SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It’s an easy day for Matt Williams.
In the dwindling days of spring training, he has the night off from third base coaching duties, so in the time he would normally be preparing for first pitch, he’s allowed a reporter to follow him as he winds his way through the tunnels beneath Scottsdale Stadium.
About 15 minutes before first pitch, Bob Melvin bounds down the staircase from the clubhouse and passes by Williams, making his way away from the field.
“Hey,” the manager cracks, “You know we have a game tonight?”
Barely breaking stride, Melvin left his longtime lieutenant laughing, just another day in the nearly four decade professional relationship and friendship between the two men. Building his staff in San Francisco, it was a no-brainer to bring along Williams, having accompanied Melvin through his stops in Arizona, Oakland and San Diego while burnishing even more credentials for the Giants fanbase than the Palo Alto-born manager.
Williams, a four-time All-Star third baseman for the team in the 1980s and ’90s, of course, was on board. That familiar humor was part of the draw.
“Coming to work everyday is fun. He makes it fun,” Williams said. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Of Williams, Melvin said, “I think (the fans) were about as excited about Matt Williams coming over here as maybe a free agent signing.
“He was a tenacious player. He’s the same way as a coach. He’s detailed-oriented. When he walks in a room, guys straighten up. The instruction that he gives and the way he gives it gets your attention. He expects you to do it right, and everywhere I’ve been, that’s been the case.”
To even better get to know Williams, the Bay Area News Group sat down for a 30-minute interview, a transcript of which has been lightly edited for context, clarity and brevity and can be found below.
Q: First of all, thanks for taking the time to chat. You spent the first 10 years of your career in San Francisco, and now you’re coming to the end of your first spring training back in Giants colors since the team traded you away after the 1996 season. What has that felt like?
MW: Well, for me, it’s coming home. Oftentimes the business of baseball forces you to do other things than you would want to do. For me it feels like I get a chance to come home again. I think that’s the most important thing for me. It’s where I started. It’s where folks gave me chance after chance after chance to become a good player. A lot of them, a lot of guys that helped me do that, I’ve seen this spring. Whether it’s Dusty (Baker) or Hack (Jefferey Leonard) or Will (Clark), they taught me how to be a pro. That’s all comfortable. It’s where I want to be.
Q: As you mentioned, we’ve seen a lot of former Giants in camp this spring. Between yourself and Pat Burrell, there is more major-league playing experience on the coaching staff. What impact can that have on the new crop of young players, such as Marco Luciano, Casey Schmitt, Tyler Fitzgerald?
MW: We get a chance to collectively help, which is what I experienced when I was a young player. Now we get a chance to come full circle in that regard and help these guys. Everybody’s got the same information, right? We have the same information as any other team. It’s all there. It’s all public. What makes you a team is the experience. If anything, the guys – I don’t know if you want to put quotes around it – the ‘old school’ guys, they just bring experience. An example today is Fitzy out there talking to Dusty Baker. He would never get that unless Dusty was here. Dusty’s here. PacMan (Leonard) is here. Will has been here. Hunter (Pence) is here. They’re present. They’re available. That experience will propel them to where they want to get to. There’s old school, there’s new school. We’re trying to get the right school. We meet somewhere in the middle to make it right. All the analytics help. But to have Dusty talk to Fitzy, that’s a big thing. It’s gonna help him progress as a player.
Q: This is your fourth stop as a coach with Bob Melvin. You played with him for two seasons in San Francisco. You played for him when he was a coach on Bob Brenly’s staff in Arizona. How has your relationship evolved over the years?
MW: We were teammates, but we didn’t have a close relationship when we were teammates because it was so brief. But when he was the bench coach in Arizona, I was a player there so we developed a relationship then. I ended up getting to the end of my career and he invited me to spring training when he was the manager of the Diamondbacks to work with the infielders. Then we just developed a good relationship there. After that, he gave me an opportunity. I don’t know anybody that I’d enjoy working for more. I think he trusts me. I certainly trust him. If he tells me to do something, he’s got confidence that it will get done.
I think we see the game similarly. We value being able to catch the baseball. That’s really important. Keeping ourselves in games and allowing ourselves to win those games. I think he’s a great tactician. He’s got a very good balance of being firm and letting guys be themselves.
Q: Talk about fielding the ball, you were a four-time Gold Glove winner yourself and you’ve had the opportunity to work with some special defenders. One, obviously, is with you again, in Matt Chapman. What could the defensive potential be for a left side of the infield with him and Nick Ahmed, another former Gold Glover?
MW: Well, I’ve got a longstanding relationship with Chappy, so we’re happy to have him. It’s one thing to have skill. It’s another thing to be able to put it to work. That takes mental preparation. That takes reps and that takes experience, but the mind I think is the biggest weapon he’s got. It’s about understanding the game. It’s about knowing where to go. It’s about knowing yourself and what you can and can’t do and putting yourself in the best position to succeed. It’s really important to have that relationship when you’re standing next to each other, that you know where that other guy is at, at all times. If Chappy at third feels something, then he’s got to communicate that to Nick so that he can help. They do that really well. They’re pros. It reminds me a little bit of Chappy and Semien. Marcus and Matt in Oakland, they worked very well together.
So, philosophically amongst the group, they’re eager. They want the ball hit to them. The philosophy amongst the infielders this spring has been, ‘We are one pitch away from a double play ball.’ Always. I know from experience with those two particular guys that that is their mindset. We’re going to be in close games at home, we know that. It’s not a hitters park, we know that. Our guys get a lot of grounders. So we’ve worked very hard this spring on picking it up, throwing it accurately, being there for our teammates. So far, so good.
