Former Expos scouting director, Blue Jays adviser Mel Didier dead at 90

TORONTO — Mel Didier, a former scouting director for the Montreal Expos who finished his career as a senior adviser for the Toronto Blue Jays, died Monday. He was 90.

Didier spent seven decades in baseball, first as a minor league pitcher, then as a coach, executive and scout.

The native of Louisiana worked as a scouting director for the Expos from 1969-1975 before spending time with the Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers.

He served as senior adviser for player development to the Blue Jays from 2009 to the time of his death.

“Few men in our great game have had universal admiration throughout baseball as Mel Didier did,” said Paul Beeston, Toronto’s President Emeritus in a statement. “On behalf of the Toronto Blue Jays, I would like to extend my sincere condolences and sympathies to his wife Elena and the entire Didier family.”

The Blue Jays held a moment of silence for Didier — following moments of silence for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and victims of the recent hurricanes in the U.S. and the Caribbean — before Monday night’s game against Baltimore at Rogers Centre. 

Didier also coached baseball and football for his alma mater, LSU in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

The Canadian Press