Just wait and see? Shock therapy? What will happen to Lee Jung-hoo, a silent team member, and Melvin, a strong coach?

Jul 02, 2025

Just wait and see? Shock therapy? What will happen to Lee Jung-hoo, a silent team member, and Melvin, a strong coach?
Bob Melvin, head coach of the San Francisco Giants, is fiercely protesting against the centripetal Kin Walcott in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 1st (Korea time). AFP Yonhap News



Just wait and see? Shock therapy? What will happen to Lee Jung-hoo, a silent team member, and Melvin, a strong coach?
San Francisco Giants coach Lee Jung-hoo and Bob Melvin talk ahead of the Chicago Cubs on May 8 (Korea time). AP Yonhap News
The San Francisco Giants, which have been on a downward trend at the end of the first half, have decided to give coach Bob Melvin a boost.

President Buster Posey recently announced that he has no intention of reorganizing the coaching staff under Melvin and that he will implement Melvin's options next year.

"To have the opportunity to work with Melvin every day is to have the good fortune to be an experienced leader and the most respected manager in the Major League," Posey said on Sunday. "I believe he is the right person to continue guiding the team forward given his leadership, preparation, communication and exchanges with young players."




After hearing from the club ahead of the second of the four away games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Melvin said, "I am grateful to continue to have the opportunity to lead the San Francisco squad." We believe in what we are trying to achieve and thank the leaders of the club, including Greg Johnson (owner), Buster Posey (president), Larry Bear (CEO), and Jack Minasian (head of the team), for the confidence they have shown to our staff. There are many things we have yet to accomplish this year, and we are looking forward to doing the work" expressed his feelings.

Just wait and see? Shock therapy? What will happen to Lee Jung-hoo, a silent team member, and Melvin, a strong coach?
San Francisco coach Bob Melvin is watching the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on the 1st (Korea time). AFP Yonhap News
After the 2023 season, San Francisco signed a '2+1 year' contract with Melvin, who stepped down as head coach of the San Diego Padres at the time. Last year, in his first season in office, he ranked fourth in the NL West with 80 wins and 82 losses, but he is competing to advance to the playoffs this season by strengthening his power extensively last winter following the offseason in 2023.

However, as the decline continued since mid-June, it has been pushed out of the global leadership. San Francisco, which was tied for the district lead with the Los Angeles Dodgers with 41 wins and 29 losses on June 14, has gone downhill to 4 wins and 11 losses in 15 games, falling to third place with 45 wins and 40 losses as of today.




Above all, the slump in the lineup is the cause. The average score (3.23) in the last 13 games was tied for 27th overall, 27th in the team batting average (0.216), and 26th in the team OPS (0.643). This is in contrast to the team's average ERA (4.07) ranked 13th during the same period. Most of the main hitters are in a slump. Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman has been on the injured list on the 10th of last month, and the decline has intensified.

Rafael Devers, the designated hitter who brought four players, including prospects, to the Boston Red Sox, is still below expectations with a batting average of 0.200 and an OPS of 0.670 after the transfer.

Just wait and see? Shock therapy? What will happen to Lee Jung-hoo, a silent team member, and Melvin, a strong coach?
Buster Forge San Francisco President and Rafael Devers. AP Yonhap News
Just wait and see? Shock therapy? What will happen to Lee Jung-hoo, a silent team member, and Melvin, a strong coach?
Lee Jung-hoo was sluggish with a batting average of 0.143 for the month of June. AP Yonhap News
It also coincides with Lee Jung-hoo's slump. Lee suffered a severe slump with a batting average of 0.143 (12 hits in 84 at-bats) during the month of June. In the game against Arizona on the 1st, he was hitless in four at-bats, and he has not been able to make a hit in the last four consecutive games, continuing his worst slump.

Lee Jung-hoo, who was in charge of the first three times of the season, has frequently changed his batting order to No. 4, No. 2, and No. 1 since mid-May, but has been pushed to the bottom line with No. 6, No. 7 and No. 5 since the 19th of last month. It remains to be seen whether coach Melvin will just wait and see Lee Jung-hoo at the end of the first half or 'shock therapy'.

Meanwhile, Melvin is the 22nd major league head coach this year. Previously, he had a reputation as a "long-lived coach" after passing through the Seattle Mariners (2003-2004), Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-2009), Oakland Athletics (2011-2021), and San Diego (2022-2023).

He has qualified for the playoffs eight times, won four districts, and won two league championship series. He was named the coach of the year in 2007, 2012, and 2018, and has a winning percentage of 0.515 with a total of 1642 wins and 1547 losses. It ranks 21st in the all-time head coach's multiple wins list, and is third among active players after Texas Rangers Bruce Bochy (2212 wins) and Cincinnati Reds Terry Francona (1994 wins).





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.