hear from my dad and other cards fans is how great his d was. my dad told me many of times how oz would save a run on an “error” because he would get a glove on the ball but not make the “play” so it was scored an error but kept the guy scoring.
JackStrawb
@Edp007 No, seriously.
baseballteam
Pretty good for a non Spanish speaker
vikingbluejay67
Don’t understand everyone’s take that this is a step backwards for Mattingly. Bench coach on a contender sounds just as good A’s manager of a loser.
Mattingly is a baseball lifer.
vikingbluejay67
*as
Poster formerly known as . . .
Well, he did manage the Dodgers for five years and was NL Manager of the Year with the Marlins in 2020, so I think you can make a case for a bench coach job being a step down for him.
wreckage
@Fink, you’re disputing something a Jays fan has to say. As far as they’re concerned a fired popcorn boy in the stands should run either them or the Maple Leafs better than any other pro sports team.
You get to work for one of “Canada’s teams”, it’s a step up from any position you may have carried previously.
DanielDannyDano
Atkins/Shapiro have lined up a replacement for John Schneider, just in case the Jays lone FA signing, Jurickson Profar doesn’t turn into the AL MVP, and the Jays aren’t where they should be at the All Starbreak.
bucsfan0004
Mattingly is likely Schneider’s replacement for the 2024 season, not the upcoming one.
terrymesmer
>Jays lone FA signing, Jurickson Profar
Recent Jays FA signings:
2020: Hyun-jin Ryu (2020 #3 Cy Young voting)
2021: George Springer (2022 AS), Marcus Semien (2021 #3 MVP voting, AS, GG, SS), Robbie Ray (2021 Cy Young)
2022: Kevin Gausman (2022: #1 AL FIP, #1 AL K/BB, #2 AL fWAR, #9 Cy Young voting)
Samuel
terrymesmer;
That’s fine.
Now name the impact players the Jays brought up from their farm systems those years.
Sustainable contending teams have to regenerate with young players both for the energy they bring and the payroll flexibility – i.e. getting productive players at a low salaries.
Teams that depend on paying more and more each year to free agents hoping to get them over the top inevitably run up against a payroll ceiling. It slowly dawns on them that they have an old, expensive team made up of players whose skills are degenerating.
The sustainable contenders such as the Astros and Dodgers have no problem letting some high-priced veterans go as well as using younger plyers from their farm system.
terrymesmer
Dude, seriously? During the 2019 season, the season immediately before the series of major FA signings started, the Jays called up #1 overall prospect Vladdy Guerrero Jr and #11 overall prospect Bo Bichette. Since then, they’ve called up all-stars Manoah, Espinal and Kirk!
stevewpants
So let’s see, had a little conversation with Mr. Don Mattingly today, he’s the first baseman. We talked about his new batting stance, ya know I’m not crazy about it, but I said Donny, go with it until it stops working. Donny Baseball he’s a helluva guy
rct
“Miami was rebuilding for the early portion of that stretch”
I would argue that they were rebuilding for the entire stretch. Come to think of it, they’ve been rebuilding since about 2010.
MarlinsFanBase
Would you really include the year that Fernandez died? They were in the playoff hunt until that unfortunate weekend. Before his death, they were getting up for the series with the Mets and hoping that we could do some damage to get closer.
Silas
You can argue stats and WAR etc etc all you want with Donnie B. The whole point of the era committee is adding weight to other intangibles about the player to increase his overall value to the game as a kind of wild card to fill in spaces where he may have been lacking like with the back injury.
“The Committee shall consider all candidates and voting shall be based upon the individual’s record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the game.”
I love the guy so I am biased. Hope he gets in. If not I completely understand if they think someone else id more deserving.
MarlinsFanBase
I personally would place Donnie in as a lifer. Great player until injuries, and a pretty solid manager. When he gets to manage again, all he has to do is have some more winning seasons to go with the Dodgers years and the Marlins 2020 season, and Donnie is a lock to me as a lifer selection.
For the committee, Fred McGriff should be a lock. It’s embarrassing that he wasn’t voted in.
Dale Murphy is up to the committee to me, but I say yes considering that they placed Harold Baines in.
With the PED guys, I would say no, but at the same time, I say yes based on Big Papi, Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell all being in despite investigations (Bagwell and Piazza) and a failed test (Papi) give evidence of their PED use.
30 Parks
Great hire.
Poster formerly known as . . .
“Mattingly will bring a wealth of high-level experience to the bench coach position. That’s surely welcome for 42-year-old John Schneider, who was named Toronto’s manager just prior to the start of the offseason.”
I can’t help wondering.
If you’d managed only 74 games in the majors after being promoted from bench coach, would you possibly feel some uncertainty about the front office’s intentions if they hired a new bench coach who’d managed 1,839 games in the majors, including as skipper of the big-ticket Dodgers?
Shady1771
Don will definitely bring some maturity to the dugout which is greatly needed as playtime is over. It’s time to get serious and bring a pennant to Canadian soil at the very least. World Series even better.
