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25 BAY AREA NEWS GROUP PLAY BALL THE GIANTS andstillthinkaboutthat,andit's awesome." The other reason he is thank- ful for his struggles: It led to a trade to the Pirates and the final component in the evolution of his cutter. He needed someone to believe in it. He found his champion in Pirates catcher Russell Martin. "He was the biggest help," Mel - ancon said. "It's, 'OK, I have this weapon,' but I didn't really know how to use it. The confidence factor, the knowledge factor, the stubbornness, those things are what he taught me. It was just having someone back there say - ing, 'Hey, listen, this is awesome, let's use it.' The confidence I have in that pitch, he gave that to me." In return, Melancon has im - bued his teammates with confi- dence that their good works won't go unrewarded. TREVORHOFFMANRANKS second all time with 601 saves. He racked up most of them while pitching for Bochy in San Diego. Melancon's fastidious routine off the field and his mentality on the mound allow Bochy to make an easy connection to Hoffman. They are both University of Arizo - na products. They even race to the mound to the hard edge of AC/ DC, although Melancon prefers "Thunderstruck" to "Hell's Bells." Mostly though, they both pro - vide the same sense of security. "It takes a certain player and mentality to handle that role, and it shows they're valued with the contracts they're getting," Bochy said. "I can speak from first-hand experience. I had the best closer in the game, and the one year we didn't have him because he was on the DL, it was a struggle for us. It's just not that easy to fill that spot." There were plenty of familiar faces to welcome Melancon to Scottsdale this spring. He played with Hunter Pence in Houston. He worked out with right-handed prospect Tyler Beede this past off - season. His former Arizona Wild- cats catcher, Nick Hundley, signed with the Giants a few weeks before players reported to camp. He didn't need much time to win over everyone else. "What I've noticed is he's very methodical," catcher Buster Posey said. "He's got a plan each day. There's no wasted time with him. That's probably one of the reasons he's been so successful. He's so diligent with his preparation." A closer's routine is about more than staying in good physical con - dition. It's a mental necessity. "You rely on that routine," Hoff- man said. "There are times you really need it. It can be a crazy po- sition, and I found that the more you can control the process and the preparation, the better you can handle the emotions when one doesn't go your way. You can fall back on that routine." Starting pitchers have their routine, too. Melancon is no lon - ger curious about it. He found his calling earlier than most. "You know, there's something about having to be on point from the very first pitch," Melancon said. "If you told a starter, 'Every start, you've got to be perfect from that first inning,' it would change things. "I'll hear starters say, 'Oh, I should have known, in the bull - pen I was missing here or there. I was able to make an adjustment in the third inning.' And … I mean, third inning? I don't have a third inning. It's just a different position, and I love it." Hoffman presented Melancon with his namesake award as the game's top reliever at the 2015 World Series in Kansas City. He reached out to congratulate him after he signed with the Giants. Hoffman let Melancon know that he was about to pitch for a man - ager who "has a way of letting people be themselves." Hoffman laughed when it was mentioned that Melancon might always be the second best reliever to come out of the University of Arizona. "Oh, no, hopefully he'll be No.1," Hoffman said. "I think he might be already. I don't have claim to that title. I mean, I was an infield - er there." ABAGGARLY@BAYAREANEWSGROUP.COM ALEXBRANDON/ASSOCIATEDPRESS "Itcanbea crazy position, and I found that the more you can control the process and the preparation, the better you can handle the emotions when one doesn't go your way," explains Trevor Hoffman, who served as a star closer for Bruce Bochy. Melancon, at left pitching for the Nationals in 2016, is hoped to be a late- inning savior for the Giants.