Bruce Bochy

KGMZ-FM / 95.7 THE GAME

2 days ago

Transcript

00:00Hey, Mark, this is Boach.

00:02Now, back to Will and Dibby on 95.7 The Game.

00:07Well, this is going to be fun.

00:09I don't care who you are.

00:11I don't care where your mind is right now.

00:13With Brock Purdy starting this weekend,

00:16Steph going for 46 last night on the road, beating the Spurs.

00:20This is one of these people in Bay Area sports

00:23that is just going to put a smile on everyone's faces

00:27because, ladies and gentlemen, he's back.

00:29He is back.

00:31So let's do this, okay?

00:32Let's immediately go out to the River Islands guest line

00:36and welcome back to the show and back to the Bay

00:39here on Willard and Dibs, the great Bruce Boachy.

00:42Hey, Boach, what's going on?

00:45Mark, guys, man, it's all good, man.

00:48All good, excited, coming back, spending some time in the Bay Area,

00:52seeing some old friends, and seeing if I can help the Giants

00:56get back to their winning ways.

00:58It is so good to hear your voice, and I bet for all the fans,

01:02they feel that way.

01:03Can you give us a sense of how this came together?

01:06Was this kind of your plan for what was next for you?

01:12Well, I'll be honest.

01:13When the season was over and we came up to an agreement, I would step back.

01:20I didn't know what I was going to do, and Buster did call,

01:23and I promised I didn't apply for any jobs.

01:27My wife wouldn't let me do that.

01:28But so I talked to Buster for a little bit, and he mentioned, hey, you know,

01:34you're a giant.

01:35And anyway, some time went by, and I called him, reconnected,

01:40and just thought it would be a great fit.

01:42So I'm grateful that here I am coming back to help out any way I can,

01:47help Buster out, have Tony out, the staff, Larry Bear.

01:52I'll be doing some stuff on the business side, I think, but just staying busy.

01:57So I'll be in spring training for a little bit,

02:00and then I'll be coming in during the season at times.

02:05So beyond that, are you going to be a phone call away?

02:08Are you going to be here in and out?

02:09And you just said you're going to help the manager and Buster and Larry,

02:13but how do you envision your impact being the best impact you could make this year?

02:17I think by being available anytime they want to talk baseball or, you know,

02:26talk about moves, things like that, I'm on call.

02:30I want them, you know, to feel like they can call me anytime.

02:35I plan on going down to look at, you know, the minor leagues, all the affiliates.

02:39I want to get to know the players down there as well.

02:43You know, any trade discussions, things like that.

02:46I'll be going to the winter meetings coming up here in December down in Orlando.

02:50So I'll be there.

02:51And, you know, right now, you know, I'll start bearing down on, you know, their needs.

02:58You know, I've been talking to Jeremy Shelley a few times.

03:01Just anywhere I can help.

03:03That's what I want to do.

03:05And I don't want to get in the way either.

03:08I did meet with Tony here two, three weeks ago.

03:12He has a place here in Nashville.

03:14So we get together there.

03:16And so I'm here to help.

03:18That's my job.

03:20Boach, if we go back to that first conversation after the season that you had with Buster Posey,

03:27you know, you joke there that your wife wouldn't let you apply for any jobs.

03:31But I wonder where your mind was at that time.

03:33Like, in that first conversation, were you guys discussing the open managerial position?

03:41No, no, not at all.

03:43No, no.

03:44I never went that direction.

03:50And Buster, I knew right away, you know, he was focused on, you know, some candidates there.

03:56But, no, I wouldn't have done that to him or myself.

04:01So, at that time, I didn't know what I would end up doing, like I said.

04:07So, you know, I've been doing this a long time.

04:10And I did hit the pause button.

04:12I'm going to hit it now and just do something a little different here.

04:16I'm looking forward to it.

04:18And I'm in a good place.

04:20You know, I'll be honest, you know, not spending seven weeks and six months, you know, grinding.

04:29This feels good right now.

04:32I bet.

04:32And I know that the Giants and the fans are thrilled that you're back.

