Speaker 1: (00:00)
The San Diego Padres moved forward from one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory by hiring Bob, Melvin as the team's new manager, while Melvin is among one of the most respected managers in baseball, only time will tell if his hiring will make a difference next season for the beleaguered Padres. Joining me now with more is San Diego sports writer, Jay Paris, Jay, welcome back to the program.
Speaker 2: (00:24)
Thanks for having me on it was good to join you folks.
Speaker 1: (00:26)
What's been the initial reaction to the hiring of Bob. Melvin, are people excited about this?
Speaker 2: (00:31)
I'm excited, thrilled, stunned, I think would be a appropriate term. Bob Melvin had already agreed to an extension for the 2022 season with the Oakland athletics. And when going through the long list of candidates to replace Jason Fiddler, who was dismissed after the season, Bob Melvin's name was not on anyone's list because he had a job. He had a contract, but with the people in Oakland and their situation, and then possibly moving and really the franchise being in flux, Mr. [inaudible] of the Padres general manager sought permission to speak to Mr. Melvin, the age, granted it, and look, you hear the potteries have their 22nd manager in franchise history.
Speaker 1: (01:09)
Is there been much response from players or people within the organization to this?
Speaker 2: (01:13)
Yeah, I think cartwheels might be a good term. I mean, for once they're not bringing in a manager who needs training wheels, uh, the last two gentlemen, Andy green, Jace Tingler. I mean, they had never been big-league managers and Bob Melvin certainly been that he's a three time manager of the year, only, uh, eight people have won it three times like him he's won over 1300 games as a manager. He was a 10 year player as a catcher. I mean, when he walks in a room, you kind of sit up a little straighter, you know what I mean? He has that instant credibility. He has that presence. He has that been there, done that, which all these players are experienced and, uh, major league wide he's thought is one of the best communicators. And one of the most respected managers in the game.
Speaker 1: (01:57)
I know some people, for example, wanting to see Ron Washington of the Braves considered who else was, was looked at
Speaker 2: (02:02)
Why she was a finalist and the last go around, of course, everybody's heart goes pitter, patter over Bruce bocce. You know, he got the first call, regardless of what anyone says. You know, he won three titles with the San Francisco giants, but of course, uh, his heyday was with the Padres. He still one of the most iconic members, uh, of, of the Padres past. And, uh, they were hoping maybe the presence. So, you know, Ron Washington, uh, um, there was some other talk of bocce and, uh, even locally Brad awesomeness with Del Mar who, who managed the tigers and angels, that his name was certainly in it. Mike Sotia I think what, what was interesting about this search is that, you know, on one side of the baseball today, it's the analytical side. And on the other side is the old school baseball. If you will, the game, how it used to be played, what makes Mr. Melvin such a great candidate that he's almost a hybrid he brings with him those old school, um, mannerisms, if you will. But when somebody suggests the data suggests the analytics, which what baseball is now, he doesn't, you know, head off in the other direction as a 60 year old screaming about not knowing what a PDF file is or something. So he's able to, to be an old school guy, but he's certainly receptive of the data driven analytics, which the game has come today is
Speaker 1: (03:13)
This new manager expected to be a good fit for the Padres.
Speaker 2: (03:16)
Baseball has changed. And just to put this hiring into context, you know, old school baseball, yet you had nine different hitters and you move the ball around, you try to string together, some hits and the score runs nowadays. The pitchers are so good at throwing unhittable pitches that really everybody's trying to hit a home run. And, uh, that's just the way the game is today. Now the blend of the analytics, which AGA trailer is certainly a big fan of with what Mr. Melvin has done and can do is exciting. I think again, is to point out that he did a lot of this recently in the last 10 years with the Oakland athletics, Oakland routinely has one of the lowest payrolls in the league still. He was able to take it to the playoffs three of the last four years and became the windiest manager in Oakland history.
