Spring training games offer Tony Vitello a chance to turn Giants skeptics into believers, but here's where it gets controversial... The Tony Vitello era in San Francisco technically started when he was hired in October, but it won’t really begin until the Giants take the field against the Yankees on March 25, opening day. This in-between period after Vitello’s introductory press conference and before his first MLB game won’t make his Wikipedia page, but it will have an outsize impact on how fans perceive his capabilities. And after the manager’s “tangent” in the dugout this week at Scottsdale Stadium, the intrigue continues to build. Spring training games are mostly scripted, but they should still provide Vitello with valuable experience. Hayden Birdsong is slated to throw the first inning Saturday against the Mariners, and the Giants know exactly which relievers will follow him, regardless of the score. How will Vitello react if Birdsong walks the first three hitters? If the Giants want to cap Birdsong at 25 pitches, will Vitello remove him in the middle of an at-bat, or let him work through a high-pressure situation if it means he needs to throw 30? If Birdsong walks the first man up, is Vitello prepared to have a reliever warm up and risk squashing the starter’s confidence? These questions might not matter that much in February, but Vitello must have answers for every scenario by the time the Yankees arrive in San Francisco. Fans pay close attention to how managers explain their decisions, and especially how they build up young players’ confidence. No one is particularly concerned about Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, and Logan Webb, but fans expect the former college coach who is an expert in player development to help younger Giants — including Birdsong, Carson Whisenhunt, and Bryce Eldridge — maximize their potential. There’s only so much Vitello can control, but if important prospects and players with limited major-league experience show signs of progress this spring, it will go a long way toward inspiring confidence among the manager’s skeptics. This Cactus League slate, like all others before it, won’t be one for the history books. But it will serve as a meaningful proving ground for a Giants manager who will have the eyes of the baseball industry watching him closely. And this is the part most people miss... Kerry Crowley can be reached at [email protected]
