3-time All-Star compares Tony Vitello to one of MLB’s top managers of the past 20 years
The San Francisco Giants hired Tennessee Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello as their new manager this week.
The San Francisco Giants made an unprecedented move this week by hiring Tony Vitello away from the Tennessee Vols to serve as the franchise’s new manager.
Vitello, who replaces Bob Melvin in San Francisco, is the first college coach to be hired directly to a managerial role in MLB without having previous MLB experience as a player or as a coach.
The Giants will introduce Vitello at a press conference on October 30.
3-time All-Star compares Tony Vitello to one of MLB’s top managers of the past 20 years
Three-time MLB All-Star Sean Casey appeared on MLB Network on Wednesday night to share his thoughts on the hire.
Casey, who spent 12 seasons in MLB as a player, has a close relationship with Vitello.
“I was just with Tony V a few weeks ago at an All-American game,” said Casey. “This guy is a guy that has a lot of passion for the game. He’s a leader. He’s a great communicator. And if you know him, if you’re around Tony, when you leave that conversation, you go, man, he just gave me some energy. He just gave me something.
“He kind of reminds me of a Terry Francona. I played for Tito (Francona) in 2008. Tito is one of those guys — he’s a master communicator. He’s going to go around and everyone’s going to know their role. And Tony’s one of those guys that I really think is going to do well as a big league manager. And look at (Brewers manager) Pat Murphy — Murph, for all those years, was in college baseball. Then all of a sudden, he’s the manager of the year in 2024. He leads the Brewers to be one of the best teams in the game. If anyone can do it, Tony V can do it. I think it’s a great hire by the Giants.”
Terry Francona, who led the Cincinnati Reds to a surprise playoff appearance this season, has won two World Series as a manager (and he nearly won a third in 2016 with the Cleveland Indians, but the Chicago Cubs prevailed in a memorable Game 7).
Casey is an extremely well-respected ex-player. His endorsement of Vitello is a good sign that the former Tennessee head coach will receive a mostly warm welcome in MLB, despite having no previous pro experience.
A lot of folks are optimistic that Vitello will be successful as an MLB manager. I certainly wouldn’t bet against Tony V, but only time will tell if he has what it takes to help the Giants get back to the World Series for the first time in over a decade.
Tennessee Volunteers News
Tony Vitello was reportedly ‘courted’ by another SEC program the last couple of years before leaving Tennessee for the Giants
Tennessee Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello reportedly agreed on Wednesday to become the San Francisco Giants’ new manager. Vitello, who had been the head coach at Tennessee since 2017, led the Vols to incredible success. During his time on Rocky Top, Tennessee won a national championship and went to the College World Series in Omaha […]
