Casey Todd Candaele (born January 12, 1961) is a American former
utility player
In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water polo.
The ...
and professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
. His mother,
Helen Callaghan St. Aubin and her sister,
Marge Callaghan
Margaret Callaghan Maxwell (December 23, 1921 – January 11, 2019) was an infielder who played from 1944 to 1951 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 3", 112 lb., she batted and threw right-handed. , played for the
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...
, which was depicted in the movie ''
A League of Their Own''. Candaele and his mother represent the only mother/son combination to have both played professional baseball.
[Staff]
"Passion: Casey Candaele & Helen Callaghan"
International Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation (IBAF; Spanish: ''Federación Internacional de Béisbol'', French: ''Fédération internationale de baseball'') is the former worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as ove ...
, p. 19. Accessed July 12, 2009.
The
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
hired Candaele as their
first base coach
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...
during the 2015–16 offseason.
He worked with them until the end of the 2017 season. In January 2018, the Toronto Blue Jays hired Candaele to manage the
Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...
.
Candaele managed the Blue Jays' top affiliate, the
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
, before becoming the interim major league bench coach in 2022.
Playing career
A
switch hitter
In baseball, a switch hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed, usually right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers.
Characteristics
Right-handed batters generally hit better aga ...
, Candaele was born in
Lompoc, California, on January 12, 1961. Candaele played prep baseball at
Lompoc High School and attended the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
T ...
, where he played collegiate baseball for the Wildcats and was a part of the
1980 College World Series
The 1980 NCAA Division I baseball tournament was played at the end of the 1980 NCAA Division I baseball season to determine the national champion of college baseball. The tournament concluded with eight teams competing in the College World Series, ...
champion team.
He was signed by the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
on August 15, 1982, as an amateur free agent.
[Casey Candaele]
Baseball-Reference
Baseball-Reference is a website providing baseball statistics for every player in Major League Baseball history. The site is often used by major media organizations and baseball broadcasters as a source for statistics. It offers a variety of advan ...
. Accessed July 11, 2009.
Candaele split the 1983 season between Class A and Class AA baseball. With the
West Palm Beach Expos
The West Palm Beach Expos were a Florida State League minor league baseball team which existed from 1969 through the 1997 season in West Palm Beach, Florida.
History
The West Palm Beach Expos were a Class A affiliate of the Montreal Expos and pla ...
of the Class A
Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
, he batted .305 in 127 games; he played 5 games for the
Memphis Chicks Memphis Chicks may refer to:
*Memphis Chicks (Southern Association), a Minor League Baseball team that played from 1901 to 1960
*Memphis Chicks (Southern League)
The Memphis Chicks were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Southern Lea ...
of the Class AA
Southern League. He spent the 1984 season with the
Jacksonville Suns, batting .273 in 132 games with the team then, over the next two seasons, was with the Class AAA
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which open ...
of the
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
, batting .259 in 302 games in 1985 and finishing the 1986 season with a .302 average in 119 games.
[Casey Candaele: Minor League statistics]
Baseball-Reference
Baseball-Reference is a website providing baseball statistics for every player in Major League Baseball history. The site is often used by major media organizations and baseball broadcasters as a source for statistics. It offers a variety of advan ...
. Accessed July 11, 2009.
Candaele made his major league debut for the Expos on June 5, 1986, pinch hitting for pitcher
Dan Schatzeder and striking out against
Charles Hudson Charles Hudson may refer to:
* Sir Charles Hudson, 1st Baronet (1730–1813), English baronet
* Charles Hudson (American politician) (1795–1881), American historian and politician, Congressman in U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts
* ...
in a 7–3 loss to the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
at
Olympic Stadium
''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words ''Olympic Stadium'' as ...
. He finished the 1986 season with 24 hits in 104 at-bats for a batting average of .231.
In 1987, his first full year in the major leagues, Candaele batted .272 with one home run and 23
RBI in 138 games.
