Bob Melvin Giants New Manager: The AJ Preller and Bob Melvin Divorce is Final
Bob Melvin Giants new manager… still sounds wild to say, but we vibe. Now that Bob Melvin has been officially introduced as the new manager of the San Francisco Giants; and allowed to go to a Padres division rival for no compensation. Details are starting to roll out about the former working relationship between AJ Preller and Melvin. It appears there’s lots of blame to go around.
What’s the environment like in San Diego? Well, working for the Padres might be like working for a company where the owner (Seidler); has their spoiled kid (Preller) be your boss (Melvin). Day after day you have to put out the kid’s fires or issues; yet still get blamed for the smoke damage.
However, this illustration in no way excuses Bob’s horrendous 2023 season performance. San Diego let the guy walk with no effort to stop him. Therefore, it’s probably safe to say in this situation, Bob Melvin is no model employee either.
The Bob Melvin No One Discusses
For one thing, reports indicate that Bob Melvin wanted possible future HOFer, Juan Soto to be traded. Which is… absolutely abysmal. Moreover, such a move isn’t even his job to decide. He is not the GM of the Padres; AJ Preller is the General Manager. Therefore, this is a clear overstepping of job boundaries and pay grade by Melvin.
Furthermore, Bob admits to seeing and eyeing the Giants dugout for years. Why? He’s secretly hoping that someday he would end up managing the franchise.
This daydreaming occurs all while Bob is still an employee of his past teams; and also probably while leading the Padres. This revelation, alarms many Padres fans who now question if Bob Melvin really gave his all in San Diego. Or if he may have been coasting until he could find an exit… and it is eventually given to him by the Giants.
Giants Hire Bob Melvin- Early Signs of Departure?
One could speculate that many of the leaks that have come out of the Padres organization the last two years; may have come from Bob Melvin himself. Why? Well, he may have been trying to use the respect his baseball social circle has for him to exaggerate Prellers flaws to the media.
Not cool. However, when you’re trying to make your big escape; you do the unthinkable. Making your employer seem like an incompetent micromanager will definitely gain “sympathy votes.”
Could such a media campaign work? Of course. The leaks are all in an effort to win a power struggle in San Diego. Bob Melvin has significantly more friends in baseball than Preller, so then there’s no way AJ would be able to defend himself as well. Check and mate.
Bob Melvin Departs From San Diego Padres
Furthermore, one could also speculate that Melvin leaving the Padres is happening in one of a couple of different ways. Allow me a moment to explain.
Option One: Best case scenario, Bob Melvin gave his all to win. The Giants fire their manager with three games left in the season, and Bob Melvin enters the offseason simply taking time off; and fully intended to come back and honor his contract. However, his Bay Area reputation causes the Giants to reach out and ask for permission to interview him.
Preller sees an Hallelujah opportunity to save 4 million in salary; and make a change at manager without having to answer for firing a manager under his watch for the third time. Therefore, this is a “Mutual parting of ways.” Which sounds better than firing your veteran manager; who helms the team to the only 2 winning seasons you’ve had as general manager.
Option 2: Bob Melvin wanted out. As soon as the Giants job came open with three games left in the season he may have sent flares, SOS; and word through back channels to Farhan Zaidi (who he knew in Oakland); saying “Please ask the Padres for permission to interview me. When the Padres hired me, they asked permission to interview me. So there’s no way they would say no to the same request two years later.”
If this is the case, it would explain Bob Melvin, not being on zoom for the after season press conference with Preller. It may also have given him further reason not to work things out with Preller after the season like Peter Seidler wanted. Especially, since he had already taken steps to secure the Giants job.
Bob Melvin Giants New Manager: The AJ Preller and, Bob Melvin divorce is Final
You can slightly even justify these tactics. Bob Melvin knew with one year left on his contract ( and theres no indication that the Padres offered an extension); that if the Padres didn’t get off to a good start in 2024 he could end up getting canned anyway. Fired midseason for failing two seasons in a row. Therefore, Melvin secures himself job security and a great position with San Francisco. Instead of having a one year contract, Bob ends up with a three-year contract.
Nevertheless, we will never know what really happened. However, it’s clear that Melvin preferred the San Francisco Giants job, and AJ Preller preferred Bob Melvin leave town; so he can pick a new replacement. Both men in the end get what they want.
Yet, no party is innocent in the Bob Melvin, AJ Preller divorce. Everyone plays a role in why the relationship ends. But as usual the kids… err the fans suffer because of it.
Bob Melvin is a Giant… Again
In my opinion, it’s very risky to let a 3 time manager of the year who took your team to the NLCS go to a division rival who just a couple years ago won over 100 games. I understand that you don’t want him in SD if he doesn’t want to be around for real. However, it’s not an either/or situation.
Preller could have kept him from managing the team while also keeping him from going to the Giants. I would’ve preferred Preller block him from going within the division. Only time will tell if that comes back to haunt the Padres.
However, some of the individuals missing in this conversation are the players themselves. If I am one of the core members of the San Diego Padres. One of the players who are going to be apart of the franchise long term. I would take it as a slap in the face that Bob Melvin didn’t believe he could win with me; and instead chose to go to a division rival with what would seem to be an inferior roster. This should add more fuel as well as incentive to the Padres to go kick the Giants and league’s tail next season.
Giants New Manager is Bob Melvin- Fans React
Okay, OK one more last thing. A lot of Padre fans are wishing Bob Melvin well. Uh… bump that. As a lifetime San Diegan (yes, since birth), I do not wish Bob Melvin well. The man packed his bags and sped down the I-5 like his life depended on it.
I’m sure he’s a nice man personally. Also, I appreciate his accomplishments in San Diego. However, now that he is directly in the way of the Padres goal of winning a championship; he is now a foe. Due to how he’s choosing to leave; I root for him and the Giants to lose every game, but come on, even I know that won’t happen.
Now that the Padres ex-manager is happily updating his new relationship status. The best response that the Padres can have is to fix their issues and go win a championship. Success is the best revenge.
Oh, and speaking of revenge. The Padres can also extend Juan Soto. Just to have him terrorize the Giants like Barry Bonds did to the Padres for so many years. Ah… the beauty of poetic justice!
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