A few weeks ago, Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced that 2019 will be his last season — He’s retiring.
Bochy has been around the game a long time as he was a big league player for nine seasons, manager for 25, and even a World Series Champion a few times.
So how has the announcement of his retiring affected the players as they near the start of the season?
Some Giants players had nothing but great things to say about their skipper.
It’s been that way since 2007 but Spring Training in 2019 doesn’t feel the same, knowing Bochy won’t be back in 2020.
“There’s a feeling of gratitude for what Bochy’s done for the Giants organization, for baseball in general,” Mac Williamson said. “And going out there and be able to bring him some finality to his hall of fame career, I think, would be extra special.”
It’s up to others to decide if Bochy is one day Hall of Fame-worthy.
He has three World Series titles with the Giants and he’s eleventh on the all-time wins list, though his overall managerial record is below 500.
“Obviously everyone’s gonna give a little more this year just because everybody wants to send Bochy out the right way,” Jeff Samardzija said. “That just speaks for the respect we have for the guy. I think everybody is sad he came out and said this is his last year.”
“You know, it kinda hits hard because he’s done so much for the game, been around the game for so long and he’s a special guy, he’s gonna be missed,” Mark Melancon said.
Bochy said the decision was his as he will be 64 in April.
“I think what Boch has meant for this organization, this city, us as players,” Joe Panik said. “I think, pretty sure I speak for not only myself but everybody that we want to send him out on the highest note possible. Like I said, he deserves nothing but the best so we’re gonna go out there this year and do our best for him.”
Nobody actually came out and said it but the players would love to win the World Series one more time for Bruce Bochy, who was also the Padres manager for 12 seasons before he joined the Giants.
