Giants' Tony Vitello Admits Biggest Difference Between College and MLB

The new Giants manager shares a hilarious take on the transition from college to the big leagues.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 2:07pm by Ben Kaplan

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San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello, who previously coached college baseball, opened up about the biggest adjustment he's had to make in his transition to the MLB. Vitello joked that he can no longer "talk down" to his players since they are closer to his own age, and he's had to adapt to managing a much larger organization with more people involved compared to the college game.

Why it matters

Vitello's comments provide a candid, humorous look at the challenges new MLB managers face when coming from the college ranks, where the dynamics and scale of the game are quite different. As a first-time MLB skipper, Vitello's ability to navigate this transition will be crucial to the Giants' success this season.

The details

In an interview with reporter Ken Rosenthal, Vitello admitted the biggest change has been no longer being able to "talk down" to his players since many of them are close to his own age. He also noted that managing in the big leagues involves overseeing a much larger organization, with more people in the stands and clubhouse, compared to the college game where he was more of a "head coach" than a "manager." Despite the adjustments, Vitello said his favorite part is still getting to coach the players directly.

  • Vitello made these comments during the Giants' game against the New York Yankees on March 29, 2026.

The players

Tony Vitello

The new manager of the San Francisco Giants, who previously coached college baseball.

Jung Hoo Lee

A Giants player who Vitello decided to pinch-hit for against a left-handed specialist pitcher.

Luis Arráez

A Giants player who Vitello said had success against the left-handed pitcher in spring training.

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What they’re saying

“I can't talk down to guys anymore, they're my age.”

— Tony Vitello, Giants Manager

What’s next

As the Giants' season continues, Vitello will have more opportunities to adjust to the demands of managing in the MLB and find the right balance between coaching his players directly and overseeing the larger organizational responsibilities.

The takeaway

Vitello's candid admission about the challenges of transitioning from college to the major leagues highlights the significant differences in scale and dynamics between the two levels of baseball. His ability to adapt and leverage his coaching strengths will be crucial as he aims to guide the Giants to success in his first MLB managerial role.