SAN FRANCISCO - As reporters approached Mark Melancon's locker Monday afternoon, the closer looked up at a clubhouse clock and smiled.
"I guess it's 3:30," he said softly.
A year ago at this time, Giants relievers would have been out in left field jogging and playing catch. The routine was changed a week into the season, and players, coaches and management expressed confusion and frustration Monday about how that became the centerpiece of a FOX Sports article portraying the clubhouse as "boring" and a problem.
The piece, written by Ken Rosenthal and posted Monday morning, said Melancon "rubbed some teammates the wrong way early in the season by putting an end to the bullpen's 3:30 p.m. stretching session before night games, a practice that the relievers began in 2012."
Several players mocked the concept as they stretched Monday. Manager Bruce Bochy called it a non-story.
"It's pole vaulting over mouse turds," he said.
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Melancon defended the move, saying it was made collectively by the revamped bullpen and staff. He said the Giants decided to be better about time management, noting that it did not make sense for the relievers to run and throw an hour before going back on the field with the rest of the team. The decision was made to instead focus on lifting, eating and doing other clubhouse work in the hours leading up to the 4:30 team stretch.
"Really it's nothing - it's kind of funny it's been raised," Melancon said. "I was brought in to be a leader here and take ownership of the bullpen. In conversations with guys and the coaching staff, we decided to change the stretch time. It was the first series of the year, and from a time management standpoint, it's been good. I'm shocked, but if this is the reason we're pointing out (for the team's record), please bring it on.
"We're talking about stretching. Stretching," Melancon added, joking he felt like Allen Iverson.
The story also mentioned Melancon's routine of spending the first six or seven innings in the clubhouse preparing to pitch. Melancon said he is usually in the bullpen by the fifth or sixth, and noted that that's been the way of all closers he has worked under, from Mariano Rivera to Jonathan Papelbon.
"I don't know anyone who has had a problem with (my routine)," he said.
His manager certainly doesn't. Bochy said every closer he has managed did the same thing because they almost never pitch until the ninth. Of course, that's where the real problem comes. Melancon has a 4.58 ERA and has blown four saves. He said that should have been the focus of any story about the Giants' struggles.
"I understand if you lose this many games there's got to be something to blame, and I'll take this blame on," he said. "I haven't pitched well … There are a lot of things I can be better at with my performance on the field, and that's first and foremost."
The Giants expected a bit more on the mound, and Melancon knows it. He owns that part of this. But they have no complaints, sources said, about anything he has done off the field. Several teammates noted Monday that Melancon has also been pitching hurt for a team that's hopelessly buried in the standings. Melancon also had team employees remodel a small room behind the dugout - adding new seats, a flat screen TV, and inspirational quotes - so relievers were more comfortable while waiting to pitch.
Those are small changes, with nothing to do with how the team has played. And given the way the bullpen pitched last year, any change probably should have been welcomed.
