Gallagher: Give Mattingly title of Jays' associate manager

Don Mattingly, who managed the Miami Marlins from 2016 through this past season, has been named the Toronto Blue Jays’ new bench coach.

December 2, 2022

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

I'm calling Don Mattingly the Toronto Blue Jays' associate manager.

As I pointed out in a Facebook post before Mattingly's hiring was made official, I suggested he was coming in as the de facto associate manager, rather than just being a typical bench coach for manager John Schneider,. I wrote Mattingly was not likely coming in to be a bench coach, per se.

Call Mattingly the associate manager. That sounds better.

The Jays gave Mattingly some extra bait to chew on and he bit. No doubt, he's getting a handsome salary.

Mattingly is a tremendous hire because of his managerial experience -- all in the National League with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins -- and he can only be of great benefit to Schneider, who has little managerial experience in the majors. Mattingly is not a threat, though, to Schneider's job because Schneider is beginning a three-year contract and is highly regarded

Now that Mattingly is on board, does that means Sportsnet cameras will see him standing to the left of Schneider in the dugout, instead of pitching coach Pete Walker?

Does Mattingly's hiring mean the dugout gets a little more disciplined? Will the old school, very serious Mattingly convince Schneider to tell the players to be a bit solemn and subdued in the dugout and cut out the fooling around.

Mattingly may be the guy assigned to keep the noise down in one certain section of the dugout and he may suggest to Vlad Guerrero to stop dousing players and Sportsnet broadcaster Hazel Mae with Gatorade after games. That practice is past its best before date.

Does donning the sports jacket ritual after home runs cease to operate? That practice, too, is past its due date.

What was sad to see was the departure of Casey Candaele, who had been Schneider's bench coach following the dismissal of Charlie Montoyo in July. Candaele took one for the team by agreeing to return to Buffalo, from whence he came, to pilot the Bisons triple-A team in 2023. Is dumped the word?

Surely, the Jays had the decency to give Candaele major-league service time by sending him to Buffalo for next season, not minor-league service time, in return for jettisoning him.

It was great to see the underdog, underappreciated Candaele, one of the most popular Expos in Montreal the mid-to-late 1980s, spend some time in the majors last season and experience the highs and lows of a great team and enjoy the grand buffet spreads, the air travel, luxury hotels and per diem … as he did for nine seasons as a player.

Now, he's relegated to riding buses, flying commercial instead of charters and eating less glamorous food in the clubhouse but even he would be the first to admit Donnie Baseball is an excellent addition to Schneider's staff.