[ He struck out just 28 times in 495 plate appearances. He played second base, shortstop, all three outfield positions, and first base. He came in fourth in balloting for the 1987 Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award in the ]National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
, an award that went to catcher Benito Santiago of the San Diego Padres. Candaele played the first half of the 1988 season with the Expos, batting .172 in 38 games, with 20 hits in 116 at bats.[ He played in 60 games for the Indianapolis Indians in 1988, batting .264 in 60 games.][
The Expos traded Candaele on July 23, 1988, to the ]Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
in exchange for catcher Mark Bailey. With the Astros that season, he appeared in 21 games, with his 5 hits in 31 at bats yielding a .161 batting average.[ He played in 17 games with the Tucson Toros of the Class AAA ]Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
in the Astros organization, hitting for a .258 average.[ He played in 130 games for the Astros in 1990, hitting for a .286 average with 3 home runs.][ That season he also played in 7 games for the Toros, hitting for a .214 average.][ He spent the entire 1991 season with the Astros, finishing the season with an average of .262, and having career highs with 151 games played and 4 home runs to go along with 7 triples, which placed him ninth in the National league in that category.][ His average dropped to .213 for the 1992 season, with Candaele playing in 135 games.][ Candaele split the 1993 season, playing 75 games with the Astros and hitting .240, with another 6 games played in Tucson, where he batted .296.][
On October 4, 1993, he was granted free agency by the Astros, and was signed on November 24 by the ]Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
.[ He spent the entire 1994 season with the Indianapolis Indians, by then the Reds' AAA affiliate, and hit for a .282 average in 131 games with the team.][
He was released by the Reds on October 15, 1994, and signed with the ]Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
on February 1, 1995.[ He played with the Albuquerque Dukes of the Pacific Coast League in the Dodgers organization, hitting .259 in 12 games.][
The Dodgers released Candaele on April 26, 1995, after which he was picked up as a free agent by the ]Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
on May 5.[ He played most of the 1995 season with the ]Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
of the American Association, hitting for a .247 average in 97 games.[ In 24 games for the Indians in 1996, he hit for a .250 average.][ His last major league season was in 1997, in which he finished with a .308 average in 14 games.][ His final game was on July 13, 1997, against the ]Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
, when Candaele came into the game in the seventh inning to replace Julio Franco
Julio César Franco Robles (born August 23, 1958)Franco's birth date is in question. Many of his early bios and cards have his birthday listed in 1954, and on the roster of the Quintana Roo Tigres, his birthday is listed in 1961. is a Dominica ...
at second base, with his final at bat resulting in a fly out to left field in the ninth inning of a 12–5 win. He also played 79 games for the Bisons in the 1997 season, finishing with a .228 batting average. He then continued playing for another three seasons, shuffling around the minors, retiring after the 2000 season.[
]
Coaching career
The Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
hired Candaele as their first base coach
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...
during the 2015–16 offseason. After the 2017 season, he joined the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
organisation, initially manager of the Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...
on January 10, 2018. After one season in Dunedin, the organisation moved him to Class A Short Season Vancouver Canadians.
During the long offseason between the 2019 and 2021 seasons (no minor league seasons in 2020), the Blue Jays assigned Candaele as manager for their AAA club, the Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
, for the 2021 season.
The Blue Jays promoted Candaele to become their major league bench coach on July 13, 2022.
Nickname
Houston Astros Hall of Fame announcer Milo Hamilton called Candaele "Mighty Mite" for his aggressive play despite his diminutive size.[
]
Personal life
Casey's brother is filmmaker Kelly Candaele, whose PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
documentary about the AAGPBL led to the creation of the 1992 film '' A League of Their Own'', directed by Penny Marshall
Carole Penny MarshallBorn Carole Penny Marshall in 1943, as per ''My Mother Was Nuts, a Memoir'', p. 10; . Copyright 2012 (October 15, 1943 – December 17, 2018) was an American actress, director and producer. She is known for her role as ...
. His mother Helen Callaghan
Helen Callaghan Candaele St. Aubin (March 13, 1923 – December 8, 1992) was a left-handed center fielder who appeared in five seasons in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), playing under the name Helen Callaghan. , one of the best players in the league's history, won a batting title while collecting a .257 batting average and 354 stolen bases in her 388-game career over five seasons.[Thomas, Robert McG., Jr]
"Helen St. Aubin, 69, athlete who inspired film"
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', December 11, 1992. Accessed July 12, 2009.
References
External links
Baseball Gauge
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
{{DEFAULTSORT:Candaele, Casey
1961 births
Living people
Albuquerque Dukes players
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Arizona Wildcats baseball players
Baseball players from California
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) managers
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
Calgary Cannons players
Cleveland Indians players
Houston Astros players
Indianapolis Indians players
Jacksonville Suns players
Leones del Caracas players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Major League Baseball second basemen
Memphis Chicks players
Montreal Expos players
Nashua Pride players
Nashville Sounds players
New Orleans Zephyrs players
People from Lompoc, California
Seattle Mariners coaches
Tucson Toros players
University of Arizona alumni
West Palm Beach Expos players
Anchorage Glacier Pilots players