Rafael Devers made things right with Tony Vitello, but Vitello’s job is in more danger than ever and there’s not a thing he can do about it
Former Tennessee Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello’s job is in serious danger in San Francisco, but it’s not his fault that it got to this point.
Former Tennessee Vols coach Tony Vitello faced the biggest controversy of his brief MLB managing career this week.
On Sunday, in the 9th inning of a one run game against the Miami Marlins, San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers refused to come out of the game for a pinch runner.
Devers, who has been no stranger to controversy over the last two seasons, eventually left the field after the substitution had been made, but not before causing a scene that instantly went viral.
Vitello, who is in his first season as the manager of the Giants, downplayed the situation after the game. Analysts, however, quickly pointed out that Vitello’s lack of MLB or minor league experience made it an awkward situation for him — it’s tough to call out big leaguers when you have less minor league or big league experience than anyone else in MLB.
Devers, though, met with reporters on Tuesday and said he had apologized to Vitello for the incident.
The fact that Devers is removing any blame from Vitello is a big deal for the former Tennessee coach, and it gives him some much-needed credibility around the league.
And ultimately, this entire situation is more of a reflection of Devers than Vitello.
Vitello did nothing wrong. He made the right baseball move.
So all good, right?
Well, sort of.
The Devers drama is over as far as Vitello goes, but the former Tennessee coach’s job in San Francisco is in even more danger after Tuesday than it was before. And there’s not a thing Vitello can do about it.
Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey is on the hot seat
Vitello isn’t the only figure in San Francisco that’s been hearing it from fans and media this season amid the Giants’ terrible first half (San Francisco has the second worst record in the NL).
Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey, the man who hired Vitello, might get run out of town this summer.
And that’s a wild thing to say considering Posey is a future Hall of Famer who spent his entire playing career with the Giants.
Posey is under extreme heat from fans and media for the poor construction of the roster, and a controversy that involved four Giants players protesting Pride Night.
The Pride Night controversy, specifically, has Posey under fire this week. That’s a night that has long been a big deal for the Giants organization.
Posey was pressed hard on the topic by reporters on Tuesday, leading to a tense exchange.
All of this has led to Giants fans, and some media, suggesting that the job is too big for Posey (the poor on-field results will ultimately be his undoing if he’s let go).
If Posey is removed from his role — whether it’s him “stepping down” or being publicly forced out — then it’s curtains for Tony V in San Francisco. There is no chance that a new President of Baseball Operations would keep Vitello. The new President of Baseball Operations, as is almost always the case, would hire a new manager that fits his/her vision.
It’s clear that the Giants’ on-field results are trending in the wrong direction. Combine that with the chaos around the franchise, and it’s hard to see Posey surviving this. And since he was the only guy in the league who was willing to go out on a limb and hire Vitello, it’s easy to see how the former Tennessee coach will be on the fast track back to college when Posey gets the axe.
I’ve said it a thousand times — I’m a big fan of Tony Vitello, and I think he’s great for the game of baseball. But MLB is a different world than the SEC. And while I don’t think there are many baseball minds or culture builders that are better than Vitello, I just think he’s much better suited to lead a college program than an MLB franchise.