SF Giants’ Vitello clarifies timeline of Tennessee departure four months after hire

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — When Tony Vitello sat down for his Monday morning media availability, he posed a question to the awaiting media scrum.

When did you first think I was taking this job? Do you remember that far back?

The consensus was about four days, which is when The Athletic published its initial report that the Giants were “closing in” on Vitello as their manager. Vitello, unprompted, shared his perspective on the timeline of events, beginning his availability with an off-the-cuff monologue that spanned about three minutes.

“I’m just kind of having a conversation — therapy if you will,” Vitello said.

Vitello clarified that he had yet to make a final decision when the report dropped on the morning of October 18th. He recalled being in the middle of a practice when his first and third-base coaches started “freaking out,” then “freaked out on me, too.”

“Somebody tweeted it out. I don’t know who told them. I wish I did,” Vitello said. “It might’ve changed the course of history if I would’ve known who did, to be honest with you. But it just bothers me because — I don’t know. You see people angry — I hate to get philosophical – on the streets for, a lot of times, stuff that’s not even true. People start arguing and you don’t know what reality is.”

Vitello added: “At that point, nothing was going to happen. But somebody decided that it was going to happen. Then, the whole world started spinning real quick.”

Following his initial spiel, Vitello was told that the initial report didn’t say that the Giants were definitively hiring him — just that the team was close to offering him a job. Vitello replied he’s not “throwing this water bottle at anybody” and admitted that he still hasn’t read any of the reporting from that day.

“Can’t change the past, and the present is pretty exciting because day two of having all the guys around,” Vitello said. “I don’t have a baseline, but it’s a pretty good vibe.”

Vitello recalled going to Quentin Eberhardt’s house on the evening of the 18th — Eberhardt joined Vitello in San Francisco to run the team’s strength and conditioning — to watch Tennessee football face No. 9 Alabama. As Vitello tried to watch the game, he couldn’t avoid seeing his name on the ticker.

“That was not a fun Saturday, and then it kind of affected how the next few days went,” Vitello said.

Following a quiet Sunday (October 19), Vitello met with president of baseball operations Buster Posey and general manager Zack Minasian on Monday (October 20). Vitello still didn’t know what he was going to do, but the possibility of making the leap from college to the pros was becoming more of a possibility.

On Tuesday (October 21), Tennessee fans showered Vitello with admiration during an intrasquad scrimmage. Vitello tried to pretend like the fans weren’t there, but the gesture evoked some tears.

Finally, on Wednesday, October 22, Vitello talked with his coaching staff. He said he probably would’ve taken the job regardless of their opinion, but Vitello appreciated the coaches giving him their blessing to jump to San Francisco.

“I told them, ‘I’m not selling my condo. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not saying bye to anybody. I’m going to get out of town, go to Nashville for a night and decompress,’” Vitello said. “They were awesome about it. Never selfish. The only thing that sucks is I still haven’t said bye to anybody, which is another story. But I never did get to say bye to those guys.”

Vitello has referenced college baseball or Tennessee, which opened its season with a three-game sweep of Nicholls, in every availability he’s had this spring. The rookie manager conceded that the Volunteers “got a great thing going on” but the Giants are “doing our own thing.”

“It’s probably time, after today, to divide the line in the sand,” Vitello said.

Does this mean no more references to his old program at all?

“Don’t back me into a corner,” Vitello laughed.

Peguero dealing with hamstring ailment

The Giants announced on Monday morning that right-hander Joel Peguero will be limited to field work over the next week due to a tight left hamstring.

“I think it’s a deal where caution this time of year — and maybe it’s me hoping too — that it’s something he’s got to address, but nothing that’s long-term serious,” Vitello said.

Peguero, 28, has a strong case for the Giants’ Opening Day roster after posting a 2.42 ERA and 3.85 FIP over 22 1/3 innings last season as a rookie.