Speaker 2: (04:01)
So he's done it on a low budget. So now he's going to have a bigger budget with the Padres, $180 million projected payroll. Next year, he's going to have the data and the stars and Manny Machado, Fernando tests, east junior, uh, you know, there's five all-stars on this team. So they think they've really hit a home run to sum it up. They think they've robbed the rest of the teams of one of the greatest managers in the game today and that they were to do so without anybody knowing about it only adds to the intrigue of Mr. Melvin, coming to town.
Speaker 1: (04:28)
You touched on this, but talk a bit more about Melvin's track record of success with previous organizations when it comes to winning championships.
Speaker 2: (04:36)
Uh, you know, he was a bench coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks from when they won everything in 2001 he's been in manager for the time and backs. He was a manager of the Mariners. He was a manager of the Oakland. A's 18 seasons of making the tough, hard decisions. And before that again, we mentioned his playing career, which, uh, when you hit 2 30, 3 and 35 career homers, it didn't quite pan out like he thought, but I think he knows what a players going through, and he's not a screamer. He's not a holler guy, he's a communicator. And he does so in a manner in which she has empathy for a player, which is going, going through rough patches, you know, every player goes through a rough patch. You know, baseball is built around failure. Only Glen got out seven out of 10 times and we built a statue for him. So that shows you how difficult the game is. So I think when you have a manager who can empathize on those, uh, you know, on those during those puddles on the path to greatness, you know, it's going to be tough. That's Palm, Melvin. He knows what his players are thinking and that he's proven time. And again, it's almost like writing about the Pope. You can't find anybody to say a bad thing about him. And that's Bob, Melvin,
Speaker 1: (05:40)
As you mentioned earlier, Melvin's hiring comes after the Padres parted ways with their previous manager JS Tingler what do experts think that Melvin will bring to the table? Uh, that his predecessor didn't,
Speaker 2: (05:52)
Uh, again, we go back to the training wheels, you know, nobody has to point Bob Melvin in the right direction. Nobody has to tell him what he should do next. I think just the comfort of being his own man, uh, the comfort in knowing you've done it before in the respect, the other players leaned from that. Now, now when Mr. Tingler Mr. Green, you know, too good baseball man, but when they walked into the room, they were still proving themselves. You know, you look on their sleeves, there weren't any stripes yet. You know, they were still earning their stripes while on the job, as a manager of the Padres, Mr. Melvin walks in, he's got those stripes, he's got those big wins. He, and he's maybe more importantly, he knows how to react to the losses, you know, to react. When a team goes into a tailspin, look that second half of the year, last year was a disaster at the all-star break.
Speaker 2: (06:38)
The Padres were 15 games over 500 and looked to be a lock for the second playoff spot, nationally wildcard. And it was a complete faceplant the second half, once they started losing, there was nobody there or nobody able to, to, to pull a rip cord, if you would. And, and, and try to soften the landing and maybe with a more experienced guy like Mr. Melvin, he would know what buttons to push. Look, nobody knows how this is going to turn out, which is the beauty of baseball. But that being said, the Padres feel extremely fortunate to have Bob Melvin, as their manager,
Speaker 1: (07:12)
The Padres have made a number of roster moves in recent years to put the team into contention and still this year fell short of their goals, or what kind of a difference will a different manager make with a team that already has so much talent?
Speaker 2: (07:26)
I think a different voice. And again, we go back to credibility, uh, maybe if somebody hasn't proven themselves and their message could be the exact same as somebody who has proven himself, but when you're hearing it from somebody who, who doesn't have that been there, done that label, maybe you take that advice or you take that, uh, their statements with a bit of trepidation. You know, Bob, Melvin says something, you know, he's done it when Bob Melvin said something, uh, he can back it up. So, so I think it's just more the, uh, not as much the message. I mean, the message is really the same, you know, play hard, have fun win games, but it's the messenger. And, and in this way, it'd be like a substitute teacher telling you to do your homework or, uh, a tenured faculty member. Who's then the teacher of the year, a few times. I mean, if you're a student, you react differently. If you're a ballplayer, you react differently as well.
Speaker 1: (08:22)
I've been speaking with San Diego sports writer, Jay Paris, Jay, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 2: (08:27)
Okay. Always fun to be with you folks and have a nice.
