Blue Jays: Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos left the team on the day he was selected executive of the year by his peers, rejecting an offer to remain in what might have been a diminished role under its new president.
Advertisement
Former Marlins manager and general manager Dan Jennings was sacked after taking over in the dugout, showing that becoming Marlins manager is a risky job with owner Jeffrey Loria around. He was sacked after one year as manager in 2012.
Mattingly becomes Loria’s first high-profile managerial hire since Ozzie Guillen four years ago. After the season team officials said Jennings would return to his old job, but he hasn’t done so. We committed that we wanted this to be the last manager’s press conference we ever did.
“I told these guys from the very beginning, I don’t plan on coming here and losing”, Mattingly said. “The ideas that Michael has as to how to turn this around are ideas that I think are right”.
The Marlins are retaining three coaches: infield/first base coach Perry Hill, assistant hitting coach Lenny Harris, and bullpen coach Reid Cornelius.
“I want him to be Pat Riley, that’s the goal”, Samson said of the Miami Heat’s wildly successful leader. “When you’ve been working with people for a long time, it’s tough”.
Jennings did not respond to phone messages.
Mattingly will face a big adjustment regarding resources.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly (8) throws during workouts before game one of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium.
The Marlins went 71-91 this year, their sixth consecutive losing season, but were riddled by injuries. The roster is led by slugger Giancarlo Stanton, ace Jose Fernandez and NL batting champion Dee Gordon. Miami ranked last at $64.9 million, and little change is expected next season.
REDS: The team declined contract options on infielder Skip Schumaker and reliever Burke Badenhop, making them free agents. The Dodgers won 55 percent of their regular-season games in his five seasons (446-363), and he led the Dodgers to three straight National League West titles, a first in franchise history. The expectations there were that if he didn’t win the World Series, he would be out.
Played and coached for George Steinbrenner in New York.
Advertisement
Mattingly began his coaching career in New York under Joe Torre in 2004 and followed him to the Dodgers in 2008.
