Bochy Announces Retirement Following 2019 Season
Legendary head coach calls it quits after 13 seasons
Lacey Yahnke
The Santa Clara
February 21, 2019
Going with his gut feeling has always been Bruce Bochy’s managing style. And it was this same feeling that recently told him it was time to retire. The beloved San Francisco Giants manager announced on Feb. 18 that he will hand off the coaching baton after the upcoming season.
“I look forward to one more shot, trust me,” Bochy told reporters on Monday during the first spring training workout of the season. “I’m all in.”
Bochy began his career with the Giants in 2006, just in time to oversee Barry Bonds breaking Hank Aaron’s career home run record in 2007. Bochy’s bold management decisions—such as starting Giants ace pitcher Madison Bumgarner in Game Seven of the 2014 World Series just three nights after pitching a shutout win for Game Five—speak to his instincts as a manager.
The press has called him “Captain Calm” for his even-keeled demeanor, even though he’s also known for being highly motivational toward his players.
The Bay Area icon’s tenure in baseball dates back to 1978, when he was drafted by the Houston Astros as a catcher and played for the New York Mets and San Diego Padres for nine years. He began managing for the Padres in 1995, helping them improve from 47–70 to 70–74 in his rookie year. He spent 12 years with the Padres, guiding the club to the National League pennant in 1998.
“This will be my 10th year with him and I just want to soak it up and appreciate who he is to the game of baseball,” Giants catcher Buster Posey told reporters. “Enjoy this last year and make sure that if you need any extra motivation, it’s pretty easy to look to him and get some more.”
Bochy is held with high regard in the hearts of the San Francisco franchise.
According to Giants CEO Larry Baer, “Words cannot adequately express the amount of admiration, gratitude and respect the Giants family has for Bruce Bochy.
“His honesty, integrity, passion and brilliance led to the most successful period of Giants baseball in the history of our franchise. He will always be a Giant and we look forward to honoring him and all of his achievements throughout his final season in San Francisco and inevitably in Cooperstown.”
Despite his losing regular season record (.498 through the 2018 season), Bochy led the Giants to three World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and racked up 1,926 total wins—ranking 11th all time. He is one of ten Major League Baseball managers to win at least three World Series titles, and nine of those managers are in the Hall of Fame. Bochy hopes to one day join them.
“To me he’s a lock,” Baer said about Bochy on Monday. “The city of San Francisco is really proud of him, and as he goes through the season we’re going to have tributes. But I think the ultimate tribute will be Cooperstown. To us it’s a no-brainer.”
His old school coaching style, stifled walk from years of catchers’ punishment and a head so large that former catcher Terry Kennedy was once said to have fit an entire sixpack of beer in his hat make Bochy one of the most iconic managers to have set foot on the diamond.
This year, the Giants aren’t projected to be in playoff contention. Regardless, Bochy believes in the group of ballplayers that has been put together for his final season.
If his team can perform well enough, Bochy has the chance to hit a few more milestones.
Specifically, with 74 wins this year, Bochy will become the 10th manager to reach 2,000 career victories.
With an unlikely 90-win season, Bochy will end his managerial career with a .500 record in 25 seasons.
Even though Bochy will no longer be seeing his name on the big screen as a manager of the Giants at the conclusion of the upcoming season, he may relish the future moment of seeing his name upon a bronze plaque if inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Contact Lacey Yahnke at lyahnke@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.