The Fake News Media Is Attempting To Link Tony Vitello to the Open San Francisco Giants Managerial Job Despite the Fact It Doesn't Make a Lick of Sense
The Athletic — Here’s one out-of-the-box name who fits the high-motor description: Tony Vitello, who transformed the University of Tennessee from a bottom-feeder in the Southeastern Conference into perhaps the brashest and most talented program in the country. It’s possible that Vitello and Posey have already spoken; both were at Coors Field when the Giants played a three-game series against the Rockies earlier this month. It would be rare for an NCAA coach with no professional experience to jump into a major-league managerial position, but perhaps former Arizona State coach Pat Murphy’s resounding success with the Milwaukee Brewers, and the unique energy he brings to their dugout, might influence a new trend in how front offices seek to staff the position.
This honestly made me laugh. Tony Vitello has been "linked" to the San Francisco Giants according to The Athletic because he and Buster Posey were both in Denver when the Giants played the Rockies a few weeks ago.
Colorado has three former Tennessee Volunteers on its roster and San Francisco has former Vol Drew Gilbert, which would seem to be the reason for Vitello's visit. But maybe he was actually secretly meeting with the Giants — who had not yet fired their manager and were still somewhat in the mix for a postseason spot — because he's eager to leave a job where he makes a ton of money, is at the top of his profession and will never get fired for one in which he'd have infinitely less control and job security. Yeah, I'm sure that's it.
I guess you can just say anyone is linked to the Giants job as long as they happened to be in a city at the same time as Buster Posey. I was in Chicago when the Giants came to town at the end of June, maybe I'll get a call.
More historically prestigious college programs than Tennessee have tried to poach Vitello and he hasn't left. I can't fathom there is a world where he leaves for an MLB job, unless that's just always been a dream of his. Right now, Vitello hand-picks the players he wants — Tennessee has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for a second year in a row even after three signees were selected in the first round of the MLB Draft and signed out of high school — and then controls every aspect of his program once they get to school. It's worked out pretty well so far.
No coach that has climbed to the top of that profession is itching to give up all that control to go manage a team of professionals that he didn't recruit and very well may suck. Vitello is the best coach in college baseball because he's an elite recruiter and developer, neither of which you get to do as an MLB manager. It just doesn't make any sense.
But then again, Posey and Vitello were both in Denver at some point, so maybe he will make the transition from winning championships and being the most beloved person in Knoxville to paying 13 percent in state income taxes for the privilege of managing Michael Conforto.
I guess only time will tell.