Former Tennessee Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello is busier this spring than any spring before in his life.

Vitello, who was the named the new manager of the San Francisco Giants last October after winning 341 games in eight years with the Vols, is taking part in his first MLB spring training — ever.

There’s a lot to do and a lot to learn for the baseball lifer, who is experiencing life in the big leagues for the first time.

But despite the busy schedule, Vitello managed to squeeze in some time recently to talk with WNML’s John Wilkerson about his experience so far with the Giants.

Tony Vitello sends a cool message to Vols basketball coach Rick Barnes

Near the end of the conversation with Wilkerson — which, again, you can check out here — Vitello sent a cool message to Vols basketball coach Rick Barnes.

In January, Barnes passed the late Bobby Knight for 10th place on the NCAA’s all-time list for games coached (for Division 1).

Vitello, who was often seen courtside at Tennessee basketball games when he was the head coach at UT, congratulated Barnes on the accomplishment.

“Man, what a great opportunity to say out loud, maybe somebody will relay it to Coach Barnes, but superseding or going over Coach Knight’s [games coached] was just a remarkable accomplishment,” said Vitello. “As coaches, we don’t celebrate wins enough. And I think that’s a win that Coach Barnes felt good about, and he should celebrate it even more. That’s a monumental task passing up Coach Knight on the [games coached] list. I know he’s proud of it.”

Vitello is obviously all-in on the Giants, but he’s still rooting for his old friends in Knoxville.

Tennessee Volunteers News

Tony Vitello is the unfair victim of one of the worst things right now about pro sports in major markets

Former Tennessee Vols head coach Tony Vitello is in his first spring training as the manager of the San Francisco Giants.

Zach Ragan