Manager Bob Melvin was introduced as the new skipper of the San Diego Padres on Monday.
Clocking in at the new office 🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/2qXDRu5NMp
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) November 1, 2021
There are reasons to believe the fit between the two is almost perfect.
Here are three of them.
3. He Has Loads Of Experience
Before handing the keys to the clubhouse to Melvin, the Padres had experimented with Pat Murphy, Andy Green, and Jayce Tingler.
Between them, they had zero games of MLB experience as a manager at the moment of being hired.
It’s safe to say that, while some of them were competitive at times, the experiments didn’t work out.
Tingler, particularly, was given a good roster and finished under .500 this season.
The Padres were expected to fight for the National League West division crown with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but severely underachieved and weren’t even in the playoff picture in the last weeks of the season.
It was time to bring some experience, and Melvin, with 2,618 MLB games managed, provides it.
The good thing is, as we will explain below, he has a forward-thinking approach and embraces numbers and analytics, so he is willing to keep evolving with the game.
Melvin’s only weakness so far has been postseason play, but the Padres hope that with his wisdom and leadership, and with the talent on the roster, they can take the next step together.
Bob Melvin: “The next big thing for this team, this town and this organization is getting to the postseason, going deep in it, wanting and expecting to win a World Series.” pic.twitter.com/5J3GLckykW
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) November 1, 2021
2. A Players’ Manager
Melvin has been around a long time, yet his players love him and colleagues respect him.
You don’t earn that overnight.
Melvin is a four-time division winner and a three-time Manager of the Year.
The Padres, in their whole history, have four 90-win seasons: Melvin himself has six.
He just took the Oakland A’s to 10 games over .500 and had a fraction of the Padres’ payroll.
That has earned him respect and admiration in the industry.
Melvin has been described as a players’ manager, often having their back in case it’s needed.
“Bob, I’ll tell you, he’s the best I ever coached for,” Ron Washington told The Athletic (link courtesy of the San Diego Union-Tribune).
1. He Is Willing To Listen, Learn, And Adjust
Perhaps the best thing about Melvin, and the one that leads everyone to believe he can be successful in San Diego, is that he’s willing to be helped.
He is open to use numbers and analytics to gain a competitive edge.
The Padres have everything in place to contend as soon as next season.
They will still have Fernando Tatis Jr., Wil Myers, Jake Cronenworth, Yu Darvish, Manny Machado, Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, and other stars and contributors.
Additionally, star pitcher Mike Clevinger will return to full health.
The Padres are ready to compete and only needed a guy like Melvin.
Melvin is a good manager, and he needed a great roster to aspire for more in the postseason.
It seems like a very good fit overall.
NEXT: Jake Cronenworth Was A Bright Spot For Padres In 2021
