The Last Time Bruce Bochy Swung a Bat, It Didn't End Well: ‘They Carried Me Off'

LOS ANGELES -- On one of the final days of spring training, bench coach Hensley Meulens stepped into the cage in Peoria and cranked a homer out to left. His luck wasn't as good Sunday. Meulens stepped in during an optional batting practice session at Dodger Stadium and hit a few grounders as Pablo Sandoval heckled him. 

As Bruce Bochy watched, he was asked when was the last time he took a full swing. It was 1991, he said quickly, and it put him in bed for five weeks. Bochy was managing in the minors with High Desert at the time and his players were whining during a visit to San Jose. 

"They were complaining about how far the fences were," he said, explaining that he then stepped in to take BP. "I swung as hard as I've ever swung and went straight down with a ruptured disc. They carried me off. I said I'm never doing that again."

Bochy was a .239 hitter in nine big league seasons. He has had much more success as a manager. On Friday, he became the first visiting manager to win 100 games at Dodger Stadium.

--- Jeff Samardzija continues to feel good. He'll throw two bullpen sessions next week and then should start a rehab assignment. It seems that Samardzija could be back in the rotation around April 15 or so. 

There is no update on Mark Melancon. Bochy said Melancon isn't even playing catch right now. The bullpen, however, if off to a hot start. Giants relievers have thrown nine scoreless innings in this series.

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