Top 10 Badass MLB Managers Part 1: Bruce Bochy

In part 1 of our series on the top 10 badass MLB managers, we examine one of the men responsible for the Giant’s success, Bruce Bochy.

After an 11 year tenure as manager of the San Diego Padres, Bruce Bochy was signed as manager of the San Francisco Giants in 2006. It was around this time that legendary home-run hitter Barry Bonds was on the verge of retirement, and many baseball betting experts feared for the future of the team. Bochy’s signing ended up being one of the best decisions for the Giants, who are considered today to be one of the best teams in the MLB. In this article we’ll take a look at what makes him one of the most badass MLB managers today.

His call for young talent

Intertops 2017 World Series betting odds

• Chicago Cubs: 4.50
• Boston Red Sox: 6.25
• Cleveland Indians: 8.50
• Los Angeles Dodgers: 11.00
• San Francisco Giants: 15.00

As we mentioned before, it was around the time that Bruce Bochy was signed to the Giant’s that the team’s star player was planning to retire. Bochy knew that the team would need some young talent to carry them into the future, and immediately began searching for who could fit into the new roles.

The Giants quickly signed young pitcher Tim Lincecum and Aaron Rowand, the first of which won the Cy Young award in 2008. In 2009, Bochy signed another important player, Buster Posey, who would go on to win rookie of the year in 2010, and was named an All-Star player in four different years.

Bochy’s call for new, young talent is a cornerstone of what has made the Giant’s so successful over the past several years. They have arguably the most well-rounded team in the MLB right now, which is likely a reason why many online sportsbooks in the US including Intertops list them as one of the favorites to win the 2017 World Series with odds of 15.00.

He relies on instinct

Oftentimes in the MLB, managers will have a set plan for when to pull player from the game. Unless a player is obviously not performing up to par, they tend to stick by their plan. Bruce Bochy on the other hand tends to rely on his instincts about when to remove and replace players on the field.

At times, this strategy has gotten the Giant’s into trouble. Last year, for instance, Bochy decided to pull out Matt Moore after the 8th inning during game 4 of the National League Division Series. That decision was controversial, as Moore had pitched strong for 8 innings. In the ninth, with a different pitcher, the Cubs made US gambling news by running off 4 straight runs to win the game 6-5.

Despite the tough results in the 2016 post season, it’s Bochy’s ability to make split second calls and replace players that makes him one of the most badass MLB managers in the game today.

He didn’t let a health scare slow him down

In February 2015, Bochy underwent a heart procedure to insert two stents. Around this time, he was also required to undergo shoulder surgery. During August of 2016, Bruce faced another health scare and was hospitalized due to an irregular heartbeat.

Major health scares like the ones that Bruce Bochy has faced would like push some other managers into retirement. As one of the most badass MLB managers today, Bochy isn’t letting them drag him down, and has continued to act as the team’s head man.

Jake Peavy summed up Bochy’s role as team captain by stating “look, I am not in any way saying the criticism or the stuff that’s been said hasn’t been deserved. We understand that’s part of it. But we pride ourselves in here as family, and Boch is the leader of our family. We follow right behind the leader.”


Do you agree that Bruce Bochy is one of the most badass MLB managers today? Will the Giants make it to the World Series this year? Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below, and make sure to check out Intertops for a full list of 2017 MLB betting odds!