“He’s the guy who probably convinced Buster Posey he could beat the Dodgers,” an industry source said. “I have no doubt he came in and said that. Just give me the horses.”
If Vitello ends up going to San Francisco, it would be an unprecedented move. However, on Sunday he was still in Tennessee, attending Volunteers practice in Knoxville. That’s because Vitello is truly torn between staying with the program he created or accepting what many believe is his dream job.
“I don’t think some understand how strange it is that Tony Vitello didn’t immediately accept an offer to become an MLB manager. That a college coach would even consider staying is a testament to how torn he is over the decision. The Giants are a good organization with arguably the best ballpark in the world,” WBIR’s Wes Rucker wrote.
Vitello faces what may be the most difficult decision of his life. It won’t be easy.
“It’s hard to think of many college coaches who wouldn’t take that offer and rip the arm off of whoever extended it to them. Vitello loves Knoxville. He loves UT. This is HARD for him,” Rucker posted.
Vitello is simply the best thing to happen to Tennessee baseball in years, and he is deeply beloved there. Still, the Giants present a truly attractive destination. He is expected to make his final decision within a day or two.
This whole situation is a calculated risk for the Giants. If Vitello is hired, it would mark a leap that no one in the MLB has taken before. But if he rejects them, the Giants will have spent valuable time waiting, and that could cause them to miss out on other highly sought-after candidates.
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