Report details when Tony Vitello had his first interview with the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants officially hired former Tennessee Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello this week as the franchise’s new manager.
The San Francisco Giants officially hired Tennessee Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello this week as the franchise’s new manager.
The move ended a bizarre saga that saw Vitello essentially mulling over the decision publicly for four days while still leading Tennessee practices/scrimmages.
Vitello considered the move, though, for longer than those four days (when the job offer was first reported by The Athletic).
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel’s Mike Wilson, Vitello had been in the mix for the job for two months. He had his first interview with the Giants on October 1 (just two days after the franchise fired previous manager Bob Melvin).
It obviously wasn’t easy for Vitello to leave Tennessee, but this is clearly a move he’d been pondering for a while.
Are the New York Mets ultimately to blame for Tony Vitello leaving Tennessee?
The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly suggested earlier this week, during an appearance on KNBR’s Murph and Markus, that the only reason Vitello was in the mix for the Giants job may have been because former Vol Drew Gilbert was traded to San Francisco late last summer.
“Honestly, what I knew was Drew Gilbert — and I don’t know if any of this happens without Drew Gilbert, I really don’t,” said Baggarly (via SFGate). “That is one of the questions I’d be really interested to ask Buster, if this does end up culminating in a press conference to introduce Tony Vitello as their next manager. How much did what Drew Gilbert did to the clubhouse, to the dugout, to enliven everything, bring some spirits and energy, how much did that sort of make you wake up and think, ‘You know, maybe that’s what this organization really needs. Maybe that’s what this clubhouse really needs.’”
Gilbert, who was drafted by the Houston Astros in 2022, was traded by the New York Mets to Giants at the MLB trade deadline for relief pitcher Tyler Rogers. The Mets made the move to bolster their bullpen for a playoff run that never happened (the Mets collapsed, due in part to a lack of vibes…which, ironically, Gilbert could’ve provided).
The Mets’ decision to trade Gilbert and former Vol RHP Blade Tidwell to the Giants for Rogers was widely viewed as an “overpay” (RHP Jose Butto also went to the Giants in the deal).
If the Mets hold on to Gilbert like they should’ve, maybe Vitello never gets that phone call from the Giants.
Tennessee Volunteers News
‘It’s mixed emotions’ – Former Tennessee Vols OF Drew Gilbert will play for Tony Vitello with the San Francisco Giants
Former Tennessee Vols outfielder Drew Gilbert will be reunited with former UT baseball coach Tony Vitello with the San Francisco Giants
