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MLB WINTER MEETINGS

December 7, 2005

Bruce Bochy

DALLAS, TEXAS

Q. Wherever it is that Mark Loretta ends up, are you confident he can regain the form he had back in 2004? The two months he had last year was a tough one.
BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah, I am. I mean he had to deal with a lot with the injury. That was quite a setback for him and sometimes even takes a little bit longer before you fully recover off an injury like that.
So I'm confident that Mark will bounce back and, you know, even though some of his numbers were down, his year was actually a decent year considering all he went through.

Q. It's been reported out there he's being sent to Boston. Is there anything to confirm? Do you expect him to be back?
BRUCE BOCHY: There's been discussions, sure as there are with a lot of players. Right now he's on this ballclub. That's the only way to look at it. Until, you know, I actually hear something different, he's my second baseman.

Q. If nothing were done would you be content with what you have right now?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, I think you still have some little things to do. I think we've got to fill up the bench, a bullpen. We're looking at the catching position. That's not quite clear yet so -- yeah, pretty close to being done and, yeah, I'm happy with the moves that have been made. I think we're going to be better defensively.
I think we're going more pop over all in our lineup especially from the right side Cameron and "Astusti". Now it's just a matter of doing some little things, tweaking, you know, the bench a little bit to get to where we want to be.

Q. And the bullpen?
BRUCE BOCHY: And the bullpen, yeah.

Q. So nothing on Trevor Hoffman?
BRUCE BOCHY: No, we're sitting and waiting on Trevor. I expect to hear something in the next hour or so. That's my understanding. It could go later tonight but I think Trevor will let us know exactly what he's going to do.
We're still very optimistic and obviously I'm very hopeful that something gets done. He's been my closer since I've been managing and I hate to think of our club without him and I certainly hope that doesn't happen. You know, it's all in Trevor's hands right now.

Q. Have you spoken to him personally in the last few days?
BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah. Yeah. I talked to Trevor for a little while yesterday and we talked about a lot of things. It's always a tough decision when you've been somewhere as long as he's been.
He's an icon in San Diego with everything he's done for this organization, this club, myself, you know. There's a lot, I'm sure, weighing on him right now. He will decide here soon.

Q. David Wells made his desire very clear he wants to get away from Boston. What do you think fits him so much better about being able to play on the West Coast?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, I mean he's with Boston so I can't really talk about David Wells because he's not on this ballclub.
His roots are San Diego and I'm sure like anybody, they love to play at home. It's always -- or usually a desire.
So, you know, it's something that David and the Red Sox have to figure out.

Q. Would you like to have him back?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, he's pitched for me. I know how good he is. I think anytime you get a starter like David Wells you're glad to have him, anybody.

Q. There's been a lot of talk about Eaton, his name has gotten a lot of circulation. Would you have to be bowled over to unload a guy like that, number two starter?
BRUCE BOCHY: I'd say. It's not that we're look to go move Eaton. It says something about Adam Eaton, how good he is. A lot of clubs are asking about him and his availability.
You know, if you take him out of our rotation, it weakens it quite a bit there and I certainly don't want to lose Adam Eaton.
You look at what he did the first half. He was coming -- he matured so much and made so much progress. He's really coming into his own there and had a setback and -- but we think a lot about him, I do and right now I expect him to be on this ballclub.

Q. What's your starting rotation right now?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, you have Jake Peavy, Woody Williams, Chan Ho Park. We're still trying to get the fifth starter.

Q. Astacio gone?
BRUCE BOCHY: No, Astacio, he's still on the radar. We've got Hensley who we thought about putting in the rotation. That had some -- hasn't been decided yet.

Q. Would Stauffer have a shot in the spring?
BRUCE BOCHY: We're not forgetting him at all. I think that was good for him last year, pitched well at times, struggled at times and now we all learn from, you know, our experiences. I think he'll be better next year because of the time he got this year.

Q. If Trevor leaves, the city and fans and all that feel this huge void but took him out of your clubhouse and also if you lost him to another team for financial reasons, could it have an effect morale-wise on your club?
BRUCE BOCHY: I think anytime when you have a core player like Trevor Hoffman, it doesn't happen a lot. We've had another one, Tony Gwynn. I know what he does with his stuff on the mound and how he competes but there's no question, you miss a guy like that if he does leave in that clubhouse. He provides the stability. He's a calming influence.
He's a leader and we all know what he means to our fans. He means a lot to us. This is why we're doing all we can to get this done and it would be a void. I mean for me. That's the only call I've ever made in the 9th I think since I've been managing. That doesn't happen often. Here I'm in my 12th year and had one closer. That would be hard to imagine that you're calling down there to get somebody up to close the ballgame and it's not going to Trevor Hoffman.

