Just when Padres fans thought the team found their next manager for years, it is unfortunate to see questions loom for the Padres in 2024. One question that is already rumbling is that if Melvin's manager job is safe.
Credit to The Spun for this image.
Bob Melvin and the San Diego Padres came to an agreement in the 2021 off-season to become the next manager of the franchise.
With Melvin signing a 3-year deal, that marks him as the 22nd manager to ever manage the organization.
What came to be so exciting in our eyes to finally get a manager with much success and experience has now become questionable to some. Will Melvin be the manager that leads the 2024 Padres roster, or will the organization make a move that has been made in the past.
Let's back track for a few seasons first.
Prior to Melvin was Jayce Tingler, who never had Major League managing experience. Tingler, did well in the 60-game 2020 season by having the Padres reach the NLDS before losing to their "rival" in the Los Angeles Dodgers, but 2021 was a disaster just as much as 2023 will be if not already.
Tingler relied on the bullpen too much and settled his fate when he had Fernando Tatis Jr. apologize for hitting a grand slam on the Texas Rangers after they complained for no good reason given.
Finally, San Diego got someone with experience! What I believed would have been bringing back Bruce Bochy who now is managing the Rangers, turned out to instead be Melvin, who has shown much success with the Oakland Athletics for a while.
Fast forward to 2022, Tatis Jr. gets setback twice with injuries and a P.E.D. suspension, the Padres still managed to make it to the NLCS despite coming up short. That was the farthest the Padres have reached in the postseason since losing in the World Series in 1998. Yes, please do not remind me anymore.
For San Diego, 2023 is a season to forget completely, but many fingers wrongfully point to Melvin. Instead, fingers should be going towards the General Manager himself, A.J. Preller and the Padres' lackluster ways of not producing talent and helping players grow into their potential.
Friar Faithful, we can no longer follow the trend that has saved Preller here. Think about it. Andy Green hit the door prior to Tingler, but as much as I did not like Green, the Padres have gone through managers faster than Elly de la Cruz's sprint speed.
The point is managers in this organization are the first and only thing changed. Preller, who has been here since 2014, has never seen a 90-win Padres season and has dealt away prospects that are well scouted and under club control for a number of years.
You can argue that Melvin has a talented team around him, but it is only on paper. The lack of getting a competent hitting coach has had the offense disappear, while the players only care about their paychecks now rather than putting wins on the board.
However, one matter I will have to blame Melvin on which must change next season is the inconsistency on lineups when hitters are producing. Mostly referring to catching prospect Luis Campusano but also utility man Matthew Batten even. Whenever these youngsters have a great performance, they get benched the following game. Instead, with flexibility, Melvin should be slotting Campusano or Batten around as a DH or wherever a secondary position can be used. Benching those players without even giving them a pinch hit type situation stiffens their potential. Let the kids play.
The Padres overall will need to improve around the roster, with getting a balance of high-paying contracts and young club-controlled players on the team. Melvin is not the major problem here.
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