Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Six games left. It’s al-Boch time.
If Bruce Bochy is to be believed, his 4,026-game managerial career is on its final week, arriving back at Oracle Park for three games against the Rockies and three with the Dodgers to finish a season, a career, a legend.
Bochy, who for so long has waved away questions concerning his reflections all these years later, struck a different chord Tuesday, admitting he will “take everything in” as the end approaches.
“I’ll have some emotions running through me, no getting around that,” Bochy said before the Giants hosted Colorado. “Looking forward to watching our guys one more time here at home … I’m going to keep myself busy so I don’t think about it too much. With that said, I’ve got a lot of friends coming in. The emotions, they’re gonna be bouncing through me quite a bit here.
“I’m just thankful that I’ve had such a great time here, 13 years. In this wonderful city, these fans and everything. I’m going to enjoy this last week.”
His day began with breakfast in South San Francisco with longtime Giants equipment manager Mike Murphy. Bochy said he has been “overwhelmed” by how fans around the city have treated him.
All around Oracle Park are “Thank you Boch” signs. And that’s what fans have been telling him. Just “thank you.”
“It’s going to be tough these last few days. It’s going be difficult,” said Bochy, whose team was officially eliminated from playoff contention last week. “I’m going to stay in the game in some capacity. It’s not like I’m going anywhere. But still, in this position, it’s going to be tough to say bye.”
He has spent 25 years at the top step of a dugout, first San Diego’s and San Francisco’s beginning in 2007. Managing a Major League Baseball team has been his entire waking life since 1995. He said he does not have any trips booked for when the season concludes — let the San Diego speculation begin — apart from unplugging for a while. He’ll pack up his office, which, too, “is going to be hard.”
He said he and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi have talked “a little bit” about who will succeed the three-ring skipper, and that he would offer advice if Zaidi asks.
Whoever comes next will have one enormous hat to fill.
“He’s going to be one fortunate manager,” Bochy said. “Storied franchise with such a great history to it. Beautiful ballpark. Beautiful city. Beautiful fans. There’s not a better place to manage in baseball.”
