CSN Bay Area

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The biggest change for the Giants this spring will come behind the scenes. Mike Murphy, the well-known equipment manager, is transitioning into a role as senior advisor.

Murph, as he is known around the organization, has been with the Giants throughout their time in San Francisco, starting as a bat boy and working his way up. He has taken on such a large role that his duties will now be handled by multiple people. Bret Alexander, the team’s director of travel, is now also in charge of the clubhouse. Brad Grems has come over from the Diamondbacks to be the clubhouse coordinator and Alan Lee, the director of minor league operations in Scottsdale, will have additional duties.

Alexander was credited by GM Brian Sabean earlier this month for helping the Giants strike a deal with a company that will fly them in a plane featuring 90 first class seats, and he has had a voice in the remodel of the home clubhouse at AT&T Park. Murphy has been a fixture for decades, and he’s expected to still be around quite a bit. He’ll have an office in the remodeled clubhouse and coworkers joked Wednesday that they still expect to see Willie Mays holding court in that office before home games.

Murphy is free to work for the Giants “as long as he wants to,” a team employee said, and he’s expected to be in the clubhouse for most home games. It was well known throughout the organization last year that Murphy was ready to ease up on the workload, and he got a third ring in his final year in control.

If Wednesday was any indication, though, Murphy won’t be taking it easy in his role as “senior advisor.” As players checked in for the first time, he hustled around the clubhouse as he always has, making sure players had everything they needed on Day 1.