Despite struggles, the end of Bob Melvin's SF Giants tenure was tragic

The SF Giants dismissed manager Bob Melvin after two middling seasons. While the move makes sense, it does not make the end of Melvin’s tenure in San Francisco any less tragic.

Melvin spoke recently to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle about the end of his time in San Francisco. He said he was somewhat confused by the decision while also saying he had no regrets.

The end of Bob Melvin's SF Giants tenure is tragic in a way

The veteran manager made a good point in saying that the rationale he was given for being let go, the face that the team struggled in the final months of the season, was somewhat confusing.

Yes, the Giants did struggle at times in the final few months of the season. However, what really sealed Melvin’s fate was the nosedive the team took after acquiring Rafael Devers. That is when the team really should have been taking off but instead they played so badly that president of baseball operations Buster Posey had to sell at the trade deadline.

It seems Posey’s mind was made up then that Melvin had to go. Now, the buck stops with Posey.

To Melvin’s credit, the Giants did fight back in the second half even with a depleted roster. They had a legitimate chance at the playoffs in September and fell off again at the end which is not entirely Melvin’s fault.

Still, it is a bit sad that Melvin’s time with the Giants went the way it did. As a Bay Area guy who played with the Giants, he spoke about how it was his dream job to manage in San Francisco. The fact that he got to manage both the Oakland A’s and the Giants is a nice feather in his cap even if his stint with the Giants did not go as planned.

Many fans will say good riddance, but Melvin certainly did the best he could and clearly was pained by the fact that he could not provide better for his hometown team. If his stint with the Giants ends up being his last managerial job in MLB, it is a shame he went out the way he did with a rough exit in both San Diego and San Francisco.

Posey needs to nail this next manager hiring or the Giants may potentially end up regretting moving on from Melvin.

The ending was a bit tragic, but that does not change the fact that Melvin has had a great managerial career and has been a staple of Bay Area baseball for a very long time. 

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