Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
SAN DIEGO — Bruce Bochy, even in relative retirement, is searching for another title.
The three-time World Series manager of the Giants will take the same role with Team France, the French Baseball & Softball Federation announced this week. He managed what he said would be his final MLB game at the end of September (although a 2021 return could be in the cards), but he won’t wait too long to get in a dugout again.
And the Landes de Bussac native — where his father was stationed at a US army base — is bringing family — son Brett, brother Joe — with him to a March qualifying tournament for the World Baseball Classic in Tucson, Ariz.
“I’ve been thinking a while about what’s next in my life after managing the Giants,” Bochy said in a statement. “I want to stay involved and give back to Baseball. Managing France is a perfect example of how I can help develop the game. I was born in France, my son is eligible to play, my brother will help me in the dugout so the Bochy’s will be on deck to give a boost to French Baseball.”
It’s a way for Bochy to bring baseball to France without missing time with family, a pretty perfect opportunity for him.
“The game has been consistently growing over the last 10 years in France and we think Bruce can help the French National Baseball Team enter a new dimension by qualifying for the World Baseball Classic,” France Baseball president Didier Seminet said.
The tournament, whose location is still unknown, will be played in 2021.