Melvin says the decision is more about letting the other team know that the black and orange are ready to play.
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He adds that the same rules applied during his time as manager with the A's and the Padres.
VIDEO: Giants introduce Bay Area native Bob Melvin as new manager
Giants introduce Bay Area native Bob Melvin as new manager
Melvin occasionally cracked down if he noticed a lack of participation during the national anthem.
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He says the team is embracing the policy change.
Bob Melvin, a Bay Area native and former Giants player who also managed a decade in Oakland, was formally announced as San Francisco's new manager last October, replacing Gabe Kapler.