SAN FRANCISCO — A Familiar Scene in Miami
Last Sunday, waiting outside the visitors’ clubhouse in Miami, I experienced a sense of déjà vu. Tony Vitello, the Giants’ first-year manager, responded almost exactly as he did to a similar question from me a month ago. How will he take responsibility for the behavior of a highly paid veteran player on his team?
What Rafael Devers did during the bottom of the ninth in a loss to the Marlins wasn’t quite the same as Willie Adames’ unfortunate blunder in Los Angeles. You could debate which was worse: Devers’ distraction during crucial moments or Adames’ attempt to push away his teammates, implying he was causing trouble for his coach.
Neither situation reflected the leadership expected from two key players. What stood out, though, was how Vitello chose not to speak up publicly about these incidents.
Did he feel the need to have a word with Devers, who resisted leaving the game to pinch run, even though he was tying run and the slowest player on the roster?
“No, we talk every day,” Vitello said. “I’m fine… There’s nothing wrong with Raffi.”
Back in May, I posed a similar inquiry at Dodger Stadium about Adames’ miscalculation that cost his team a double against their biggest rival.
Vitello replied, “As far as?” indicating he’d previously defended Adames.
“There’s no point in dwelling on it,” he elaborated. “Everyone knows Willie. He’s always intense and aggressive. I’m not sure if that played a role.”
Buster Posey had what I assume was a challenging question when he considered hiring Vitello as the next manager. How would a coach without professional experience adjust to managing millionaire players who had different foci than college athletes?
Posey recalled occasions when relievers Bruce Bochy and Santiago Casilla showed too much emotion over game situations. “I don’t remember Boch standing by a player during something like that,” he noted. “He’s one of the best managers we’ve had.” While Posey isn’t saying it lacks effectiveness, he thinks it really depends on the individuals involved.
Regarding today’s team, Posey expressed his trust in how Vitello manages the clubhouse. “I feel like Tony owns the clubhouse,” he said. “He respects the players. But with our record, tensions rise.” Still, Posey was confident that Vitello commanded respect.
I had spoken with most players during spring training about this transition, and they generally gave the right answers. Vitello mentioned he felt welcomed, yet one response intrigued me. Many players praised him for his ability to manage young talent, which is a bit odd given the current state of the Giants’ roster.
This team is in win-now mode, a reality that rests heavily on the shoulders of Devers, Adames, Matt Chapman, Luis Arraez, and Logan Webb. Following Devers’ actions, it was reasonable to question their commitment to the team.
Devers added to the confusion by not addressing the media after the Miami loss, but he did show confidence in Vitello a couple of days later.
“I didn’t mean to be disrespectful to him,” Devers said through a translator. “He’s a great guy, both as a coach and as a person. We all respect him.”
On their flight back from Miami, Devers and Vitello had a discussion that turned into a bit of an argument. It began with Devers apologizing. Vitello regarded the gesture as important and even called it a “great story.”
Mike Krukow, a longtime Giants anchor, said on the radio that the situation with Devers was a significant test for Vitello, possibly marking his “best moment” as a coach. Everyone on that flight was watching as Devers made his way to Vitello for a serious discussion.
“He came back to his seat and announced he would be holding a press conference,” Krukow recalled.
Perhaps Vitello prefers to address issues behind closed doors rather than criticizing players in public. It seems he aims to keep the team focused. “When I walked into the Giants clubhouse yesterday, the team was ready to play,” Krukow commented. “They had regained their motivation thanks to Vitello.”
