For six and a half years, #SFGiants‘ Bruce Bochy managed Hunter Pence. Bochy announced his retirement on Monday and Pence spoke about what it’ll be like to lose a “legend in the baseball realm.” pic.twitter.com/WjSOz9Vk7Z
— Rob Werner (@robwerner28) February 20, 2019
Hunter Pence played under Bruce Bochy for six and a half years during his time with the Giants, winning two World Series titles in the process. Pence is now a member of the Texas Rangers after finishing his career with the Giants last season, but was asked about his former manager on Wednesday, after Bochy announced earlier this week that 2019 would be his last.
“I’ve been really fortunate to get to play for him for as long as I did,” Pence said. “Just a really remarkable human. Legend in the baseball realm. You know he’s just special, and I think it’s definitely sad because he’s one of those personalities and one of those people that just makes you feel baseball when you just look at him and hear him talk in those interviews. He’s just got kind of that magnificent way of looking at things and talking about things and telling stories.
“It’s definitely sad but that’s part of the transition of baseball and it will be good to enjoy one last year of him managing and hopefully it goes well for him.”
Pence had arguably the best stretch of his 12-year career from 2013-2016 while playing for Bochy. Twice Pence finished in the top 16 in MVP voting (2013-14), and posted a slash line of .281/.339/.463 during that time.
Pence is looking to reinvent his career in Texas this season after back-to-back disappointing campaigns in 2017 and 2018.