Oakland A's: Should Bob Melvin Be Back in 2012?

Being asked to manage the Oakland A's at the beginning of the 2011 season might have seemed like a great opportunity. 

The team had pitching, new bats were brought in to revitalize a lifeless offense and there were quite of few prospects with bright futures.

The A's 2011 season has been a bit of a disappointment so far.

I'm sorry, that might be an understatement.

Let me put it like this, when the A's broke camp back in April, if someone would have told you the team would be 13 games back in the American League West after the All-Star break, what would you have said?

I'm guessing you would probably say you were more than a bit disappointed.

Now it's mid July and half of the A's big four has had or is having surgery, and the bats that they acquired in the offseason have not even come close to living up to expectations.

Bob Geren, You're fired!

Bob Melvin, it is now your job. Good luck.

Most of the bad that has occurred this season happened under former manager Bob Geren, not to say it was all his fault, but I'm just trying to add some perspective to the situation that Melvin has found himself in.

I know it's probably too early to ask, but does Bob Melvin deserve to be in an A's uniform 2012?

Yes he does, and here are some reasons why.

Melvin Has Proved He Can Lead a Team

Melvin took the 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks to the NLCS, and he was named the National League Manager of the Year. 

When he took the job in Arizona in 2005 the club was a mess, Jerry Colangelo was gone creating disarray throughout the franchise. 

Melvin inherited a team that had finished the 2004 season with a 51-111 record.  It didn't happen overnight, but Melvin was eventually able to turn things around, leading to the success he enjoyed in 2007.

Under Melvin the A's have showed that they will play for him.

The A's have battled at times, taking three out of four games against the Los Angeles Angels this past weekend, and they swept the San Francisco Giants back in June.

Give The Man Some Time To Do His Thing

This is the most glaring reason that Melvin should stay.

He needs time to work things out.

For starters he deserves a full season with the "big four." Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson have been shelved for the season. 

As mentioned,  Josh Willingham and David DeJesus have not panned out.

The A's should do what they have to do with those guys and let Melvin utilize guys like Ryan Sweeney and Conor Jackson, who seem to perform well when they are in the lineup for an extended period of time.

Jemile Weeks has been an added surprise and with Melvin moving him to the leadoff spot, Weeks seems right at home.

Bob Melvin Seems to be Billy Beane's Type of Manager

This one is tricky.

Billy Beane is well known for thinking of managers as "middle management."

With this said, Beane likes to control things.  When Melvin was hired by the A's, it didn't seem like a snap decision.  The A's seemed to let Geren continue to struggle why fans were calling for his head. 

What seemed to be  happening while this was going on was a search for the next manager.

Beane is not a hire and fire type of general manager, so Melvin will be around for a while.

Whether this is due to Melvin's progress or how well Beane pulls his strings will remain to be seen.