Oakland Athletics extend Bob Melvin, Billy Beane

The Oakland Athletics have reached “long-term” agreements with their general manager, executive vice president of baseball operations and their to keep them in the organization.

According to a release from the team, the Oakland Athletics have reached “long-term” agreements with GM David Forst, VP of Baseball Operations Billy Beane and manager Bob Melvin. The front office and Melvin had long been in talks to extend their deals, feeding the rumour mill for the past week.

Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that Melvin’s deal is through 2021, and, in a separate tweet, reports that Forst’s deal is thru the 2023 season. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle confirmed Heyman’s reports of the length of the contracts, while adding that Melvin will make $3.5 million per year. As of this point, no length of Beane’s deal has become availible.

Melvin, 57, has been the manager of the Athletics since the 2011, and since then has been named Manager of the Year twice. Prior to that, he managed the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Seattle Mariners following a nine-year major league career.

For his career, the native of Palo Alto, California has a managerial record of 1127-1107, and has a cumulative record of 634-599 (.514 Win %) with the Athletics. The Athletics are also 4-8 in the postseason since he became manager.

Forst, 42, became a scout with the Athletics and quickly climbed the ranks of the organization to become their assistant general manager in 2004. He was promoted to the GM position when his superior, Beane, was promoted to Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations.

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Beane, 56, is perhaps best known for his “Moneyball” approach to baseball management, using advanced sabermetric analysis and predictive algorithms to build the optimal baseball team with an extremely low payroll. He has since been considered one of the most skillful and resourceful front office executives in all of baseball, making it an easy choice for the Athletics organization to extend him.

Before becoming the GM, he served as a scout for three years and was then promoted to assistant GM of the club in 1993, a position he held until 1997. In 18 years at the helm of the team, the Athletics have made the playoffs nine times and have finished in first of their division six times. This past season, in particular, was promising for Athletics fans.

It was perhaps unsurprising that this front office and management team was extended. Their penchant for making the most out of the limited funds provided for them, as well as the unique, progressive approach to baseball, make them valuable assets for the Athletics going forward.

With a shocking, albeit merited, 97-win 2018 season, the Oakland Athletics are well positioned to once again make a run at a World Series championship, something they haven’t accomplished since 1989.