Bob Costas to Host Series of Documentaries and Access-Driven Profiles on Some of Baseball’s Most Prominent Personalities
First Episode The Odd Couple: Bochy and Flannery to Premiere on Tuesday, January 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET
January 8, 2015 – MLB Network will take viewers beyond the white lines and explore some of baseball’s most captivating stories and personalities in its new original series MLB Network Presents, hosted by Bob Costas and premiering on Tuesday, January 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET.
The first installment of MLB Network Presents is The Odd Couple: Bochy and Flannery, an in-depth look at the unique friendship between San Francisco Giants manager Bruch Bochy and his longtime third base coach Tim Flannery, including the first interview with the two together since Flannery announced his retirement from coaching in November. Throughout the hour-long program, Bochy and Flannery discuss the bond they have shared for nearly half of their lives despite coming from two different backgrounds. Bochy, the son of a U.S. Army Officer, and Flannery, a noted musician in addition to being an accomplished coach, began their relationship as teammates with the San Diego Padres in 1983 and continued to enjoy great success together on the Padres and Giants coaching staffs for 15 seasons, including three Giants’ World Championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
The episode includes interviews with Giants outfielder Hunter Pence, Giants general manager Brian Sabean, Bochy’s wife Kim, and Flannery’s wife Donna discussing why Bochy’s and Flannery’s personalities have meshed well over the years. The episode will also provide glimpses of Bochy’s and Flannery’s lives away from baseball, including a fishing trip in San Diego with Bochy, Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir sharing his thoughts on Flannery’s passion for music, and an interview with Bonnie and Erin Stow, the sisters of injured Giants fan Bryan Stow, explaining how Flannery has hosted concerts to raise money for Stow’s care.
A preview clip of The Odd Couple: Bochy and Flannery can be viewed here.
Highlights from The Odd Couple: Bochy and Flannery
Bochy on managing: I don’t think you ever figure it out … and … hopefully I’m better than when I started in 1995 and I keep getting better the next couple of years. I don’t think you ever arrive at what you do.
Tim Flannery on his relationship with Bochy: We won a lot of games together. I’m his field manager … and we have a special relationship that I believe … it’s going to get a lot better when I’m out of the game and he’s out of the game, we’re sitting around talking about it.
Hunter Pence on Bochy: You can write him into the Hall of Fame already. We’re talking about one of the greatest minds to be a part of the game.
Bochy on his relationship with Flannery: He sent me a picture a couple years ago for Christmas, [a] picture of us two sitting together when we were players and [from] a year ago as staff members, and boy, I’ll tell you, it’s amazing the years that’s gone by. The picture really told a great story, I think. … The journey both of us have been on together over all these years.
Bochy on Flannery announcing his retirement from coaching in November: Tim played such a critical role in our success and I don’t think we’re the same club without him. … [He’s] not going to be easily replaced.
Bob Weir on Flannery: Tim is a guy that could have made it in music at any point in his life. … I think he has a whole bunch of friends in the Deadhead community now for his music.
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