The rampant rumors that spread around the baseball world Friday that Bruce Bochy had been interviewed in Arizona–and even had been signed–by the Cubs to be their new manager are not true.
“I heard that too,” the Padres manager said by phone late Friday night. “I’m in San Diego right now.
“I know a lot had been said, but I have not been interviewed. The request [for permission] hasn’t even happened.”
Bochy did confirm, though, that San Diego club President Sandy Alderson said teams were interested–believed to be the Cubs and Giants–and that Bochy would be allowed to interview. That happened three days ago.
But Bochy isn’t even sure he will grant an interview if requested.
“[Padres’ officials] said, `You have a decision to make,'” he said, “and that’s where I’m at now. If somebody called for permission [for an interview], it would be something I would look into.”
And if the Cubs called?
“I don’t want to get into that,” Bochy said.
He said he wasn’t even sure there was a timetable for interviews, saying, “It’s out of my hands.”
Cubs general manager Jim Hendry did not return calls Friday seeking comment.
Rumors of Bochy’s supposed interview and signing spread all the way to the NLCS in New York.
Though Hendry does like Bochy and requested an interview that was denied before hiring Dusty Baker in 2002, league sources still believe the front-runner for the Cubs’ job is Lou Piniella, the ex-manager now working as a television analyst for the American League playoffs. Though Piniella has been interviewed, sources say no specific contract terms were discussed.
Piniella, at 63, is believed to be seeking a long-term deal for his final stop, perhaps four or five years and more than $4 million per year.
One possible snag on a long-term deal could be that Hendry has only two years left on his contract, which might be the reason he is waiting for a formal interview with Bochy, 51.
Piniella will be free from his Fox duties after the ALCS, which could end this weekend. Hendry has said he would like to have a manager in place soon, for certain before the end of October.
According to one source close to him, Piniella has believed he ultimately would get the Cubs job. In fact, he informed the Giants on Friday he was not a candidate for their vacancy. He also seemed stunned when informed Friday afternoon that Bochy was granted permission to speak to the Cubs and other teams.
“Wow. This is the first I have heard about it,” he told Sporting News radio. “Bochy has done a real good job over there in San Diego. Who knows? I have no idea as far as Bochy is concerned, but I do have respect for him as a manager. It is somewhat surprising that his name is out there.”
Bochy is due to make $1.9 million on the final year of his contract with the Padres, where he has worked as a player, coach and manager for 24 years. It would be a hard decision to leave, even though he has no apparent front-office support beyond next season.
“That’s why I want to take a couple of days and digest everything,” he said.
Bochy has guided his team to consecutive playoff appearances and won four West Division titles in 12 seasons. That included a World Series loss to the Yankees in 1998.
While Bochy’s record is below .500, he is fourth on the list of active managers in victories, behind Atlanta’s Bobby Cox, the Yankees’ Joe Torre and the Cardinals’ Tony La Russa.
Bochy was a catcher on the Padres in 1984 when they defeated the Cubs in the NL playoffs, and he has been safely ingrained in San Diego since.
He started coaching in 1993 for Jim Riggleman, succeeding him as manager in 1995 when Riggleman became the Cubs’ manager. Obviously, Bochy has lasted longer in his job than did Riggleman in Chicago. Riggleman was fired after the 1999 season.
———-
dvandyck@tribune.com
