Future Hall-of-Fame Manager Talks Detroit Tigers Legend’s Impact
ARLINGTON, Texas — Not everyone was able to go to Cooperstown, N.Y., and watch former Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.
Some, like Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, had work to do.
The 69-year-old Bochy, in his second year leading the Rangers, was managing on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles.
He likely won’t have to wait as long as Leyland did to get into Cooperstown. Bochy has four World Series rings and more than 2,000 career wins. Once he finally decides he’s done, it’s all over but the waiting.
To: The Fans
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 21, 2024
From: Hall of Famer Jim Leyland pic.twitter.com/hXNcW2b5cs
One of Bochy’s rings came at Leyland’s expense, as Bochy’s San Francisco Giants beat Leyland’s Tigers in 2012.
Leyland, 79, had to wait a bit. He stepped away from managing for good after the 2013 season in Detroit. Last year, after a decade, he was elected as part of the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot, which is reserved for managers, umpires and executives who have contributed to the game.
He was the only person on the ballot to get the necessary 75% of the vote to earn induction. Leyland received 93.8% of the vote.
When Bochy started his managerial career in 1995 Leyland had already been a manager for nearly a decade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he started his career.
Leyland, who was already a two-time National League Manager of the Year and had led the Pirates to three NL East titles, was someone that Bochy looked up to as the type of manager he should be.
“He had been doing it a while and he had such a great reputation,” Bochy said. “I watched him, I studied him, how he did things and he was revered by all young managers at the tie. He was always considered a great tactician, but also a guy that did a great job communicating with his players. All the players that I’ve talked who played for him loved him — including (Barry) Bonds who had the blow-out with him.”
Bonds, who also played for Bochy in San Francisco, made his first trip to Cooperstown on Sunday to celebrate Leyland, as did another former player, Gary Sheffield. Neither is in the Hall of Fame.
“He and Barry were very, very close,” Bochy said. “He impacted Barry’s career. He means a lot to him.”
Leyland was inducted alongside Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer.
Leyland managed 22 seasons, starting with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986. He also managed the Florida Marlins, the Colorado Rockies and the Tigers. He compiled a record of 1,769-1,728.
With the Tigers, Leyland led the team from 2006-13 and helped them reach win the 2006 and 2012 American League pennants but lost in the World Series both times. The Tigers also reached the postseason in 2011 and 2013, losing in the American League Championship Series both times. He is a special assistant to the Tigers in retirement.
MATT POSTINS