MESA, Ariz. — Giants manager Bruce Bochy stands five inches taller than Rick Renteria, possesses two World Series titles before Renteria manages his first major league game and once passed up a chance to hire the new Cubs manager as a coach with the Padres.
And yet, Kevin Towers — who was the general manager with the Padres when Bochy led the major league team and Renteria was a minor league manager in the team’s system — draws firm parallels between Bochy and Renteria that could bode well for the Cubs’ long-term development.
“Nobody has ever given Ricky anything in the game,” Towers, now the Diamondbacks’ GM, said last month. “Ricky and Boch are more similar than Ricky and (Padres manager) Buddy Black (whom Renteria spent the last six seasons with as a coach). Boch was a backup catcher. He had to grind through the minors to work his way to the big leagues. Boch became a great student of the game, and that’s what Ricky (is).
“Ricky (can) relate to all types of players. That’s what I love about him. He’s not afraid to chew somebody’s rear end. He’s not afraid to pat somebody and hug somebody.
“If I were a player, I would love to play for a guy like him. He’s going to be down in the trenches with his players. He’s one of those guys who when times get tough, and probably where the Cubs are now in their process of development, he’s probably the right guy because (of) those young kids.”
During the first two weeks of workouts and games in spring training, Renteria has resurrected a tactic he learned while managing in the minors — concentrating on one side of the infield for two innings and then shifting to the other side and various other positions while running a game.
Bochy, 58, who remains grateful for starting his managing career at short-season Class A and spending four seasons in the minors, said that minor league experience (without an abundance of coaches) is invaluable to first-year managers like Renteria.
“It forces you to learn every aspect of the game, but the most important part is managing your people,” Bochy said Monday in his office at Scottsdale Stadium. “And you’re dealing with so many different scenarios over the years, it gives you something to go back on.’
“He seems very positive, but he has a firm hand on everything.”
Black believes Renteria will have few growing pains as a manager.
“His passion is to teach, and the way you teach is verbal and also with actions,” Black said. “Ricky wasn’t afraid to get into the fray and use his glove and arm and body to teach. He still can do some things physically to teach players. As far as the verbal aspect, you get Ricky going on a topic, heads up. He’ll keep going because he loves it.”
Padres GM Josh Byrnes believes Renteria will adjust well to managing at Wrigley Field and its unpredictable weather, adding that he was involved in the Padres’ running game and was accustomed to tight, low-scoring games at spacious Petco Park.
“With the balance of supporting and demanding, he gets a lot of respect from people,” Byrnes said.
Cubs catcher Eli Whiteside, who played four seasons under Bochy with the Giants (2009-12), seems the same similarities that Towers does.
“Baseball is one of the toughest games to play,” Whiteside said. “You’re going to fail, but as long as you keep things positive, you’re going in the right direction. It seems like Rick is that way. He stays positive and lets you play the game.”
For all the praise Renteria receives for his positive instruction, Towers had an interesting explanation as to why it took so long for him to get a shot at a major league managerial position.
“That’s San Diego,” Towers said. “Tony Gwynn was the same way. He had to make to the Hall of Fame and get 3,000 hits before they knew him. Part of that is the beauty of San Diego. Some people like the limelight, some don’t. You play baseball and enjoy life. Good quality of life.”
Twitter @MDGonzales
