Tony Vitello could be poised to trade out his closet for a different shade of orange. The University of Tennessee athletic teams wear a uniquely bright version as their official color. The San Francisco Giants use a more traditional shade in their primary uniforms.
But if the Giants want to convince Vitello to leave his comfortable perch as the head coach in Knoxville and make the nearly unprecedented jump from a college campus to running a major-league dugout, then the only color that really matters is green.
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There isn’t a signed agreement between the parties yet. But as The Athletic first reported, the Giants have offered the manager position to Vitello, according to league sources. It should be clear very soon whether Giants president Buster Posey’s search stops here or whether it hits a snag. In the meantime, it’s creating a stir within every level of the game that Posey is willing to take the highly unorthodox step of hiring a Division I coach to manage in the major leagues. It could create a sea change within the industry for what a major-league managerial candidate looks like, what qualities they need to possess and whether past prerequisites no longer apply.
While we wait for the next development, here are some points to consider:
Vitello made a strong impression
That’s sort of what he does. Whether he’s in someone’s dining room on a recruiting visit or firing up his dugout during games or serving as a draft analyst for MLB Network, Vitello makes an impact in every space h
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