Whoo boy! This is not great! Reports from Scottsdale say new Giants Manager, Tony Vitello, walked into the daily press gaggle and before even one question was asked, he posed a question of his own to the assembled media(one report seemed to say he directed the question at Susan Slusser): "When did you first think I was taking this job, can you remember that far back?" Susan replied that it was 4-5 days before the news that it happened. That did not seem to set well with Tony who launched into a timeline of how it came together, once again airing grievances over how it interrupted his plan to break it to his team. Really? I distinctly remember him reviewing that timeline and those grievances at his introductory press conference. So why the heck is he still talking about it and without prompting from any of the press? This comes on the heels of a very odd comment he made yesterday which didn't seem like such a big deal at the time but now raises even more questions where he suggested he is so popular around the Knoxville area the Giants are now going to have a whole new fanbase from there. Really?
Today was the second day of full squad workouts at spring training. How does Tony Vitello get to spring training after fielding questions at his introductory press conference, the Winter Meetings, multiple press conferences for free agent signings where questions about his readiness to manage professional players let alone at the MLB level seemed endless and still have his mind on what went down when he was hired for the job. I have to say I have become increasingly cringed over the way he continues talking about former Tennessee players like Gavin Kilen and Drew Gilbert, almost like he is still their old college coach looking on proudly as their pro careers develop and wondering if he can let go of that connection to make objective decisions. This incident does not help assuage those cringey feelings.
Tony, my man! Coaching at Tennessee was your old job. This is your new job. You've had 4 months to process and come to terms with why and how you left the old job. Let it go! Your focus needs to be on your current job which is managing the San Francisco Giants.
If I'm Buster Posey, I am not too pleased right now and if I haven't touched bases with my new manager to make sure everything is OK, it is definitely on my to-do list first thing in the morning. Yikes!
thank you, I could have not said it better. Bob from Dixon.
ReplyDeleteYikes. Focus, Tony.
ReplyDeleteI saw a YouTube video of two reporters talking about this. Most of the comments to the reporters’ takes were “let’s move on, NTSH” or words to that effect. I have to agree. Something happened that caused TV to get ticked off right before he walked in to the gaggle and it had to do with a reporter who”leaked” the story before he could tell his team. Something that was already reported months ago.
ReplyDeleteSo the reporters, Instead of talking about the practices going on day 2 of the full squad, they are now reporting about how bothered they are getting tuned-up by the new skipper. (TV should talk to Barry Bonds about why it’s a good idea to not tick-off the press). And while, it is true that TV should get over the leak of his job status/ negotiations, the reporters should not now be feeling obliged to make themselves part of the story and instead they should be reporting on the baseball booing on around them. Dude was blowing off a little steam. Reporters should focus on what happened on the field. Other than Harrison Bader’s flowing locks, I couldn’t find much out there about today beyond interviewing each other and reporting “TV was mean to us and now we question everything.”
Or, in the alternative (hear me out), TV just made a genius move by taking all the focus of how the team is performing on the field and put it on himself. Takes all the pressure off the players and gives them a chance to find their own way. TV becomes the story instead of Devers’ weight or Arraez taking balls off his shins, or JHL being freaked out by the new physical specimen in CF. TV is playing 3D chess.
Or he’s an emotional grease fire. I could go either way.
Not sure what video you saw. If you are referring to Justice De Los Santos and Shayna Rubin's discussion, I thought they were fair to him in their discussion. I am not sure why you would blame the reporters for keeping the story going when Tony Vitello brought it up out of the blue without being asked by anyone. Every discussion I've seen says the reporters were actually shocked he brought it up. Yeah, maybe he is playing 4D chess and so is a certain prominent U. S. politician I won't name. That seems like quite a stretch to me. If he wants to be a lightning rod for the players, there are other topics, times and places to do that. Not on Day 2 of full squad workouts in spring training.
DeleteVitello's hiring was one of Buster's moves i was not crazy with and I am not at all surprised about problems with him..The Big Cheese in College Baseball and the darling of the MLB network at draft time is no longer completely controlling kids and and every situation....Now he's dealing with pro players with a different mind set and he is jut a part of an orgnaization and not the top dog...and everything he does will be scrutinzed by fans and the media not just 10000 Volunteerr faithful. ANyways, he will have to earn the confidence and trust of those above and below (players) him...Honestly, he'll have to put more work then the players to be a successful and grow a tough skin...
ReplyDeleteSteveVA
See my response to LG below.
DeleteI suppose one could look at this from the angle that this reveals that Tony V is not the eternal rah-rah Mr. Positivity he comes off as. If the team is not performing up to the standards he is expecting then he is going to let that be known.
ReplyDeleteFrank Anderson said the premature report that Tony V accepted the Giants job came out 4 days before he actually accepted did put the Tennessee program and Tony V in a difficult spot. The recruits he lined up + assistant coaches were put in limbo. Its a unique situation + it was tough for him to leave. He was a rock star there and its also understandable that Buster might not be happy with what was said., but Tony V seems smart enough to understand that he needs to focus on his new job with the Giants.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Tony's comment that had he known the source of the leak it might have changed history forever might have been a shot at Buster himself? Baggs is rumored to have a direct line to Buster.
DeleteI’m with you Doc. Let’s hope it’s an initial growing pains, but I am a bit worried about. A big part of being an MLB manager is communicating the organizations goals to the outside world. And we all know college comms is not nearly the same level as the pros. Hopefully he can pick it up.
ReplyDelete- Fan