Nostalgic Reunion for Bruce Bochy’s Giants Golden Era Legacy
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy walks into the dugout after a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
2019.09.29 – Bruce Bochy’s legacy will forever be the San Francisco Giants’ baseball golden era and the greatest nostalgic players reunion assembled at Oracle Park.
The Giants flew in past players from Florida and the Dominican Republic. They drove across state lines. There were Cy Young Award winners and World Series MVPs. Star players and supporting cast. Introverts and extroverts.
Great Giants all, old souls and deep thinkers, those who partied and those who prayed. Some who needed a hand on the shoulder and others who needed the occasional kick in the rear. Every face brought a flood of memories.
Bochy managed all of them. He drew the best from them. From Tim Lincecum to Jake Peavy, Buster Posey to Aubrey Huff, Ryan Vogelsong to Barry Zito, Omar Vizquel to Madison Bumgarner, Barry Bonds to Marco Scutaro.
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Bochy did more than elevate teams that were greater than the sum of their parts. He never forgot that those parts were people. He knew he couldn’t manage those people well if he couldn’t connect with them.
Bochy spoke to a ballpark filled with thousands of lives he touched in some way and thanked them all straight from the heart, no notes necessary.
Bochy bid an emotional farewell following 2 1/2 decades in what is certainly a Hall of Fame managerial career, finishing with a 9-0 defeat to the mighty Dodgers on his last day as fans remained in their seats long after the game ended to celebrate a man who helped bring this city its only three World Series championships.
Los Angeles won its franchise-record 106th game, jumping to a 5-0 lead in the first that held up on Will Smith’s two-run homer right after a bases-clearing, three-run double by Corey Seager.
“It’s all about Bochy,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game, then paid his respects during a special exchange of the lineups ahead of first pitch.
Yet Roberts absolutely wanted to win this one to put these 2019 Dodgers (106-56) in elite company of their own. They passed the win mark of the 1953 “Boys of Summer” team based in Brooklyn that included Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider and other Hall of Famers.
“I’m going to take a moment to appreciate what we did as an organization. We’re talking about the regular season and all those great teams in Dodgers history,” Roberts said. “It takes a lot to accomplish what we accomplished as a group, as an organization, and there’s a lot to be said for that. So very proud of everyone top to bottom. It’s something that no one can take away from us and it speaks to the character, the work ethic, the talent, just the togetherness of everyone, so very proud.”
The Dodgers finished with the second-best record in the majors behind the 107-win Houston Astros.
RELATED: 2019.09.29 – Bruce Bochy’s Final Speech to San Francisco
RELATED: 2019.09.29 – Bruce Bochy’s Final Speech to San Francisco
RELATED: 2019.09.29 – Bruce Bochy’s Final Speech to San Francisco
Chants of “Bochy! Bochy!” greeted him during introductions and son and former Giants pitcher Brett threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his ex-catcher father. Bochy held grandson Braxton in the dugout before the game, too. Fans stood and cheered “Bochy!” again once the final out was made and an extravagant, surprise postgame ceremony ensued.
“This was as tough a day as I’ve ever had,” Bochy said. “I had no idea that this send-off would be like it was today.”
Bochy took one final ride around the ballpark in a classic convertible with wife, Kim, and their grandson.
Roberts ran back out onto the field to join the celebration of Bochy, with home run king Barry Bonds grabbing the blue Dodgers cap from his pal’s head and tossing it into right field as Roberts became a good-natured punching bag in the rival colors.
“His hat should have been thrown … I threw him off the field,” Bochy said of someone he managed in San Diego and San Francisco.
The 64-year-old Bochy, who guided the Giants to World Series championships in 2010, ’12 and ’14, waved and tipped his cap from the dugout before the game before doing some stretches against the back of the railing taking it all in as he promised to do from the start of the final week.
RELATED: 2019.09.29 – Thank You, Boch – by Tim Flannery (Video)
RELATED: 2019.09.29 – Thank You, Boch – by Tim Flannery
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Bochy finishes 2003-2029 in 4,032 games as a manager over 25 seasons, the first 12 with San Diego before 13 in San Francisco. He went 1,052-1,054 with the Giants, who wound up 77-85 in his final year and with four more wins than last season.
Lefty Rich Hill worked three scoreless innings allowing one hit in his 13th start of the season for the Dodgers. Dustin May (2-3) pitched a perfect fourth for the win.
A smiling Tim Lincecum was among the dozens of former players on hand for Bochy’s farewell festivities, with groups walking out from center field representing various years. Lincecum, a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner with a pair of no-hitters, emerged alone at the very end to huge cheers. He later offered his manager a warm embrace.
“It was, was beyond whatever I thought they could do,” Bochy said.
The Giants attempted to make the loudest foghorn call the Bay Area has experienced by having fans turn their phones into a foghorn through the ballpark app or on the team’s website.
“We’ll see you at Cooperstown,” Giants CEO Larry Baer said in wishing Bochy well.
Read more at: San Francisco Giants Media Services / More AP MLB: www.apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
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