Bussin’ With The Boys – Tony Vitello On How He Landed Historic San Francisco Giants Manager Role + From CBB To MLB

Episode Date: November 4, 2025
Hosts: Will Compton & Taylor Lewan
Guest: Tony Vitello (San Francisco Giants Manager, former Tennessee Vols Head Baseball Coach)

Episode Overview

This episode of Bussin’ With The Boys brings on Tony Vitello, the newly minted manager for the San Francisco Giants and former head coach of Tennessee baseball. The conversation dives into Vitello’s unprecedented jump from the college ranks to MLB, the state of modern college and pro baseball, the shifting NIL landscape, and the emotional process of leaving Tennessee.

The Boys (Will and Taylor) keep their trademark locker-room humor and candid insight, peppering Tony with both baseball deep-dives and lighthearted banter. The episode is packed with practical insight, emotional reflection, and inside stories—perfect for both sports diehards and fans of the brand.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. **Life & Football Banter, Holiday Transitions

[00:46 – 41:40]**

• Wrap-up of Spooktober and transition to Thanksgiving and Christmas season, with classic Boys banter about costumes, trick-or-treating, family dynamics, and the “Tickle Turkey” tradition.
• Taylor discusses dealing with gout during Halloween and his commitment to going "all in for the kids" despite pain.
  • Memorable moment: “Let me tell you something about gout. It's no joke. I wouldn't... I would not wish this on. Gout is horrendous.” (Taylor, [19:41])
• Bemoaning the temptations of holiday eating, candies, and starting Christmas decorations early.
  • “If you can't beat them, join them type of vibes.” (Taylor, [40:58])
• Spooktober accountability: Reflections and joking “contract year” analogies regarding commitment to podcast/brand holiday bits.

2. **Uniforms, NIL, and the State of the Game

[46:01 – 122:16]**

Baseball's Big Picture and World Series Chat

[64:01 – 71:09]

• The Boys recount Game 7 of the Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series—energy, player heroics, the feeling of “rooting for the underdog” vs. dynasty teams like the Dodgers/Yankees.
• Salary cap debate: Is dominance by franchise spenders (like the Dodgers) bad for baseball?
  • “You can't just buy your way to a championship. There’s still gotta be the right people in place.” (Tony, [65:02])
  • “I do like when things are even… in the spirit of competition.” (Tony, [110:08])

The Unprecedented MLB Hire—How Did Vitello Get the Giants Job?

[68:17 – 70:02]

• Tony gives detailed background on how the Giants’ interest formed:
  • “It was kind of organic… a little bit of a co-op started there. And then… someone floated the idea of basically trying something new. San Francisco is about as innovative… so just an innovative idea. I feel blessed to be the guy but I'm also the guinea pig.” (Tony, [69:46])
• Reflections on the coaching trend: Return of the ‘old-school’ hands-on coach dynamic contrasted with analytics-driven approaches.
• Emphasis on “energy” and “clubhouse culture” as an asset he brings.

Emotional Exit from Tennessee and Impact on Players & Staff

[74:54 – 79:07]

• The boys press Tony on the emotional difficulty of leaving Tennessee, especially after initial news of his candidacy broke before he’d even made a decision.
  • “It was a three-parter… the way those kids texted me, talked to me in person, and the way the coaches basically said, ‘Do what you gotta do.’ I will forever be grateful…” (Tony, [77:53])
• The realities of how breaking news spreads in the social media age and how it impacts staff and player communication.
  • “This news broke on a football Saturday in the middle of one of our scrimmages… all got skipped over by a tweet…” (Tony, [76:15])

NIL & The Transfer Portal: What’s Broken, What’s Next?

[94:25 – 106:48]

• Vitello pulls no punches about college baseball’s scholarship inequities and the unpredictable, “foggy” NIL landscape.
  • “It's a disaster… It’s like you're driving in the fog and you can’t really see but about 100 or 200 feet in front of you… it’s very frustrating when you don’t know the rules to the game.” (Tony, [95:13])
• Explains 11.7 scholarships, NIL’s role in sometimes helping offset cost barriers, and how some players now walk into his office asking for straight cash offers.
  • “Two kids literally walked in my office like, ‘What am I? What is it?’ And I was like, ‘Nice to meet you…’” (Tony, [97:35])
• Coaches are often unable to “coach hard” for fear of transfer threats; predicts player development and on-field quality will suffer as a result.
  • “If you can’t coach a guy hard, he’s not going to get better at the small things…” (Taylor, [99:01])

The Bridge: College to Pros & MLB Salary Cap?

