Yeah. I’ll start there.
Because it is a major factor, maybe THE factor, in all this whirlwind; in all this reaction to the stunning — and exciting — news that Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey broke the mold, kicked down the door and re-drew the Iines when he hired University of Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello as the next manager of the home nine at Third and King.
In Buster We Trust(er).
From the moment the excellent Andy Baggarly of The Athletic reported on Sept. 28 that Vitello may be a candidate to replace Bob Melvin, I was intrigued.
Baggs was all over it. It was his game story from Game 162 — Giants beat the Rockies, 4-0; Logan Webb went 5 and 1/3, Willy Adames hit his 30th home run, Spencer Bivens hurled a two-inning save — and it was before Bob Melvin’s future had even been decided. When Melvin gave a noncommittal answer as to his future, Baggarly wrote about the likelihood that Melvin could be dismissed and Posey could start anew and Baggs wrote:
“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. 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 would be rare for an NCAA coach with no professional experience to jump into a major-league managerial position, 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.”
Immediately, the game had changed.
Wait — Posey would consider hiring a college guy? That’s never been done! College motivators can’t relate to $25 million/year thirty year-olds who grind it for 162! The Show is The Show! It’s not some three-game series every weekend in the spring where you can cuss out the kids and then glad-hand donors at functions!
Buster Posey, coolly, calmly and in his own swing-big way, has said with his actions that he doesn’t care about your pre-determined notions. He did it. He offered the gig to Vitello, and Vitello, despite a tidal wave of Tennessee Orange love begging him to stay, couldn’t resist the chance to leap to the highest level; to go manage with a third deck on the stadium.
And I am marveling at the brassiness of it all.
First off, yes: Buster gets a hugely wide berth. He earned it through his three World Series championships, but mostly with how he handled himself as a player and representative of the Giants, and with how aggressive he’s been in one short year: firing Melvin, selling at the trade deadline, signing Willy Adames and making the biggest trade in 25 years for Rafael Devers.
I did the book “28” with the legendary photographer Brad Mangin, and interviewed several of Posey’s teammates for first-person testimonials on Posey. In interview after interview, I began to chuckle at how grown men were in awe of Posey’s quiet self-assuredness, Posey’s uncanny instincts for the game and Posey’s ability to lead.
A sampling:
Matt Cain: “Buster is definitely a deep thinker. There’s a purpose or a lot of internal thought when he makes a decision or says something to someone.”
Brandon Crawford: “I honestly think Buster’s approach to the game is what you’d point to as the definition of ‘Giants baseball’ .. he was the walking embodiment of the San Francisco Giants … he absolutely loved the San Francisco Giants.”
Barry Zito: “He’s got the light, man. He’s got the light. And it’s contagious . . . whatever that currency is, he’s the Bezos of swag.”
Logan Webb: “It’s crazy. He’s right all the time. And that’s just how amazing, how confident he was in himself and what he believed was right. That goes back to that ‘being a San Francisco Giant’ thing, because our team kind of had that quiet confidence — that confidence to be amazing and to do great things — and he exudes that.”
All right. You get the point.
So I can’t tell you exactly what Tony Vitello will do to make the Giants a better team. A cynical — and mostly accurate — take would be that Vitello will be as good as his players. You either have the horses, or you don’t. Give Vitello the Dodgers roster and he will likely win the NL flag. Give Vitello the Rockies roster and he will likely lose 100.
But I can tell you with certainty that Buster Posey has a firm idea of what kind of culture he wants the San Francisco Giants to have, and he acted boldly on that idea. He acted in a manner that is drawing not just skepticism, but in some corners, derision. Buster doesn’t give a flip.
From the moment Baggarly reported it, I thought to myself: Buster Posey, you magnificent SOB. This is almost exactly what a stagnant, mediocre team needs — a big fat jolt of energy and personality and charisma. This stagnant, mediocre team needs a pulse, a personality. Buster Posey may have been the quietest guy on the diamond, but he knows what this dugout needs — and also recognizes the changing nature of big-league culture. With the acceleration of top-flight college players to the bigs faster than ever, the line is more blurred than ever.
So why not get the best in the business, ahead of the curve?
Buster Posey cares not what you think. That’s an admirable quality. Buster Posey cares only about making the Giants better. That’s an even more admirable quality.
—30—