04:37Do I take from that that you will rule out any managerial job going forward in your career as well?

04:44Gosh, I don't think you ever rule anything out.

04:50I'd say doubtful, but, you know, I did that one time, didn't I?

04:55So, I don't have to backtrack again on that one.

04:59But I'd say really, really doubtful.

05:02And so, like I said, I'm in a good place.

05:06I get it.

05:10Well, did we lose him?

05:12I think we lost him.

05:16Boach, are you still there?

05:18No, I'm not.

05:21I'm gone.

05:23Yeah, okay, we'll see if we can't get him back.

05:26I could do the rest of the interview for you if you wanted to just ask the question.

05:29Well, I mean, Boach, I mean, while we're talking about age.

05:31I think he's actually back.

05:32So, go ahead.

05:32And I was about to make a Connie Mack joke, Boach, because he managed when he was 87.

05:37So, I guess we should never rule anything out, because you're a spring chicken at 70.

05:43Just real quick, Boach, you mentioned you met with Tony Vitello.

05:47What did you think of him when you met him down there in Nashville?

05:49Yeah, and I enjoyed my conversation with him.

05:56Smart, you know, good with people.

06:00He really, I mean, he knows baseball.

06:03He's been doing it a long time.

06:04So, it's not like he came out of woodwork here.

06:07I think he goes back to 2003 or whatever, where he started his career as a coach.

06:15And, you know, he's worn a lot of different hats.

06:18And so, I just think he's ready for this.

06:23He's prepared.

06:24Sure, it's outside the box.

06:25And I give Buster credit for going outside the box and making this move.

06:29And so, I'm sure when they get this coaching staff together, you know, these are guys that

06:36he'll be relying on, too, to help him, you know, get through a different type of season.

06:41But, I mean, he knows baseball.

06:43And I think he's going to be good in that clubhouse.

06:47I think the players are going to really like him.

06:50He just has a great way about him.

06:52And, like I said, he's smart.

06:53He understands the game.

06:55So, no, I enjoyed my time with him.

06:58I don't need to tell you all this, but the great Bruce Bochy is with us here on Willard

07:02and Dibs 95.7 The Game.

07:05Hey, Bochy, I'd love to get a comment from you on what Joe Maddon actually recently said

07:11publicly about the hiring of Tony Vitello.

07:13And he wished him luck, but he also said it feels kind of insulting that someone would

07:20hire someone with no professional experience to be a manager.

07:25What's your reaction to that?

07:28Yeah, and, you know, I understand where Joe's coming from because that's the way he used

07:35to be.

07:35But this game has changed.

07:37I mean, you look at the hirings this year, you know, there's, what, three or four of them

07:43that never managed and, you know, that had never been in the dugout coaching or managing,

07:48I don't think, you know, where, you know, Tony has been doing that just on the college level.

07:55You could say the college levels, it's on a little bit more of a level playing field now

08:02with all that they're doing, all the analytics and information that they're getting.

08:08These players that we're getting out of college, I mean, they're up on everything.

08:14So it's a little different.

08:17And now they're what it used to be, and that's the way the game is.

08:21You have a lot more baseball departments, too.

08:23Games change there with analytics.

08:26It used to be general manager to manager, and you pretty much did things that way.

08:30But as you well know, it's changed completely.

08:34So, yeah, and, you know, Joe, he's going to be one, it's going to be honest.

08:39He's going to, you know, it was a long road for him.

08:43A lot of us, I manage in the minor leagues.

08:46But, you know, you go back not too long ago, 10 years, whatever, there were managers coming

08:52out of the booth and managing or ex-players that never were in the dugout that went down

09:00in the field and started managing.

09:01So, no, this isn't something that's completely new, maybe a little bit on the college side

09:07going to the pro side.

09:08But I think that happened 20, 30 years ago itself.

09:13When you look at him taking over this job, what's the one piece of advice or the piece

09:18of wisdom that you would impart to him as he embarks on 162 games?

09:23Yeah, I'll keep saying that.

09:25Just be himself.