Really looking forward to how Don can assist the Jays in 2023!
Jaysfan1981
This is not the LH bat the Jays should be talking too. I know coaches can play in emergencies…
Lenny Dykstra coming in next to be the cf “coach”?
Is Brady Anderson still cycling?
sugoi51
Donnie’s come a long way in terms of coaching/managing. When he was the Dodgers bench coach subbing for the ejected Joe Torre, he got closer Jonathan Broxton taken from the game for two mound visits during a single trip. After heading back to the dugout, Mattingly was asked a question by one of his players and he stepped back on the mound to answer. The opposing manager who pointed Mattingly’s faux pas? It was none other than Bruce Bochy!
mt in baltimore
This is a surprisingly good hire by Toronto.
Mattingly will bring some Class and respectability to that embarrassing band of jackasses in that dugout. The $600 haircuts, HR coat, their silly man child in-game antics are hard to watch.
It won’t be an easy task however because most of those players seem quite happy w acting like fools rather than winning when it counts.
jdgoat
Yes because everybody knows you win the game from the dugout. What a dumb statement.
Busterking
Clowning around doesn’t bring you Championships.
terrymesmer
A false issue only dumb fans care about.
YankeesBleacherCreature
Wasn’t too long ago that dugout players constantly pranked one another with cleats being set on fire and bubblegum stuck on ballcaps. Also inside-out, backwards rally caps anyone? All in clear view of cameras. That didn’t stop teams from winning championships. Ain’t nothing wrong with keeping things light and having some fun.
Busterking
Bringing some seriousness in the dugout!
Samuel
I like Don.
But his teams have almost always underperformed.
Discipline comes from the manager and through the team leaders. A bench coach is primarily the managers assistant. In today’s MLB that often has a lot to do with analytics – making the manager aware of options during game situations.
If a team is dependent on the bench coach to discipline the players, they may as well get another manager.
smuzqwpdmx
Mattingly has only managed two teams. His first team won the division his last 3 years managing them. His second team was the Marlins, who consistently have one of the lowest payrolls and hold another fire sale anytime they get too close to winning and are simply a known dysfunctional organization that no manager is going to fix because the dysfunction is rooted in ownership that’s never managed to commit to a real strategy long term.
Digdugler
power move.
Samuel
The ironic thing about the Jays is that when Shapiro took as President (or whatever) he supposedly lit into Alex Anthopoulos for overspending on veteran free agents and trading their youngsters for veterans trying to win instead of developing the youngsters and playing them.
Now it’s Shapiro and Atkins doing that while Anthopoulos is in Atlanta with one ring, contending each year, and coming up with youngsters from the Braves farm system that few people heard of that immediately impart the team….and those players get better. The Braves also stick with young players that don’t seem to be producing but keep coaching them up until they do.
Poppin' Balls
We get it Sam, you don’t think much of the Blue Jays organization. I’m surprised you didn’t include a couple rotisserie baseball lines in there as well.
YankeesBleacherCreature
It’s going to be tough to root against Donnie Baseball in the opposing dugout.
LordD99
…but if we must, we will.
LordD99
Mattingly clearly hoping for a slow Jays start so he can play the part of Rob Thomson.
whitesquirrel
not a bad career for a 19th(!) round pick!
nottinghamforest13
So much for wanting to spend more time with his family.
MarlinsFanBase
While I think he did want to spend time with his family, his departure seems like it was more about wanting to spend less time working under Kim Ng providing him with zero bullpen help.
MarlinsFanBase
Hmmm…Donnie joins the team that has some of that terrible bullpen he had to deal with.
I have to ask what Donnie is thinking. Who really signs up for dealing with Yimi Garcia and Anthony Bass again? Yikes!!!
nottinghamforest13
One has to wonder how many more lives and careers Kim Ng will destroy before this perverse experiment is laid to rest.
MarlinsFanBase
I’m thinking this will be her last season in Miami. She has had some hits, but many misses. This past trade deadline failure has gotten her criticized a lot. This Winter Meetings and the continuing offseason afterward will be her make or break moment because, another failure, then many more Marlins fans will be calling her her firing…female Marlins fans included.
high_upside
I hate this move by the jays. You have a new manager going into his first full year and you bring in a guy with this long of a resume and recent managerial career? If they wanted Mattingly they should have hired him to manage.
YankeesBleacherCreature
It definitely does make Schneider feel like he’ll be on the hot seat and will effect how the players respond to him.
larry48
Blue Jay will regret hiring Don Mattingly he will teach them how to lose. He really sucks and its never his fault.
Reyordonézfanclub
So glad they posted this on the NY Mets page. (So glad)
Hank Murphy
Has he trimmed his sideburns yet?
JackStrawb
How is it possible to run a website for years that posts the same comment 10-12 times?
MarlinsFanBase
Good for Donnie!
jimmertee
Mattingly as the Jays bench coach might last 2-3 months. Yeeesh, not a wise move.