Former Brewers coach Melvin returns to Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- Before Monday, Milwaukee was the lone National League city where the A's had never played.

Manager Bob Melvin is no stranger to the place, though, having begun his post-playing career in Milwaukee under the watch of Sal Bando and Phil Garner.

Garner, managing the Brewers at the time, convinced Melvin to write Milwaukee general manager Bando, who hired him as a scout. Bando promoted Melvin to roving instructor, then special assistant and, finally, bench coach to Garner in 1999.

"Sal Bando took good care of me," said Melvin, who wears Bando's No. 6. "It was my first organization after playing and I was given a number of different roles, from scouting to special assistant to roving instructor. I coached a little third base in Triple-A, and then was Garner's bench coach.

"They ran me through the gamut here, and I'm very appreciative of the opportunity I got here in the organization."

The last time the A's played the Brewers was in June 2002, when they swept Milwaukee in a three-game set. They took the first game of this three-game set, 10-2, on Monday.