09:26Well, he's had success because of who he is, and that's what I would tell him.

09:33I remember Bobby Cox told me that, you know, a lot of times, you know, you'll listen, especially

09:38in today's game, because there's so much information.

09:42And, of course, social media and talk shows, and you can be influenced by so many different

09:49variables out there.

09:50And so, I think it's important that you just be who you are, and Bobby told me that.

09:56In fact, he told me, he says, if I'm you, Bruce, I would never listen to a post-game show

10:01or anything, because, you know, they're going to be hitting on you, you know, they may hurt

10:06your feelings, whatever.

10:07But, when you manage, you know, that's, you've got to have thick skin, that's part of the

10:13game, there's, you know, that's the beauty of the game.

10:17And I never stopped listening, but I never, I felt like I never stopped being myself as

10:22far as my decisions and how I treated people and the moves that I made.

10:28Boats, you know, one thing, I sort of, I think it hits me when I listen to Tony Vitello

10:33talk, he's been honest about it, where he's leaving is hard for him to leave, and you even

10:39mentioned talking to him in Nashville, I think the last time you were on this show, you were

10:43in Nashville, so you guys clearly have some roots out there.

10:47I wonder what your thought is on him taking on this challenge, but, I mean, it sounds like

10:54he still has at least part of his heart with that old job, too.

10:58Yeah, I was kidding him, I mean, when I first started talking to him, I said, have you lost

11:04your mind?

11:05And the reason I'm saying that is because of how big he is here in Tennessee, he could

11:12be the mayor of Knoxville, he's just so popular because of the success that they've had, so

11:19I get that, too, and I know he was concerned about his coaches there, what would happen

11:24to them, but, you know, I love his confidence and the fact that he's looking forward to this

11:32challenge, and I think, you know, as time goes, you know, that's going to be a little

11:38easier for him, but that's probably going to be there.

11:41He's, you know, he's got a lot of friends, a lot of success there, and, of course, a lot

11:47of friends, but it's always tough when you make a change.

11:51I know, you know, when I left San Francisco, after, you know, when I retired for three years

11:59and went back in, that was strange for me, you know, here I am with another club, that's

12:04just, that's the normal part of a change, but he's still going to live here, I'm sure,

12:12or spend time here.

12:13So, what's the feeling like for you now, Bruce, now that you're back home again, you

12:18always can go home again, you were out for three, Texas for three, and now you're a giant

12:23again, what are the feelings and emotions you're going through knowing that you're back home

12:27with the Giants?

12:29Yeah, I'm excited, I really am, I'm excited to get back to the Bay Area, to help out, you

12:36know, the Giants any way I can, because, look, I spent 13 years, this is a big part of my

12:42life, San Francisco, of course, we always have the, you know, once a giant, forever

12:46giant, and that's how I feel, and so, you know, I'm looking forward to getting back with

12:53a lot of friends, familiar faces, I haven't seen them, you know, in quite a while, I've

12:58had, my phone's just been blowing up, you know, with friends from the Bay Area, so, no,

13:04it's exciting for me, and my family, I have a son that's a firefighter there for the San

13:10Francisco Fire Department, so, you know, I'll be getting to see more of him there, and

13:15I don't know, it's, I think it's a perfect fit for me right now, I really do, I'm back

13:22with the Giants, you know, I'll get my time off, but I can help out, hopefully in some

13:28ways, to make them better.

13:30Yeah, Boach, what do you see when you look at the roster, and will you be a part of any

13:34free agent pitches?

