
Bruce Bochy just completed his 21st year as a big-league manager.
In 1996, he was named NL Manager of the Year.
In 1997, he led the Padres to the World Series.
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His Giants won titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Yet Mike Krukow believes that Bochy, whose 2015 team didn't reach the postseason, just completed one of his best jobs.
"I think it's one of the best years he's ever had," Krukow declared on KNBR 680-AM recently. "What happens when you go through that many injuries, you have to pull from your bench, and then you have to have somebody replace the guys on the bench.
"I thought he played short all year. Because he had to go with 13 pitchers most of the year, you only had the one horse, Bumgarner, who was consistent into the seventh and eighth inning. After that, you had guys going five innings a lot, six innings a lot, well that's bullpen games a lot, which means you have to have 13 pitchers, which means you're gonna have four guys on the bench.
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"And I think he was kind of handicapped by that all year long, and you never would have known, he never once complained about it. And half the time the four guys on the bench were dinged up, he maybe had one, two or three moves. But the guy makes no excuse, it's like 'OK. Let's go, here's how we're gonna win today.' And then he goes out and manages that day."
[PAVLOVIC: Giants notes: Offseason starts with focus on pitching upgrades]
Saying the Giants were bit by the injury bug is an understatement.
Hunter Pence appeared in just 52 games, Nori Aoki in 93.
Joe Panik, who was an All-Star, appeared in just three games over the final two months of the season.
Brandon Crawford, who was also an All-Star, missed a crucial stretch of games in early September with a calf injury.
Brandon Belt played through a torn meniscus for most of the season, and also sustained a second concussion.
Gregor Blanco didn't play after Sept. 9, and Angel Pagan had a stint on the DL in August.
Andrew Susac and Hector Sanchez sustained season-ending injuries.
Matt Cain didn't make his first start until July 2, and Jake Peavy missed 2.5 months early on.
Tim Hudson broke down in late July and didn't make a start in August.
Tim Lincecum was lost for the season in late June with a hip injury.
Despite all of that, Bochy and the Giants were not officially eliminated from playoff contention until Sept. 29.
"And the other thing, too, you have to talk about when you talk about Bochy is that when he gets in that dugout, everybody in that dugout thinks they're gonna win -- no matter who they are facing, who gets run out there -- they just feel they have a way within their ability to play baseball, to win," Krukow explained. "And that to me is a direct reflection on Bochy and the coaching staff. They get 'em ready to play. And I think that's the one edge this organization really has over others."