MLB WORLD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS RANGERS

November 1, 2023

Bruce Bochy

Chase Field

Texas Rangers

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Rangers - 5, Diamondbacks - 0

Q. Between yourself and guys like Marcus Semien and Corey Seager and the guys who signed on this last offseason, after the Rangers lost 102 in '94 you guys were all buying into a vision. What does that say about the team you were coming to and the people you were coming to in the work that you were able to buy into that vision.

BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah, and that's a credit to Chris Young and the ownership, Ray Davis. They we're determined to get winning baseball back to the Texas Rangers. And when we met that's when we talked about, that's what they talked about to me.

And they did everything they said they were going to do. They went out and got started pitching, improved the club. We had young talent coming up. I knew this was a good ballclub. So I am very fortunate, blessed to come into this. It's such a great group of guys.

But it starts at the top. Those guys were committed. And, look, we're in a good place now.

Q. For all the big hits that Corey had, it was off the end of the bat, opposite field, down the line that starts you going. Did you think at all how whacky that situation was, or did you think they had the ability to direct it there?

BRUCE BOCHY: I've seen that a few times with him where he catches it off the end of the bat, and they're on a pretty big shift there and he gets his hits. He had a couple tonight.

I don't know what else to say about the man. He's just incredible. He's a guy you want up there, obviously. But what he did this season, I got to see him a lot, playing against him or managing against him in the National League West.

And you appreciate him even more when you get to see him on a daily basis how good this man is, how committed he is to winning. He plays a great shortstop. But at the plate he's as good a hitter as I've had in a year.

Q. What did the first five innings do for your insides?

BRUCE BOCHY: You just gotta hang in there, because he's done that to a lot of clubs. He had great stuff, and you just try to wait it out. And hopefully somebody ignites you.

But it took a while to get that first hit. I was getting on Donnie Ecker. I said, let's quit playing possum. How about getting a hit here anyway?

We finally got that, and things got rolling. Then it got contagious.

But it's all about our starting pitcher. What a job he did. He was in trouble, I think, every inning. Seemed like the lead-off guy was getting on. Had to pitch out of jams. Infield in. Second and third, one out. And made his pitches.

He's done this his whole career. So we had the right guy out there. And thank goodness we had Nathan going today.

Q. We talk about you are on a short list of managers who have won World Series. How does this one feel?

BRUCE BOCHY: It's special. I'm not going to lie. It's special to come here in my first year with a team that was determined to play winning baseball and had never won a championship.

But as far as me, that's a byproduct of what those guys did out there and what the front office did. I was along for the ride, trust me. I was very fortunate and blessed to be able to get back into baseball in this type of a situation.

I was in Nashville just relaxing and had three years off, and to come back and be in this position, I've said so many times, I'll say it again, I'm blessed.

Q. Are you ready to go back fishing?

BRUCE BOCHY: I'm going to take a break right now, but I'll get out there. I'm sure my grandson, he's going to have a fishing pole for papa when he gets back.

Q. Bruce, seems like you are always ready to deflect praise for yourself onto your team and your front office, but you now look at the list of managers who have won four or more World Series, and we're talking Joe McCarthy, Casey Stengel, Connie Mack, Walter Alston, Joe Torre and Bruce Bochy. What does it mean to you to be on that list?

BRUCE BOCHY: It's really overwhelming because of what those men accomplished. I did run into Joe Torre a couple of days ago at the hotel and got to speak with him. I mean, what he did, the championships.

But you look at that and you know that you're benefitting from so many people, wells dug by others. And for me, to get into this situation, again, very fortunate. But to mention those names, I never thought in my wildest dreams when I started managing that I'd be in this position.