13:37Yeah, it's a good roster, it really is, I mean, they, they took two out of three from

13:42us, being in the National League, that's the only time we saw them was that series in San

13:47Francisco, bullpen was outstanding, you know, and their pitching at that time was really

13:54good, but I know that's, that's the focus, is the pitching, which is, it's usually the

14:03norm, when you want to get back to winning ways, is to get that pitching staff, that's

14:08what we talked about when I first came up, we would get, we have to get more pitching

14:13centric, but it's, it's got a really good roster, really good veterans, that, that can provide

14:21the offense, I think, on a regular basis, I mean, they can do damage, I think it's a team

14:29that probably needs, yeah, a couple additions there, the defense, I've talked about quite

14:35a bit, and, and all my years, and that's an area that I think they want to improve, I've

14:41heard even the outfield, and, and so, yeah, that's, that's, you know, the key for them is,

14:46is, is just play tighter baseball, and, and I feel like that all the time, though, every

14:53year I manage, that's where I went in, you got to dominate the fundamentals, and, and

14:58I'm sure that, that's where Buster wants to get, get back to playing baseball, because

15:03I know who he is, and that's what he was so good at, putting the ball in play when he

15:07had to, or hit behind a runner, things like that, just playing the game.

15:10So, Boach, I know you're back, and that's great, but you also mentioned maybe a little

15:16more free time than you've been used to, what, what's the one thing you're looking forward

15:20to doing with some of that free time that you haven't been able to do for a while?

15:25All right, you know what, I'll say more than anything, just spending some time with the

15:29grandkids, I got one in Little League now, he's football, Little League, basketball, you

15:37know, catching some games there, you know, just family time, you know, I don't have

15:42anything that I really need to do or travel to or anything, I just like spending my time

15:51at home when I have free time, if they want to go somewhere, I'll tag along, we just got

15:56back from Florida, got a little fishing in there, things like that, that I couldn't do

16:01with them before.

16:02Well, that's awesome, Boach, if you ever miss arguing with umpires, you could do

16:07it at Little League games now, I'm told that's something that parents and grandparents do,

16:11so you could dive into that.

16:13Well, you know what, you're right there, because they don't have replay there, so, you know,

16:19you have to argue, and the ABS system won't be there on the balls and strikes, and because

16:26even in professional ball, the arguments are almost all gone now, what's left to argue?

16:33You just challenge everything now, so that's pretty much out of the game.

16:38Yeah, and I miss it.

16:39I miss watching you come out there and give the ump the business, and inevitably, you get

16:44run, but boy, it was sure fun watching human beings actually get to argue.

16:49Yeah, yeah.

16:50Yeah, I will say, you know, with this ABS that's come in next year, it is going to stop a lot

16:59of yelling at the umpire from the dugout, and that dugout we had in Texas was a long ways

17:04away, man.

17:05You really had to yell for them to hear you, but, you know, because that's what you do.

17:10You're trying to take up for the players, but that's pretty much over now.

17:14What was your go-to yell-at-the-umpire line if you felt like that the umpire might have

17:20missed a call?

17:22Man, I can't put that here, man.

17:23That's just something I'll tell you when we get together, when I knew it was time to go,

17:29I had a couple magic words there.

17:32Yeah, I can only imagine, Boach.

17:33Yeah.

17:35Boach, you're one of those guys, aren't you?

17:37You're a little bit different in the dugout than your public persona would probably suggest,

17:41huh?

17:41Yeah, probably, yeah.

17:45You know, it's like people a lot of times say, man, you look so calm in the dugout, but

17:51don't let that belie what's going on, and that's with a lot of managers.

17:55I think, yes, you know, Wotus or Buster, you know, those guys, they'll tell you, you know,

18:03I had my times there, you know, where I let it go, too, and that's sometimes too much.

18:09I love it.

18:10Oh, Boach, it's so good.

18:12Great to talk to you.

18:13Yeah, it's just great to hear your voice.

18:15It's absolutely the most comforting thing for Giants fans.

18:19Thank you for coming on today, and we look forward to seeing you around the yard.

18:23All right, thanks, guys.

18:25Thanks for having me on.

18:26Great talking with you, and I look forward to seeing you here soon.

18:28Okay, sounds good.

18:30There it is, ladies and gentlemen.

18:31That's...

18:31Man.

18:32Boach.

18:33I think you're a lot of...

18:34I think you're a lot of...

18:35I think you're a lot of...

18:36I think you're a lot of...

18:37I think you're a lot of...

18:38I think you're a lot of...

18:39I think you're a lot of...

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