Two days after accepting an offer to become the Giants’ next manager , former University of Tennessee coach Tony Vitello met with a select group of media members in Knoxville to issue his first public comments on his unprecedented jump from the college baseball ranks to the Majors.

Vitello’s opening line?

“By now, you all know I officially accepted a position to babysit Drew Gilbert ,” Vitello told reporters , including Mike Wilson of the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The playful dig represented a fitting entry point for Vitello, who coached Gilbert at Tennessee from 2020-22 and now reunites with the energetic outfielder in San Francisco.

“I thought that was pretty funny,” Gilbert said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “He’s always got some good one-liners. He’s always been really good

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