There's No Crying In Baseball

Yesterday we, along with 41,000 + fans were witness to the Skipper's final game in charge of the San Francisco Giants. It was not the result that the Giants and Bruce Bochy were looking for as they were swept 3-0 by arch rivals the LA Dodgers in the last series of the regular season. Interestingly, had the Giants claimed victory, Bochy would have finished his managerial career at the Giants at .500 (1,053 wins & 1,053 losses). However with the loss, the Dodgers finished their season with a franchise record of 106 wins for the season.

The Boch strolls back into the Dugout one last time...

Bruce Bochy's record as a manger over a 25 year span will undoubtedly assure him of a place in Cooperstown's Hall of Fame in the near future. Over his 12 seasons as skipper, Boch was the most successful manager in the history of the San Diego Padres club. He led his team to four National League West titles that included a loss to the Yankees in the 1998 World Series. It was his 12 year tenure with the Giants however that 'The Boch' enjoyed his greatest success as a manager. Under his guidance and inspirational leadership, the Giants would deliver their city 3 championship (2010 / 2012 / 2014) in one of the most successful eras in major league baseball.

The Skipper doff's his cap to the adoring Giants fans...

Luminaries past and present came out in their numbers to farewell the man they know so affectionately as The Boch. From Mays to Lincecum, the star studded list of notable world series players along with Giants from other eras paraded across the field of dreams that is Oracle Park to bid bon voyage to Boch. Giants and Dodgers fans rose to their feet to acknowledge and celebrate the deeds of these past champions as they shared their stories about the skipper. Current adversaries were briefly introduced into the game line up as Kershaw pitched his stuff to one of the Giants pitching heroes Madison Bumgarner...yet another battle lost by the Giants on the day.

A schwing and a misch from Bummy....

The legendary Willie Mays acknowledges the fans...

Some the 2014 World Series winning Giants...

At age 64, Bruce Bochy finished his final game in charge and 25th season as a manger with a 2003–2029 win / loss record and most impressively a 44-33 (.571) in the postseason. Albeit a man with the tough and abrasive looking exterior, there would be one final question asked of Boch; did he break the unwritten rule of baseball? Well I think we can all comfortably concede that the skipper was allowed to show some emotion and exit his stellar career with a passing tear or two.

Thanks Skipper (Boch).....