Bob Melvin

Melvin's maternal grandfather, R.B. "Bud" Levitas, was the original ballboy in the 1920s for the Acme Packers (precursor to the Green Bay Packers), and later married Melvin's maternal grandmother, Leah Levitas, who died in 2007.

Robert Paul Melvin (born October 28, 1961) is an American professional baseball manager and former catcher who is the current manager of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Melvin has been named Manager of the Year three times.

He is Jewish by birth, the son of a Jewish mother (who raised him after his parents divorced in 1972) and a Catholic father, although he was raised in the Christian faith and identifies as Christian.

Through 2021, he was one of seven Jewish managers in MLB history.

The others were Gabe Kapler, Brad Ausmus, Jeff Newman, Norm Sherry, Lefty Phillips, and Lipman Pike.

After attending Laurel and Encinal elementary schools in Menlo Park, Melvin played baseball (at catcher), basketball (at forward), and golf at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, south of San Francisco, graduating in 1979.

He batted .474 with 11 home runs for the baseball team, including .529 his senior year when he was named to the San Jose Mercury News' All-Central Coast Section baseball team.

He was the first student inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.

Melvin then enrolled at the University of California in Berkeley, and played catcher for the Golden Bears.

As a freshman, he helped lead Cal to a 44–23–1 (.650) record and a third-place finish at the College World Series in 1980.

Melvin finished his freshman season batting .269 with two doubles and 12 RBIs in 67 at bats over 29 games.

Following his freshman year at California, Melvin transferred to Cañada College in Redwood City, California.

He played fall ball for the baseball team.

Selected in the first round, second overall, by the Detroit Tigers in the secondary phase of the 1981 draft, Melvin was a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox during a 10-year playing career from 1985 through 1994.

Melvin was selected in the 1st round (2nd pick) by the Detroit Tigers in the secondary phase of the 1981 draft.

He resides in Berkeley, California, and in Greenwich Village in New York City, with his wife Kelley, whom he met in 1982 when he was 21 years of age.

He debuted in the major leagues on May 25, 1985, at the age of 23.

He played 11 seasons, mostly as a back-up catcher, for the Tigers, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox.

As a Tiger, he backed up Lance Parrish, and as a Giant, he served as the backup for fellow catcher Bob Brenly, who, like him, went on to manage the Diamondbacks.

During his winters in San Francisco, he interned at Bear Stearns.

In 1987, he caught stealing 42.9% of attempted base-stealers, second-best in the National League.

They have one daughter, Alexi (born in 1988), who is an actress, writer, and filmmaker.

Melvin and his family are actively involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Alexi was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age 14.

In 1991, Melvin turned five double plays at catcher, fifth-most in the American League, despite playing in only 79 games.

Melvin finished his career with a batting average of .233, and 35 home runs.

Melvin worked for Milwaukee as a scout in 1996, roving instructor in 1997, and assistant to General Manager Sal Bando in 1998.

He began his coaching career as Manager Phil Garner's bench coach from 1999 to 2000, first with the Brewers in 1999 wearing #12 (during which time he also managed the Maryvale team in the Arizona Fall League), and then in 2000 with the Tigers, wearing #15.

Melvin then served the Arizona Diamondbacks as bench coach on the staff of manager Bob Brenly, from 2001 to 2002, a period in which the team won two NL West titles, as well as the 2001 World Series.

In his 20-year managing career Melvin has led the Seattle Mariners (2003–04), Arizona Diamondbacks (2005–09),Oakland Athletics (2011–21), and San Diego Padres (2022–23).

Melvin managed the Seattle Mariners in 2003 and 2004 wearing #3, following a ten-year run of Lou Piniella.

The M's won 93 games with a .574 win–loss percentage in 2003, as the 93 wins tied Melvin for the 15th-most by any rookie manager in Major League history.

However, the team missed the playoffs, finishing three games behind Oakland in the division, and two behind Boston for the one wild card spot.

The following season was less successful, as the Mariners lost 99 games in 2004, and Melvin's contract was not extended.

Melvin was named the National League Manager of the Year in 2007, and the American League Manager of the Year in both 2012 (becoming the sixth manager in history to win the award in both leagues) and in 2018 (becoming the eighth manager ever to win the award at least three times).

He was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2013.

Entering the 2020 MLB season, Melvin was the longest-tenured manager in MLB with the same team.

Through 2023, his 853 Oakland wins were second-most in team history (behind Connie Mack).

He had an aggregate career record of 1,517–1,425 (.516) in 20 seasons as a Major League manager, and had led his clubs to eight postseason appearances and four division titles.

Melvin was born in Palo Alto, California, to Paul and Judy (Levitas) Melvin, and grew up in Menlo Park, California.