Giants' Tony Vitello is attacking his college-to-pro transition with high energy, help from others
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — With a black sweatshirt pulled over his head and a glove in hand, Tony Vitello blends in almost as if he’s one of the Giants players. San Francisco’s new manager grabs a piece of gum from a dugout basket then heads out onto the grass at Scottsdale Stadium and gets to work.
He lingers for a while in right field, surveying the scene, before making his way to the indoor cage. A short while later, he’s all the way back to home plate, leaning on the right side of the cage, where he fist bumps Heliot Ramos after one of the left fielder’s rounds of batting practice. Vitello moves several feet to his left and takes in more hitters’ work.
“He’s everywhere,” shortstop Willy Adames said. “He has a lot of energy. He likes to be watching everybody, making sure that everybody is working right and doing the right things.
He’s just trying to push the guys to work hard and to be better and I think that’s something that’s going to help the guys a lot and I think that’s something we needed. ” All eyes are on Vitello as he takes over one of baseball's most storied franchises without a professional baseball backstory of his own. Giants executive and former catcher Buster Posey made the unconventional hire, entrusting the top dugout step to someone with no major league experience as a player or coach.
And everybody will be paying attention for his high-profile managerial debut when the Giants host the New York Yankees in baseball’s season opener March 25. “As ready as I’ll be if you ask me that question before the season starts,” Vitello said ahead of the club’s Cactus League opener. “I don’t think you’re ever really ready to do something until you get to do it.
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