Baseball's Newest Manager Is a First for the Sport

The San Francisco Giants have the rest of baseball doing a double-take with its hiring of a new manager. The Giants picked Tony Vitello, the big-personality coach who led Tennessee to its first College World Series title, reports ESPN. It's the first time a Major League Baseball team has hired a manager directly from the college ranks without any prior pro coaching experience, according to MLB.com.

"I'm incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity," Vitello said in a statement. The 47-year-old transformed Tennessee from a struggling program into a national powerhouse over the last eight years, culminating in the school's first national championship in 2024. The move comes after the Giants parted ways with Bob Melvin, following a fourth straight season without a playoff appearance.

It's quite a gamble, writes Joe Rexrode at the Athletic, but it should be entertaining to watch however it plays out. "If he wins and has staying power, Vitello could be one of the game's colorful personalities," he writes. "Think Billy Martin crossed with Yogi Berra." ESPN similarly describes Vitello as a "rabble-rouser," citing an interview in June in which he discussed his reputation. "I think you don't know where the line is until you cross it. And then you make an adjustment," Vitello said. "I don't want our guys, if they give them a coloring book, I don't want them just coloring inside the lines. You know, come up with something different."