Is Tony Vitello Leaving Tennessee For The San Francisco Giants?

Image: Kyndall Williams/Tennessee Athletics

By Cody McClure

Rumors are swirling that Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is considering leaving Knoxville for the San Francisco Giants.

Information surfaced yesterday from The Athletic suggesting that Vitello could be a candidate for the Giants’ open job.

San Francisco fired Bob Melvin on Monday after an 81-81 season.

According to The Athletic, Vitello and Giants President Buster Posey may have already met.

“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,” The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly wrote. “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’s worth noting that Vitello may have simply been at that Giants-Rockies series because VFL Chase Dollander was pitching for Colorado.

Vitello does not currently have any MLB experience as a coach.

“It would be rare for an NCAA coach with no professional experience to jump into a major-league managerial position,” Baggarly added. “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.”

Vitello is a relatively young guy who doesn’t have anything family-wise that ties him down in Knoxville.

Last season at UT was a little rocky. And Vitello’s already climbed the mountaintop by winning a national championship here. What more is there to prove?

Well, he could win multiple national titles and potentially strive for college baseball GOAT status.

But it’s not crazy to think a passionate, super-elite baseball coach like Vitello would have big-league aspirations.

There may be a reasonable amount of smoke around the Vitello-to-San-Fran rumors.

Let’s just hope there’s no fire.