Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who returned to the field this season, looked back on his short retirement.
In an interview ahead of Game 1 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, USA on the 28th (Korean time), Bochy looked back on his short retirement from 2020 to 2022.
When asked if he watched the World Series during his retirement, he replied, “I watched it on TV at home.”
“At that time, because of the coronavirus, players gathered in a bubble and played while wearing masks. “I used to say, ‘I retired at really amazing timing,’” he said, looking back on that time.
He also shared his experience teaching tee-ball to children after retirement. “It was easier to manage a major league team,” he said, adding that it was not an easy experience.
“I don’t want to say the name of the team, but if I remember correctly it was probably the Astros. It was a team run by my son. It was fun, but it wasn’t easy to concentrate. “There were kids who got angry saying they didn’t want to play defense and only wanted to hit, there were kids who wanted to go to the bathroom during the game, and there were kids who ran into the forest.”
In the end, he chose to return to the field. Not long after he signed a managerial contract with the Rangers, the 2022 World Series was held.
He said watching last year’s World Series fueled his will, saying, “I thought I was coming back to get back to the postseason and then to the World Series.”
He also introduced an anecdote about a 7-hour conversation with Rangers general manager Chris Young, who visited his house in person.
“We all had the same desire, the same vision. I wanted to bring winning baseball back to the Rangers. Team owner Ray Davis had the same thoughts. I responded, ‘I want one more chance.’”
“When my wife first saw me like this, she scolded me and said, ‘I go fishing and she plays golf, so what are you unhappy with in my life right now?’ But now she is really enjoying this moment.”
And he is currently on the World Series stage. “I am very lucky,” he said. “I am working with these great players, coaches, front office, and team owner group,” he said, giving credit to everyone.굿모닝토토
Rangers general manager Chris Young said, “It was a year ago during Coach Boc’s inauguration press conference. I don’t know who asked the question, but someone asked, ‘Do you really think the team will compete next year?’ Then I remember Coach Bochy hitting the table and yelling, ‘Don’t tell me we can’t compete or that we can’t win.’ At that time, he looked at the expressions of the players standing next to him and saw them nodding their heads. “At that moment, I felt that he was the one who made the difference,” he said of Coach Bocci’s presence.