Famous People From Arizona

Melvin's rehire is echo of the past

PHOENIX -- If you cover baseball long enough you see almost everything. The ridiculous to the sublime. Tuesday at Chase Field wasn't exactly a Billy Martin moment, but in the short history of the Arizona Diamondbacks, it had a very similar impact.

Almost precisely two years after the D-backs dismissed Bob Melvin as manager, they brought him back as a special assistant to president Derrick Hall. Kirk Gibson, the team's second manager since then, was the bench coach under Melvin. He didn't immediately get the top job.

The media conference before Tuesday night's game against the Padres had all the trappings of the D-backs admitting they made an error, letting Melvin go. Now they've brought him back, albeit in a completely different role, for the third time.

"The organization went through changes when [Melvin was dismissed] that we felt needed to be made, and there have been changes since then, as well," Hall said. "I'm all about surrounding us with the right people, and about culture. This is somebody who's been here, and deserves to be here."

The fact that the franchise is 49 games under .500 since May 7, 2009, the day Melvin was swept out for the untried A.J. Hinch, can't be overlooked. After Tuesday night's 6-1 victory over the Padres, Gibson is 52-72 since taking over for Hinch last July 1.

If he's insecure about having the winningest manager in the 14-year history of the franchise now back in the fold, Gibson didn't show it. There were hugs and good feelings all around.

"It's outstanding, I'm glad to have him back," said Gibson, who's signed through the 2012 season. "I can't speak about how much I respect the guy. He's been a friend of mine since 1985. It's been a very tough time for him from the day he got let go here. He needed to get back into the game. What a better place [is there] to be? They asked me about it. Couldn't have a better guy come back."

Martin was hired and fired by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner five times, and probably would've been brought back for a sixth had Martin not died in a car accident on Christmas Day 1989. The most famous of the returns was the first in midseason of 1978.

In a feud with Steinbrenner and Reggie Jackson, Martin dropped this famous line about the two: "One of them is a liar, and the other is convicted."

The Boss immediately dropped the hammer, replacing Martin with Bob Lemon, and almost as immediately began feeling bad about it. Martin broke down in tears and apologized.

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