[109:50 – 111:08]

• Tony cautiously supports a salary cap “to an extent,” musing on America's capitalist edge vs. the need for fair competition.
• Talks about the upsides/downsides of college players now weighing MLB draft vs. lucrative NIL deals.
  • “There’s reasons why a club can show kids it’s an advantage to get into the organization and start your pro career, and there’s also college coaches that can say, ‘If you’re playing in the SEC, you’re actually speeding up the process…’” (Tony, [120:01])

Perseverance, Legacy, and Advice

[123:46 – 142:58]

• Tony gets reflective about what he’ll miss, what he’s proud of, perseverance through rejection, and sticking it out as a player and coach—even when he “just wanted to quit.”
  • “There were a couple days where I was just going to quit as a player… But if I would’ve quit… it wouldn’t have worked out as a coach.” (Tony, [124:31])
• Ultimate advice for the transition:
  • “The right decision is the one you make… Just make a decision and do it like hell.” (Tony, [142:14])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Giants hiring him, “the guinea pig”
  “I feel blessed to be the guy but I'm also the guinea pig. We'll see how it goes." – Tony, [69:47]

• On NIL and chaos in college baseball:
  “It’s a disaster. … You’re grasping for what’s real, what you can do, what you can’t do… very frustrating when you don’t know the rules to the game.” – Tony, [95:13]

• On what he would do for a World Series or national title:
  “We have a non-handshake deal for the non-handshake deal. For the record.” (Tony, joking about giving the Boys his salary if he wins the World Series, [113:38])

• On player development in the transfer portal era:
  “All of us at some point have tiptoed around something because of the threat of the transfer portal. … For a player, it's like, 'it's not going well, I'm out.' But you gotta respect the sequence of development.” – Tony, [100:16]

• On what he’ll miss about college sports:
  “Just the youthful energy. … You get to see guys being in that character of being a kid, but you're seeing it at the highest level.” – Tony, [120:55]

• Advice for anyone making a decision:
  “Make a decision and do it like hell. … The right decision is the one you make, unless you look back on it and regret things.” – Tony, [142:14]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Holiday banter, Spooktober reflections: [00:46 – 19:41]
• Gout struggle & Halloween for parents: [19:41 – 23:24]
• Candy temptation & parenting: [26:12 – 31:31]
• Christmas décor & holiday moods: [38:36 – 41:40]
• Dodgers World Series & salary cap talk: [64:01 – 71:08]
• How Giants’ job happened, bridging college to MLB: [68:17 – 72:15]
• Leaving Tennessee, emotions, breaking news: [74:54 – 79:07]
• NIL & transfer portal chaos: [94:25 – 106:48]
• Perspectives: college vs. pro coaching: [73:49 – 75:05, 120:55 – 121:32]
• Reflections on perseverance, advice for new challenges: [123:46 – 124:31], [142:14 – 142:58]
• Iconic World Series Bet (“Salary” joke): [112:14 – 113:43]

Tony Vitello: Episode Highlights

• Why San Francisco hired him: Giants sought innovation, liked his “energy,” and wanted to try a new path blending “old school” coaching with new analytics.
• Leaving Tennessee: News leaked before he had decided, forcing awkward communications—but he expresses deep gratitude for the empathy and support from his players and staff.
• NIL/Portal Realities: He calls the current system a “disaster,” worries for the sport’s future, and details the wild new recruiting landscape (“Kids walk in like, ‘So what’s your number?’”).
• MLB Salary Cap: Supports fair competition but acknowledges the American ethos of pushing boundaries; it's delicate.
• Transition to MLB: Embracing uncertainty, motivated by being a trailblazer, and dedicated to proving the “guinea pig” concept can work.
• What he’ll miss: Youthful energy of college sports, but notes the “spirit of the kid” is alive in MLB playoffs too.
• Final words of advice: Make a decision, commit, and embrace the journey ahead.

Closing Note

Tony leaves listeners with authenticity, humility, and energy—undefensive about his future, grateful for his time at Tennessee, and ready to lead the Giants into a bold new era.

If you only have a few minutes, don’t miss:

• [69:46] How the Giants hire happened
• [77:53] Tony on telling his players he was leaving
• [95:13] Raw take on NIL chaos
• [124:31] Perseverance and what he hopes his journey proves
• [142:14] “Just make a decision and do it like hell.”

Enjoy this rare, honest inside look at one of baseball’s most innovative coaching transitions, through the signature lens of Bussin’ With The Boys.