POSEY AS MANAGER A FAR-FETCHED IDEA?
Former Giants great says he's quite happy, currently, being coach for his kids
SAN FRANCISCO >> You could probably imagine it even before he stepped away: Buster Posey, one day standing on the top step of the third-base dugout at Oracle Park, arm draped over the railing. Manager of the San Francisco Giants.
To Posey, happily off in retirement, the notion is a little bit more far-fetched.
“I would never say never, but I'd think it would have to be a ways down the road,” Posey said Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park, after the ceremony on the field honoring his 12-year tenure that brought three World Series championships to San Francisco.
For now, he is plenty satisfied coaching his two eldest children, 11-year-old twins Lee and Addy's youth baseball and softball teams. The family has listed their Bay Area home for sale and will soon relocate to Posey's native Georgia.
By opting for retirement, Posey chose family time over a $22 million player option.
As teammate Alex Wood said, “No matter how much money you've made, not many people walk away from $20 million.”
The thing Posey misses most about baseball, he said, is the relationships with his teammates.
“I miss spending time with the guys. But on the flip side, I'm going to spend more of that time with my family now. Appreciative of that.”
“I miss spending time with the guys. But on the flip side, I'm going to spend more of that time with my family now. Appreciative of that.”
— Former Giants catcher, Buster Posey
Posey, who was reticent about the spotlight even on the day named for him, has enjoyed the innocence and relative anonymity that accompanies 60-foot base paths and 200-foot fences.
“At this point, we've been going for a couple months, so I'm just kind of another dad to the kids on the team,” Posey said.
Neither Posey kid has taken after their dad quite yet behind the plate, though even Buster pitched and played shortstop during his college career at Florida State. At 11 years old, Addy and Lee are “playing all over,” Posey said. “It's good because they get to play everywhere.”
Maybe he hasn't developed any managerial tendencies just yet, but Posey knows the kind of coach he wants to be for his kids and their teammates.
“Hopefully one that the kids are excited to show up to practices and games,”
Posey said. “That's what I took away from my coaches when I was little. The ones that were the best were the ones that every day they were excited, even if they probably weren't excited to be there some days, they still made it seem like this is something special that we get to come out and do today.”
With the Poseys soon off to Georgia, Saturday's ceremony was a farewell in a couple ways, to Posey's decorated playing career but
also to his impact on the Bay Area community and the Giants organization.
Posey has said recently that he hopes to stay involved with the Giants in some capacity.
With two sets of twins to raise, the youngest turning 2 this July, it's unlikely that will be in a full-time role any time soon.
“It is so time-consuming. I think to do it the right way like all these guys are doing now, it seems like the hours are up every year,” Posey said. “I guess that's a long way of saying no.”
Posey has dropped by the clubhouse on a few occasions before his ceremony Saturday, even attending chapel with the team the previous Sunday.
“He puts a smile on everybody's face,” Wood said.
If coaching or managing is ruled out for the near future, how about throwing on the uniform for a week or two during spring training?
“I think I would be open to that,” Posey said.