Melvin honored as Sporting News’ AL manager of the year
The job Bob Melvin did with the A’s roster this season was remarkable, and he has been recognized for it by his peers.
On Tuesday, Melvin was named the Sporting News’ American League manager of the year, which is determined by a poll of nine AL managers. He is the third manager in A’s history to win the award, joining Tony La Russa and Billy Martin. Melvin also won National League honors in 2007 as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It really should be a no-brainer when it comes to Melvin and manager of the year. Boston’s Alex Cora, who garnered two votes, did a nice job in leading the Red Sox to 108 wins. Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash also received a vote, but for Melvin to improve upon the A’s 2017 win total by 22 games, there’s no contest.
Melvin pieced together a starting rotation from castoffs and pitchers deemed “washed up” by the rest of the league, going through 14 starting pitchers in all, and still led the A’s to a 97-65 record and their first playoff appearance since 2014.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America version of the award will be announced next month.
GIANTS EYEING EXECUTIVE CANDIDATES >> With three weeks remaining until the start of Major League Baseball’s general manager meetings, the Giants’ search for an executive to lead their baseball operations department is heating up.
The Giants have been tied to several potential candidates in the last week including Cubs vice president of player development Jason McLeod, who interviewed with the franchise according to a report from Bruce Levine of 670 The Score in Chicago.
McLeod has worked for the Cubs since 2011 and remains under contract through 2021, but could leave Chicago ahead of schedule for a promotion with San Francisco. Like many of the names the Giants have been linked to,
McLeod possesses a background in scouting and a track record of helping to build successful rosters. FILMING COMPLAINT ON ASTROS >> A person familiar with the situation says the Cleveland Indians have filed a complaint with Major League Baseball about a man associated with the Houston Astros attempting to film in their dugout during Game 3 of the AL Division Series. MLB also says it is aware of a report by Metro Boston that a man claiming to be an Astros employee was removed from a credentialed area near the Boston Red Sox dugout during the AL Championship Series opener at Fenway Park.
During Houston’s series-clinching win last week at Progressive Field in Cleveland, a man with a cellphone standing by the photographer’s pit was removed “several times” by security personnel. MARLINS TO MOVE SCULPTURE >> The Miami Marlins’ home run sculpture is outta here. The team won county permission to move the kitschy, widely disliked Red Grooms sculpture out of Marlins Park to the plaza outside the ballpark. The vote was a victory for Marlins CEO Derek Jeter, who can now remove from the ballpark one reminder of unpopular previous owner Jeffrey Loria’s regime. ANGELS OPT OUT OF STADIUM LEASE >> The Los Angeles Angels have opted out of their Angel Stadium lease with the city of Anaheim.
The Angels informed the city of their decision Tuesday.
The decision means the team and the city will negotiate on a new deal at Angel Stadium, the majors’ fourth-oldest ballpark. The Angels also are expected to explore the feasibility of building a new stadium elsewhere in Southern California.
RANGERS HIRE REHMAN AS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER >> The Texas Rangers have hired Shiraz Rehman as assistant general manager after he spent the past seven years in baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs. Rehman will assist Rangers general manager Jon Daniels in the day-to-day management of major league operations.