SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) 鈥� With a black sweatshirt pulled over his head and a glove in hand, Tony Vitello blends in almost as if he鈥檚 one of the Giants players.
San Francisco鈥檚 new manager grabs a piece of gum from a dugout basket then heads out onto the grass at Scottsdale Stadium and gets to work. He lingers for a while in right field, surveying the scene, before making his way to the indoor cage. A short while later, he鈥檚 all the way back to home plate, leaning on the right side of the cage, where he fist bumps Heliot Ramos after one of the left fielder鈥檚 rounds of batting practice. Vitello moves several feet to his left and takes in more hitters鈥� work.
鈥淗e鈥檚 everywhere,鈥� shortstop Willy Adames said. 鈥淗e has a lot of energy. He likes to be watching everybody, making sure that everybody is working right and doing the right things. He鈥檚 just trying to push the guys to work hard and to be better and I think that鈥檚 something that鈥檚 going to help the guys a lot and I think that鈥檚 something we needed.鈥�
as he takes over one of baseball’s most storied franchises without a professional baseball backstory of his own. Giants executive and former catcher Buster Posey made the unconventional hire, entrusting the top dugout step to someone with no major league experience as a player or coach.
And everybody will be paying attention for his high-profile managerial debut when the Giants host the New York Yankees in baseball鈥檚 season opener March 25.
鈥淎s ready as I鈥檒l be if you ask me that question before the season starts,鈥� Vitello said ahead of the club鈥檚 Cactus League opener. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you鈥檙e ever really ready to do something until you get to do it. … Inevitably something pops up in where you鈥檙e like, 鈥業 wish I could go back in time and know that.鈥欌��
An avid swimmer who aspires to one day complete the famous event from Alcatraz in San Francisco, Vitello scans his various baseball zones much like a lifeguard with eyes up, observing everything and everyone.
He also has committed to taking in the wisdom from former managers he has surrounded himself with, such as Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy, and also new Giants infield coach Ron Washington.
鈥淚鈥檝e talked with those guys, they鈥檝e been awesome,鈥� Vitello said. 鈥淎 lot of little things. When Boch says it, not only do you hear it but you hear it in that thunderous voice. I鈥檝e taken notes from all those guys. I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 been one drastic thing said to me, like, 鈥楬oly cow, reinvent the game鈥� or anything like that. It鈥檚 just been a lot of consistent help.鈥�
Bouncing between fields during spring training has been one of the biggest adjustments for the 47-year-old Vitello.
When he addressed the full team on Day 1, Vitello aimed to just be himself 鈥� 鈥渉opefully it didn鈥檛 sound like a speech, more of a conversation,鈥� he said.
Everybody realizes there will be a large learning curve, but Vitello has already made a strong impression on his players.
鈥淭ony鈥檚 passion for baseball is something else,鈥� outfielder Jung Hoo Lee said. 鈥淛ust being around him, I feel like my passion grows more with him. It鈥檚 really nice being around Tony.鈥�
Near the end of one spring training practice last month, Vitello squatted with hands on his thighs watching Washington work with Adames.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 going to help him a lot,鈥� Adames said of all the support. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got Bochy that鈥檚 going to be around and Dusty that鈥檚 going to be around and Buster is always around. We鈥檝e got a lot of people who have a lot of experience in baseball and have a lot of people who have a lot of experience being a manager, and I think that鈥檚 going to help him a lot.鈥�
Ex-Padres manager Jayce Tingler is Vitello鈥檚 good friend and now bench coach, too. Vitello only announced his coaching staff at the start of spring 鈥� months after many other teams 鈥� because that鈥檚 how much thought he put into who he wanted by his side.
And because not doing everything himself has been a process. Previously, there was recruiting, planning road trips, monitoring studies and all of the other demands in the college game.
鈥淚 think get more comfortable with delegating, but about nine years ago I definitely warmed up to it with the group of people that I was around,鈥� he said.
First-year San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen understands the questions about inexperience and that scrutiny comes with the job.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a baseball guy, so I鈥檓 going to respect him the same way I respect somebody that played 20 years in the big leagues,” Stammen said of Vitello. “I think he鈥檚 earned the right to be a manager in the big leagues. Some people will question me if I earned the right to be a manager in the big leagues. His track record in college is very successful, so he鈥檚 going to have the opportunity to bring that track record to MLB.鈥�
Vitello acknowledges there have been some early hurdles 鈥� and knows there will be plenty more along the way. He replaces three-time Manager of the Year Bob Melvin, after two years and the Giants’ fourth straight season out of the playoffs.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 been too wild. I think everything that was a precursor to here was the key,鈥� he said. 鈥淔anFest, just how welcoming everybody is. It might sound silly, but just interacting with the 49ers group a few different times and other people in the Bay Area, it made you feel like you were in high school instead of a freshman. I still remember freshman year in high school was kind of nerve-wracking.
“So I think there was a little bit of momentum for myself coming in. Seamless is a high standard. I think there鈥檚 been some snags, but it鈥檚 kind of been like, 鈥極K, I get how this goes now.鈥欌��
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AP Baseball Writer David Brandt contributed to this story.
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