Why Bruce Bochy's health scare may not force him to consider retirement

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Bruce Bochy on Thursday underwent a heart procedure, the layman's term for which is, "It's scary, but these things happen sometimes."

Or, if you will, "Routine, long as it's not happening to you."

Bochy, who will turn 60 shortly after opening day, had two stents inserted in his heart. He'd experienced what the San Francisco Giants termed "discomfort" over a couple days. When it did not subside, they lugged their manager to the hospital across the street from their complex. By Friday morning he was resting and eager to get back to work, said Brett Bochy, his son and a pitcher for the Giants. And, other than the door to Bochy's office being closed all morning, the routine of camp was largely unaffected.

The Giants could not say when Bochy would return, but did not expect him to miss more than two or three days.

Because the club seemed concerned but wholly optimistic, and because Bochy was well enough to trade text messages with about anyone who sent along best wishes, players seemed satisfied their manager would be quick to recover and resume his duties.

Brett visited his father Thursday night and again Friday morning.

"He couldn't be in better spirits," Brett said. "Joking around and everything. He's ready to get back at it. He's stubborn. He wants to be back today."

Bochy's father, Gus, died of a heart attack before he turned 60, Brett said, but Bruce had experienced no prior heart issues.

So, all things considered, the news was good, if still a reminder, and hopefully a mild one, that these gigs don't last forever. In an increasingly young man's game – Terry Collins, Joe Maddon and Ned Yost are the only managerial 60-somethings, with old-timers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, Bobby Cox and Jim Leyland having recently retired – Bochy has been at it for 20 years. One of his best friends, former teammate and third-base coach Tim Flannery, retired after the World Series and a life in the game. He was last rumored to be on the crest of a wave somewhere in the Pacific.

Bochy has two years remaining on his contract with the Giants and has never suggested he'd consider retirement, but reached Friday morning with the wry text, "Might be God's way of telling you Flan had the right idea," Bochy texted back, "Told him the same thing." He added a smiley face.

This is what he does. And after a good long time spent finding the right top step, he's won three times. He's turned collections of men into champions. He's handed the ball to his son on a big-league mound. Few grind as hard as Bochy every day, but then I presume few get as much satisfaction from it. Hang around long enough, there is probably a time when what we do becomes who we are. If so, if it's unavoidable, then it looks good on Bochy.

He was 39 when he managed for the first time in the major leagues, when he drove home in the first few days on the job in San Diego, turned on the radio and heard them calling for his head. He hardly had a day of rest since.

"He's the best, man," Giants pitcher Jake Peavy said Friday morning. "No disrespect to anybody, but he's just the best. He leads like no one else."

Peavy had texted Bochy out of concern late Thursday night. What he received in return made him laugh. Others had the same kinds of exchanges.

"Still," Peavy said, "anything with the heart…"

He shook his head.

By late Friday morning, under a gray sky, their manager in a bed across the street, the Giants got on with the business of the game.