Melvin getting settled in with San Diego
Former A's skipper has dealt with a lockout, new bosses
Bob Melvin looks out of place in the brown and yellow colors of the San Diego Padres. He conceded he feels a little out of place too.
After 11 years as manager of the A's, Melvin was let out of his contract to manage the Padres, was frozen out of talking to his new players by a 99-day owner-imposed lockout and then guided his new team through a shortened spring training in Arizona. But based on the way he handled the news of star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. suffering a fractured wrist and his Padres opening with a 4-1 record without Tatis, Melvin appears to be getting the hang of things.
“It's my job to acclimate to everybody here and the organization,” Melvin said before Monday night's 4-2 win over the Giants at Oracle Park. “It's done a little bit differently and you have to learn how things are done here. You have to learn your players. Obviously, I haven't been around them a ton ... colors are different, everything's different. I haven't even been to San Diego yet.
“There are a lot of firsts going on right now but I think once I get back to San Diego and start playing some games it will feel a lot more comfortable.”
In the meantime, Melvin couldn't help but sneak a peek at the A's under Mark Kotsay, a coach under Melvin from 2016 through last season who has the full support of his former boss. The two traded texts after Kotsay got his first win Sunday against Tampa Bay after a season-opening sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.
“We've been back and forth a little bit,” Melvin said. “I even saw a video of him in a cart going into the shower to get a little beer shower. Had a good time with that. I'm just happy he got his first win. I know my first one came I think after two or three losses to start and it feels like a hundred. You want to get that first win. He's going to do fine and I always wish him the best.”
Melvin hired Ryan Christenson, who worked under him with the A's, as his bench coach, as well as Matt
Williams, who also worked with the A's. The Padres also traded for left-handed starter Sean Manaea, who counts Melvin as the only manager he has ever played for since being called up in 2016.
Manaea, who starts today against the Giants, threw seven no-hit innings and got the win in his Padres debut against Arizona.
“He's going to fit in anywhere, and when you throw seven no-hit innings in your first time out, that makes you feel like part of the group a little bit more,” Melvin said. “He was always instrumental in Oakland in getting the starting pitchers together and talking during the game. He was always supportive of his teammates. It's been the same here and I know he's looking forward to getting his first start in San Diego. But he'll get one more (in San Francisco) before he gets to pitch there.”
BROWN TO CENTER >> As one of the A's hottest hitters, Seth Brown remained in the lineup Tuesday but was in center field in place of rookie Christian Pache instead of a corner spot.
“Seth's played center field and we wanted to give Pache a blow on the turf,” Kotsay said. “We've got another five games on the turf which is a grind especially if you're not used to playing every day on it.”
Brown had his second game with three RBIs Monday night.
PUK STRETCHES IT OUT >> Left-hander A.J. Puk has been a prized prospect who has been up and down because of issues with injuries and stamina. Lost in Paul Blackburn's five-inning performance Monday was Puk going two scoreless innings and throwing 35 pitches.
“Through spring training A.J. and I talked a lot about how he needs to prepare, how he needs to build off the successful innings that are in his future,” Kotsay said.