Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria really liked Don Mattingly growing up. Mattingly had no connection to the Marlins organization up until this offseason, but Loria hired Mattingly to manage the team, as Mattingly was a favorite player of Loria's. That might be the case with baseball all-time home run king, Barry Bonds. The Marlins added Bonds and a familiar name to Phillies fans to their staff today.
The Marlins announced the move in the middle of their full coaching staff:
Joining the #Marlins in 2016 will be: • Tim Wallach, bench coach • Juan Nieves, pitching coach • Barry Bonds, hitting coach
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) December 4, 2015
Wallach follows Mattlingly from the Dodgers coaching staff.
A name familiar to Phillies fans also joined the Marlins coaching staff:
We'll also welcome: • @schneids2323, catching coach • Lorenzo Bundy, outfield/base running coach
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) December 4, 2015
Schneider has the makings of a Major League manager.
Besides having served as a Major League catcher, an attribute that helps provide game management experience, Schneider served as the Marlins' Class A manager in 2015. Schneider is a Lehigh Valley native.
Former Phillies coach Davey Lopes, first base coach under Mattingly in Los Angeles, did not not follow Mattingly to the Marlins. Instead, Lopes earlier this offseason agreed to be the Washington Nationals bench coach under manager Dusty Baker. Former Phillies pitcher Mike Maddux will serve as pitching coach in Washington. The rest of the Nationals staff has yet to be named.
Bonds has served as a special hitting instructor in recent years, with Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard being one of the players he worked with.