Q. Do you think Linebrink has the temperament to do it?
BRUCE BOCHY: I think Scotty is the type of guy that would look forward to a challenge like that but, again, I think Scotty is very, very content with working with Trevor and setting up for Trevor. We have a lot of confidence. Linebrink, Oxspring, but Trevor has been our closer. I think the best of all time.
This would be, you know, a huge void for us to fill, you know. If that happens, sure, we'd have to find out and I think the only way you find out you put somebody in that situation. We're hoping that doesn't happen.

Q. Are you confident if it comes to Olivo as your regular catcher that he can stand up to that physically?
BRUCE BOCHY: Physically, that would be no problem for him. He's strong, tough, durable catcher.
You know, the other parts of the game, it's probably what has slowed down his development and didn't show that with us in the short time we had him.
As far as mental aspect of the game, dealing with the pitchers, calling games, running a staff, studying hitters, this is all part of maturing as a player.
I think Miguel can handle it. I'm sure in a perfect world Ramon Hernandez would be on this ballclub but we think a lot of Miguel.

Q. I think Arizona got Estrada. Did your hopes leap a little bit as far as Ramon?
BRUCE BOCHY: I don't know if Ramon was in there talking. They got a good catcher. I know that. He went to Japan with me. They got a real nice catcher that does well on both sides of the game there.
We think Ramon is one of the best catchers, too. In the game. That's why we're still hopeful that maybe something could happen there.

Q. Real hopeful something is going to happen there?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, I know I am. Sure, I know we'd have to get creative and everything would have to fall into place but, you know, there's still sometime and you never know at this point.

Q. The outfield, would you be content with what you have there with Roberts and Sanders and platoon in left, Cameron and --
BRUCE BOCHY: Oh, yeah.

Q. -- and Ben Johnson.
BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah. We have I think one of the better outfielders in the game in center now and huge in our ballpark and that moves Klesko to first base at this point and with Roberts and Johnson and Eric Young, yeah, we think we're improved out there. I know we feel like we're a better ballclub with Cameron out in center field and Roberts in left.

Q. What do you think Castillo has left?
BRUCE BOCHY: He's a ball player. I watched him last year. I know his knee was bothering him at times but, you know, he does a great job at third base. Watch him swing. He still has the same swing that I saw a lot in Colorado and Atlanta. I think he's going to be a nice addition to this ballclub.
He's the kind guy that blends in well with teammates. I know a little bit about him. What I've heard about him, he's such a good teammate and goes out there and plays everyday. He's going to give you everything he's got. He's got game left.

Q. What did you think when Grady got the Dodgers job?
BRUCE BOCHY: I was excited for Grady. I've known his family since 1974 and Grady was with me and I know he wanted to get back on the field. I'm glad that's worked out. I was very excited for him. It's great to see when -- especially when something happened the way it did with Grady there in Boston for him to get another opportunity, very excited for him because I thought he did a great job in Boston.
He'll do a great job there in L.A. A good man, good baseball man, somebody who I respect and I look forward going to against him.

Q. What happened in 1974 when you guys first hooked up?
BRUCE BOCHY: His family. His brother and I were roommates insure League there in Northern Virginia. So I got to know the little family. Brian, who is an advanced scout with the White Sox and Grady and that's why as soon as I get the opportunity, I brought him over to my staff. I didn't want to lose him but just so happened he got a bench coach job there which was move up for him.

Q. What's his brother's name?
BRUCE BOCHY: Brian. Nicknamed "Twig". We call him "Twig".

Q. Do you have any idea what Klesko is doing this winter in terms of preparing for the season, he's going to be back at first base?
BRUCE BOCHY: I've talked to Ryan. He knows he's going to play first base. He told me he's getting -- working out, he's coming back to San Diego I think in about a week and he says he's going to get an earlier start and get prepared to play first base.
I think Ryan knows how much we need him and it's a big year for him, his last year on his contract so and Ryan has a lot of pride. He knows the price of bouncing back. Have the normal Ryan Klesko back.

Q. How would you gauge his play at first base before he went out to left field?
BRUCE BOCHY: I'd say he's -- because he hadn't played first similar to left field first, it took him -- you know, he's probably learning the position again but became a pretty good first baseman. I'd say even a little better than average. He was picking the ball well. Throws well.
He's got a nice quickness there that you like and so I think he made himself into, you know, a little better than average major League first baseman.

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