PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer
As a kid, Brett Bochy served as a bat boy for his father’s team in San Diego.
Now, he’s a right-hander his dad can summon out of the San Francisco bullpen.
Bochy had his contract purchased by the Giants from Triple-A Fresno on Tuesday. His manager — and father — Bruce Bochy will have the best seat in the house when the 27-year-old makes his major league debut.
This will be the second time a San Francisco player has taken the field with his dad as the skipper. Moises Alou played outfielder for Felipe Alou in 2005.
The Giants played Tuesday night at Colorado.
“What a great day,” Bruce Bochy said before the game. “I couldn’t be prouder of him. He’s put in a lot of work, grinding in the minor leagues for a few years. To have 30 days up here with Brett will be something I’ll always cherish and remember.”
The father in Bochy might have wanted to tip off his son that he was about to be called up. But the manager in him never gave an inkling that this day could happen, because managers don’t typically do that and he didn’t want to breach baseball protocol.
Not even for his kid.
So Fresno manager Bob Mariano was the one who broke the news to Brett Bochy that he was being summoned to the Giants.
“I was surprised,” said Bochy, a 20th-round pick in 2010 out of the University of Kansas. “I was honored and grateful to have the opportunity to be up there.”
Brett Bochy had a solid season in his second year at Fresno, appearing in 35 games and notching a 3.83 ERA.
Out of curiosity: Any thoughts about being a catcher, like dad?
“I knew from an early age I couldn’t hit,” he said. “Tried that in high school. Didn’t work out.”
He will be used mostly in long relief as the Giants try to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
“I don’t know if I needed the added stress, but it’s great to have him here,” joked his father.
According to information the Elias Sports Bureau provided the team, this will be the ninth time for a father-son, manager-player combination in the majors, joining: Connie and Earle Mack with the Philadelphia Athletics (1910), Yogi and Dale Berra with the New York Yankees (1985), Cal (Sr.) and Cal Ripken with Baltimore (1985), Cal (Sr.) and Billy Ripken (1987), Hal and Brian McRae with Kansas City (1991), Felipe and Moises Alou with Montreal (1992), Bob and Aaron Boone with Cincinnati (2001) and the Alous again with the Giants.
Growing up, Brett Bochy went to the ballpark all the time with his dad. He was a bat boy when Bruce Bochy directed the San Diego Padres to the World Series in 1998.
“I was probably a pest running around the clubhouse,” Brett Bochy said. “I loved being around the game.”
This, though, will be quite difference.
“Now, I have to worry about doing a job and getting guys out,” he said.
Brett Bochy’s father never really got a chance to coach him growing up. He didn’t attend all that many games, either, because he had his own team to watch.
That’s what makes this all the more special to his son. The two had a brief chance to catch up at the hotel on Tuesday.
“It’s still kind of still setting in,” Brett Bochy said. “He knows how long of a ride it’s been. He was very happy for me.”
As for their relationship, well, nothing changes.
“When I get here, he’s the manager,” Brett Bochy said. “When he’s home, he’s dad.”
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