San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced on Monday that he will retire following the 2019 season.
Bochy, 63, voiced his intent while meeting with reporters at spring training:
"It's a gut feeling that it's time. It's been an unbelievable ride," Bochy said. "I have so much to be thankful for, the players, the city, the fans. It's time now."
In recent seasons, the Giants have been more aggressive in altering Bochy's coaching staff -- a tip-off that they were preparing for life without him as the club's manager. Over the winter, the Giants hired former Los Angeles Dodgers executive Farhan Zaidi to run the organization. The Giants also lost David Bell to the Cincinnati Reds. Bell had been rumored as Bochy's potential successor.
Bochy has been the Giants manager since 2007. He's certain to win his 1,000th game with the franchise at some point early this season (he'll enter with 975 wins) and will look to improve upon his 50.2 winning percentage. Bochy, with a career record of 1,926-1,944 needs 74 wins to hit 2,000 for his MLB managerial career.
Prior to joining the Giants, Bochy spent 12 seasons managing the San Diego Padres. He recorded a 49.4 winning percentage with them, and led the club to the 1998 World Series.
295 @MLB managers have begun their careers since the dawn of the Expansion Era in 1961.
Four have won 3 or more World Series titles:
Sparky Anderson
Joe Torre
Tony La Russa
Bruce Bochy
Three Hall of Famers . . . and one no-doubter. @MLBNetwork @SFGiants
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 18, 2019
Bochy, of course, has since led the Giants to three World Series titles, winning the Fall Classic in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Every manager other than Bochy to win three World Series crowns is in the Hall of Fame. He, too, figures to be enshrined someday --- someday soon, it turns out.
