SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 25: Manager Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants looks on during batting practice prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants entered the 2026 season hoping that hiring Tony Vitello away from the University of Tennessee would inject energy into a franchise looking to keep pace in the ultra-competitive National League West. Instead, the first few months of the experiment have produced more questions than answers.
As losses mounted and expectations faded, the scrutiny surrounding Vitello's transition from the college ranks to Major League Baseball has only intensified.
And amid that difficult start, Vitello recently received some pointed advice from one of baseball's most respected managers about the dangers of allowing personal frustration and ego to interfere with the job.
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Nearly 75 games into his first season in the major leagues, Vitello and the team’s roster of veteran stars have been a disappointment.
The team sits more than a dozen games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division and there have been some notable mistakes from the dugout throughout the season.
“Vitello, hired away from his prior post as head coach at the University of Tennessee, has proved an awkward fit thus far — awkward to the point of being pathetic on at least one occasion,” Dayn Perry wrote for CBS Sports, referring to an instance of Vitello inaccurately arguing with umpires after they made a correct call. “Presumably, though, Vitello has learned that this isn't college baseball and his players aren't in college. That means the focus can shift to ... the worst start in franchise history.”
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Milwaukee Brewers skipper Pat Murphy, who has won the National League Manager of the Year Award twice in a row, spent 45 minutes talking in the outfield with Vitello before a recent game in Milwaukee, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser.
And when dispensing advice to his beleaguered peer, Murphy's warning centered on one theme: successful managers must remove themselves from the equation, even amid struggles, and retain the focus on their players.
“As soon as you realize all that suffering is your ego and it’s about you, then you’ll realize that that’s not healthy and it’s kind of selfish,” Murphy warned, per Slusser. “Make it about the players and live by that creative credo — which is very, very hard, no matter how many years you’ve been doing it.”
The comments offered a rare public glimpse into the mentorship that often occurs between managers across organizations, particularly when one is attempting to navigate a difficult transition.
Whether Vitello ultimately succeeds in the majors remains to be seen, but Murphy's warning about allowing an ego to get in the way during struggles underscored a key reality about managing at baseball's highest level. Tactical decisions matter, roster construction matters and player development matters, but maintaining perspective may be just as important.
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