In a shocking development, longtime Oakland A's manager Bob Melvin will reportedly leave the club after 11 seasons at the helm to manage the San Diego Padres. Although Melvin had one year left on his existing contract in Oakland, the A's evidently gave Melvin their blessings to interview with the Padres who have offered him a three year contract.
Melvin succeeds Jayce Tingler who was fired after the Padres' second half collapse. I knew the Padres would hire an experienced manager though I thought they might make an offer to Buck Showalter. Melvin certainly has experience having managed on the big league level for nearly 20 years. His big league managerial experience began with the Seattle Mariners in 2003. After two seasons in Seattle, Melvin would manage the Arizona Diamondbacks for four plus seasons guiding the team to the NL West title in 2007. But Melvin would have his greatest success in Oakland reaching the post-season six times most recently during the COVID shortened 2020 season. However, the A's never reached the ALCS during Melvin's tenure. Can he guide the Padres to a NL pennant and their first ever World Series title?
If nothing else, I think Melvin can keep Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis, Jr. from shouting at each other in the dugout. Still, with the talent they have the Padres will be expected to return to the post-season soon although I don't think the Los Angeles Dodgers are going anywhere anytime soon.
Of course, there is now a question of who will manage the A's in 2022. I would venture to guess that unlike the Padres, the A's will most likely hire someone with no previous MLB level managerial experience. The reason the A's allowed Melvin to interview with the Padres was to dump his $4 million salary. But if the A's are looking to dump their manager's salary then what other kind of salaries will they be dumping this off-season? If this is the case then Melvin is very lucky to have left on his own terms.
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