The San Francisco Giants had a disappointing season after starting the first half on fire with a 52-45 record, on pace to make the playoffs, and then it all collapsed. In the second half of the season, the Giants would boast a 29-36 record, causing them to almost fall out of playoff contention. The team would go on a charge at the end of the season; they were a half-game back of the final wild card position on September 12th. They would then proceed to lose nine of their next eleven games, falling 4.5 games of the wild card, eliminating themselves from the playoffs.
After multiple stretches of the Giants playing horrible baseball in the most crucial points of the season, the President of Baseball Ops, Buster Posey, decided enough was enough and fired the man at the helm of this sinking ship, Bob Melvin. After weeks of searching through managerial candidates, Posey has found his guy. Tennessee Manager Tony Vitello will be the next Giants manager.
Tony Vitello Hired as Next Giants Manager
All He Does Is Win
Vitello is an accomplished college coach, helping Tennessee win its first National Championship in program history in 2024. He has three College World Series appearances with Tennessee and has won the Southeastern Conference twice with the program. He was the Coach of the Year in the conference in 2024. Before Vitello’s arrival with the Volunteers, they hadn’t won the SEC nor made the College World Series since 2005. Vitello rebuilt that program into a perennial championship contender and winner.
Vitello would be the first coach directly hired from college baseball with no professional experience in MLB history. The Giants are taking a risk bringing in such an inexperienced manager, but his resume and character are exactly what you look for in a manager.
Energy and Competitiveness
Vitello is one of the most energetic and exciting managers you’ll ever see. He’s the type of manager who puts the pedal to the metal, bringing maximum intensity to every game. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this clip from the College World Series as Vitello jumps into the crowd of Volunteers fans and celebrates with them. He feeds off the energy of the fans and brings that into the program. He provides a support system for his players to be themselves, and it helps bring the best out of every single player on the roster.
Former Tennessee Volunteer and now San Francisco Giant Drew Gilbert has high praise for his former manager. Gilbert said, “He’s as competitive as anyone I’ve ever met in my life, and I’m really competitive, too, and I know he wants to win. I think the plan was to win right away.” His competitive drive as a manager spreads to the players. They feel his desire to win and carry it on the field. The culture he has created at Tennessee is a significant reason why the program has been so dominant since his arrival.
Posey’s Thoughts On Vitello
Posey was asked about why he chose Vitello over other candidates, and he had this to say, “Throughout our search, Tony’s leadership, competitiveness, and commitment to developing players stood out. His ability to build strong, cohesive teams and his passion for the game align perfectly with the values of our organization. We look forward to the energy and direction he will bring, along with the memories to be made, as we focus on the future of Giants baseball.”
Posey was looking for a competitive leader who was heavily involved in the development process of their young players. The Giants have a lot of good talent in the pipeline that would benefit from a manager like Vitello, who understands young players. The Giants hope Vitello can develop these young players instead of the stagnation we’ve seen in guys like Luis Matos and Marco Luciano.
Final Thoughts On Vitello
Overall, I think this could be a great hire for the Giants. Vitello seems like a natural leader with great social skills and good baseball knowledge. He’s won everything at Tennessee, and hopefully that continues here with the Giants.
Main Image: Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
