The San Francisco Giants find themselves in a pivotal position as they determine who will become their next manager. The team has been rumored to be on the verge of a deal with Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello, and the agreement is expected to come with a hefty price tag.
“Vitello almost certainly will not be paid as an entry-level hire. He is the second-highest-paid coach in Division I with an annual salary of more than $3 million, and he is leaving the comfort of his fiefdom for a job that offers anything but stability. Vitello was already making more than half the managers in the major leagues; given the cost of living in San Francisco and what he’d be leaving behind, it’s not impossible to believe that he will command one of the top salaries among his new cohort,” The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly wrote.
During an appearance on KNBR, Baggarly revealed that one Giants player has been playing a major role in recruiting Vitello to San Francisco.
“I don’t know if any of this happens without Drew Gilbert, I really don’t,” Baggarly said on the air.
Gilbert made a significant impact at the end of the year with his unique and infectious personality. He hasn’t changed since his college days at Tennessee, where he was never shy about showing his emotions on the field.
“I think it’s just something that happens organically,” Gilbert said of his energetic celebrations. “You don’t want it to be forced or anything. It’s not something I consciously wake up and say, ‘Let’s do this.’ It’s part of the key to the moment, right? Your emotions of a game, playing in front of a big crowd. It’s the big leagues, so everything is a little bit more energetic than like a high school game.”
Gilbert’s energy mirrors Vitello’s. During their time together at Tennessee, they were consistently in sync, so it’s no surprise that the same connection is expected to carry over in San Francisco.
Gilbert took a chance on Vitello at Tennessee, and now it appears his former college coach may do the same at the professional level. If Buster Posey and the Giants are able to close this deal, much of the credit will belong to Gilbert.
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