San Francisco Giants Tony Vitello argues with umpire David Rackley (right) after getting ejected in the seventh inning in a game against New York Mets Sun Apr 5, 2026 (AP News photo)

Can Tony Vitello survive his Maiden season

By That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

The San Francisco Giants are rich in managerial experience, talent, and advisors; under this 2026 team’s payroll, there are Bruce Bochy, Dusty Baker, and Ron Washington. All managers at the Major League level with extensive and successful resumes; two of the three are future Hall of Fame material. Except for Washington, the others are done with managing.

The Giants hired Tony Vitello in late 2025 primarily because Buster Posey (with higher management support), as the President of Baseball Operations, sought a high-energy, moderate leader who would change the team’s culture and develop young talent. Vitello was ‘all that’ at Tennessee, where he was intense and competitive and won, but in Major League Baseball, where egos are plentiful, you need to be an effective manager on the field with strategy and a psychiatrist in the locker room to win in the end. By the way, you also need the horses to win the race.

So far, during this young season heading into May, the Giants do not look like a team with the fire to win. The question is, can Vitello change this culture? The same culture that ended with a mediocre 81-81 last season under Bob Melvin, can they improve on that?

Vitello might be able to do it, maybe or not. I do not believe the Giants can tell this early in the season; they have to be evaluating as they go. After all, with all respect to Vitello, a man who played college baseball but never played professional baseball at any level (minor or major leagues). He was a good infielder at the collegiate level. Tony Vitello was the head baseball coach at the University of Tennessee for seven years.

In 2024, Stephen Vogt was named American League Manager of the Year with the Cleveland Indians; he never managed or coached at any level (professional or otherwise). As a matter of record, Vogt owns the record as the fastest person to go from player to Manager of the Year; he did it in 297 days.

He played in the major leagues for 11 seasons. I am not asking for Vitello to be fired this early. I know fans are quick to react, but they are the team’s prized customers who attend their games, follow the team, and spend money.

A good friend of mine told me about Vitello, “Give him this year and next.” OK, but we live in different times; fans paying good money to attend games might have a shorter patience span for Vitello, which is why they’re called “fans”.

Oracle is not Dodger Stadium; there is not a sellout here every game. Why can the Giants develop, draft, or acquire really athletic players like Reds Elly De La Cruz and Pirates O’Neill Cruz or Royals Bobby Witt Jr.? These are exciting, talented players, winning players, and that is what changes your culture.

Since 2018, the average tenure of a team manager has been between 3 and 4 years.

Quote: The phrase “managers are hired to be fired” is a long-standing baseball adage -Used by everybody.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

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