Melvin gets 1,000th win
Bob Melvin’s emotions and reflections didn’t ignite when Rajai Davis’ walk-off home run was in flight. They first hit him on his drive to the Coliseum early Saturday.
Melvin, a big fan of broadcaster Bill King as a kid, heard some of King’s calls from the 1975 Warriors-Bulls playoff series on the way to work, which “literally gave me goose bumps.”
Many hours later, Davis’ home run gave the A’s a 5-4 victory and Melvin his 1,000th career win as manager.
“It was Bill King Day, and there were a lot of things that kind of make you reflect a little bit,” said Melvin, citing Saturday’s posthumous presentation of the Ford C. Frick Award at baseball’s Hall of Fame.
“He was such a big part of my youth. He went in the Hall of Fame today and unfortunately wasn’t here to enjoy or see it. For Rajai being part of something like that, it ended up being a nice day.”
Part of Melvin’s reflection, he conceded, was the widespread trade speculation. Some players likely will be gone before Monday’s trade deadline.
Pitcher Sonny Gray, the biggest trade chip, brought out the lineup card before the game, which he has done in the past.
Still, one had to wonder if it was his final appearance in an A’s uniform.
Davis won it for Melvin, nine months after Davis’ dramatic home run in Game 7 of the World Series. Twins closer Brandon Kintzler was unavailable because of a heavy workload of late, so lefty Taylor Rogers worked the ninth and immediately walked pinchhitter Adam Rosales.
Davis followed with a homer that broke a five-game losing streak. Melvin was at 999 since Sunday. Now he’s the ninth active manager to reach 1,000.
“We’ve been talking about when catching the last ball, hold onto it,” said Davis, who wanted Melvin to have it. “Nobody caught it, though. I hope they find the ball for him.”
They did. An alert A’s official raced to the scene — the ball
cleared the short wall in leftcenter, just to the right of the 388-foot sign — and displayed it in the clubhouse after the game.
The A’s were down 4-2 before Matt Chapman’s eighth-inning homer made it a one-run game.
Chris Smith, 36, made his fourth career start and gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings. Briefly: Pitcher Andrew Triggs said he expects to be ready to go for spring training in the wake of hip surgery to repair a torn labrum. It’s a sixmonth recovery process . ... Kendall Gravemen threw 81 pitches and gave up one run in 42⁄3 innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Nashville.