ORLANDO - Most baseball managers get to know their city's elected officials over time, but few spend as much time with the mayor as Bruce Bochy did over the past decade. The routine became a familiar one - Bochy's Giants would win a title, parade down Market Street, and get greeted by a raucous speech from mayor Ed Lee.
On Tuesday, a few hours after Lee passed away, Bochy shared some memories of the mayor who was a big Giants fan and showed that passion often.
"I just loved his enthusiasm," Bochy said. "You saw him during the parades, and when he came to the ballpark, he just had a real passion and enthusiasm for the Giants and the city of San Francisco. It's a tough loss for the city, just a real sad day, and I feel for his family with how sudden this happened. We're going to miss him."
[RATTO: Ed Lee's favorite team was The City itself]
The news came as a shock to an organization where many got to know the mayor and his staff well. The Giants put out a statement and a few players shared their thoughts on social media. Hunter Pence posted a picture of Lee on his Twitter page and wrote "We've always appreciated your great support and passion." Christian Arroyo tweeted that he met Lee in 2013 on his first visit to AT&T Park. "One of the most genuine humans I have ever met," Arroyo wrote. "Rest easy, you will be missed."
Lee, 65, was a regular at the ballpark and often took part in ceremonies on the field before games. Bochy smiled when asked about Lee's passionate post-parade speeches.
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"He was fired up. He loved it," Bochy said. "He loved the Giants and he loved being a part of us winning and he had a lot of fun with it. He was great to have around. He was ‘rah-rah' all the time around the Giants."
