D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
By the end of the long, historic day, the emotions had hit Bruce Bochy. His career (allegedly) was finished. He was no longer Giants manager after 13 years. He was no longer an MLB manager for the first time in 25 years.
It was over, and in reality it was over at least a month ago. The Giants were not going to be playoff-bound. The results no longer mattered.
So what was he like in the clubhouse, in quiet moments with his team before Game 162?
“Even today he was fiery and cranky,” Buster Posey said after the Giants completed their season and Bochy’s tenure with a loss Sunday at Oracle Park. “That’s the reason he’s been around as long as he has and has won as long as he has.”
A very long time. And 2,003 times in the majors.
For Giants rocks like Posey, Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt, Bochy is all they know. Posey was summoned in 2009 and Crawford and Belt in 2011.
“I met when him I was 21,” Posey said. “I’ve known him for a third of my life.”
That third is finished after Oracle Park just about lifted Bochy on a cloud and whisked him off to roars of applause. Bochy would break down later, but he still was struggling behind his sunglasses.
“Seeing him get emotional made it hit home for me a little bit more,” said Posey, before adding levity. “Now I’ll just have to make him keep his word and stay at home.”
Crawford hadn’t seen this Bochy, either.
“I don’t think there’s really anything that would get him as emotional as that,” said the shortstop.
For Crawford, Bochy means loyalty. The Giants have had one shortstop since he came up. Bochy believed in Crawford’s glove and bat, and that was enough — even when the evidence wasn’t there.
“In 2011 I hit about .200, but then I was pretty much named the starting shortstop in 2012,” said the 2011 .204 hitter. “Just having that faith that I can be up here and be a big part of this team, even for the first half where I struggled in 2012, he just kept putting me back out there, riding the roller-coaster of a young player’s season.”
Belt went and has gone through his own struggles as well. The Giants have not replaced him. He has two World Series rings to show for it.
“He demanded the best out of us,” Belt said. “Didn’t always get it, but I think we played better because of it. He helped me get to where I am because he’s like that.”
Crawford, asked what he told Bochy on his way out, said: “That I’d see him around because I’m sure I will.”
The ones so attached to Bochy do not want to say goodbye — even if that’s what this is.
“I just told him thank you. I’ve said goodbye to him quite a few times because we’ve had luncheons and all kinds of stuff,” Belt said. “But I said thank you for helping me get to where I am in my career. Thank you for being a good mentor, good manager. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of good coaches and managers over my career. I don’t think I would be where I am today If you took those out of the mix, and he’s no different.”
