Wow, Bob Melvin must be a happy man.
Sure, his San Diego Padres lost 2-1, and yeah, their offense looks like it will have a very difficult time filling the hole left by Fernando Tatis Jr.’s motorcycle, but none of that really matters.
What matters is that Melvin got to engage in a good old respectful afternoon challenge, full of dignity and manners. The San Francisco Giants looked him in the eyes on Wednesday, and shook his hand with a firmness that made Melvin know they were serious. They said “please,” and “thank you,” and referred to Melvin as “sir, and mister.