OAKLAND -- Bruce Bochy had not thought much about the fact that he was approaching 4,000 games as a big-league manager, but Madison Bumgarner wouldn't let him forget it Sunday morning. Bumgarner walked into Bochy's office a few minutes before he was scheduled to meet with the media.
"You know, you're really old," Bumgarner said.
Bochy said the same thought hit him as he realized he was about to become the eighth man to manage 4,000 games in the big leagues. Two other things stood out, too. Asked what he's realized over that many nights running a club, Bochy gave credit to the hundreds of players he has worked with, both with the Giants and in San Diego.
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"They're the ones that do the work. It's more about the players than you ever think," Bochy said. "Sometimes early in your career, you think, 'I can make a huge difference,' but really it's the players who determine it and they're the ones who should get all the credit."
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Bochy will always get plenty of credit for the dynasty the Giants built, of course. He was a lock for the Hall of Fame already, although Sunday's milestone provided another reminder of what's ahead. The seven managers who have gotten to 4,000 previously are all enshrined in Cooperstown.
Bochy will go in with a losing record, but he said that doesn't stick with him too much. Instead, it shows him how much loyalty he has seen from his bosses. He thanked Brian Sabean, Larry Baer, Bill Neukom and the late Peter Magowan for sticking with him during some struggles early on.
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"That's where you consider yourself even more fortunate," he said. "You look back at some difficult years, but you still have that support. The people who stood behind you make you even more fortunate."