Giants' Tony Vitello praises Casey Schmitt's All-Star-caliber 2026 season
Giants manager Tony Vitello speaks to reporters ahead of San Francisco's matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday at American Family Fields.
Giants' Tony Vitello praises Casey Schmitt's All-Star-caliber 2026 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
Everybody else has probably asked you this many times this season already, but what's behind Schmitz's, the power surge he's had this year?
I, I mean, to be honest with you, I think it's been there, but in order to drive a baseball, you typically gotta get to a pitch, that's drivable.
And I think he's just done a much better job at controlling the strike zone.
And then it's, you know, I'm not the only coach, but sometimes as a coach you come up with conspiracy theories, and you believe them whether they're true or not.
But I just feel like he really came into camp motivated.
in the spring training period, it starts, you sign a new second baseman, there's other moves and guys, you know, that are made.
And to be honest with you, there wasn't a clear runway for Casey, and he did what a lot of great players do, is kind of made his own runway, and made it to a point where it's, it's every day you come to the park you'd like to have him in the lineup no matter where it's at.
So he's done a good job of improving, and I think there's room for growth, too.
Just hearing his conversations, it's a really good balance of some intellect there, and some thought process, but also keeps things very simple.
He doesn't really profile as a leadoff guy.
No.
How do you feel like he's handling it, and what do you like about him?
Why do you want that?
Yeah, the same as, as everybody, everything else that you're asking him to do, different positions, low maintenance, willingness to do whatever, excitement to kind of attack something new.
And, you know, with that, we obviously have looked for all kinds of shakeups at different times of the year, and get something to get the mojo flowing a little bit.
But at the same time, we don't really have a true leadoff profile, in our lineup for the most part.
Guys voice their opinion on where they'd like to be, and Schmitty, again, he doesn't really care.
He just wants to be in the lineup every day.
And at this point, he's been our most productive guy.
So if we play a four-game series, him being in that spot, it may not end up being his best four games of the year, but he gets the most at bats.
And again, I think that flows a little bit with him being our best producer.
What, why doesn't Jung Ho profile as a leadoff guy?
I think he can a little bit, for sure.
Yeah.
And he saw the bunt.
Yeah.
You know, so he's got that ability.
we're doing everything we can to encourage a little bit more of the base stealing approach.
when he was in that spot, the swings were really good.
The producti- small sample size, productivity tapered off a little bit.
and then the other thing out of him is, you know, with the hand-eye contact is a, is a big part of his game.
And having a rise in him in the middle at least gives you confidence when the ball needs to be put in play with an RBI situation, that can be done.
But it'll probably be a, a deal that comes up again before the year is over, him being in that spot.
What do you see as the reason for his kind of turnaround, or improvement, or get- gets all the time now?
I, I honestly think Jung Ho has come into his own, just comfortable in his own skin.
obviously being healthy and getting time acquired around the organization, but also just being in the country and knowing the league.
I think, I think the skill set is what it is.
Now, trust me, he's a hard worker, and he's worked hard to kind of improve things like the bunt game, but I really feel like he's just kind of comfortable in his own skin, and is letting Jung Ho be Jung Ho.
I think Casey was listed at DH in the All-Star ballot, which might, like, underplay his value a little bit.
Just what do you think about just the case that he's put together to kind of be a, a candidate for the All-Star team?
Yeah, no, I mean, as a fan, I always follow that stuff.
I haven't followed at all in, in this position, but I think he's worthy.
and that's the spot he's probably soaked up the most time, but as you mentioned, it kind of understates having that label next to him, his value of being Mr. Versatile all over the place.
And in a game like that, you probably want somebody, once you get the roster sorted the way that it is, you probably want extreme flexibility just by nature of the game.
They have, they have, they have Sorry.
They have Paul LoDuca telling me, man, they should have Paul LoAll-Star ballot, right?
I'd be all for that, for sure.
Yeah.
Only been a day.
How's it been having Gary with you guys?
phenomenal.
Honestly phenomenal.
I mean, I've got a tremendous amount of respect for him.
being a guy who's I got a couple baseball cards of his, but, I think, you know, the, the way he is is a calming influence.
A- and obviously a track record you have to respect, and I think that's something that's valuable no matter what locker room or clubhouse, but I think in particular in this case, too.
I know you've been to Ridley as a fan, but is it gonna be any more extra meaningful to actually manage a game there, just given your family's connection to- Yeah, it's gonna be a little, it'll be interesting.
it'll be a little different.
I went to the first hockey game ever there, and, and plenty of other things, so trying to make sure We can really make this a valuable road trip to Milwaukee in particular.
and then we've been starving to get through a moment like we got through last night, so hoping to ride that wave and get this thing done.
And then it'll be an interesting ride over that way, kind of putting those thoughts together.
Have you noticed the forecast for that series?
Yeah.
Rainy.
Dicey.
So we'll see.
I've, I've learned the hard way not to trust that thing too much, especially in the Midwest, things can change on a dime.
And then, you never know.
could, could benefit you in one way or another if the weather's adverse.
How tough is that Sunday night game?
Because then you have to turn around, fly back, and then play the next night.
I mean, I'm not in charge of that stuff.
It's just nonsensible more than anything.
I, I think going back regardless, it's gonna be tough.
we've said that in the locker room a couple times.
We got done with the Tampa series is it's gonna be an extra challenge.
So either way, that extra challenge label's gonna be there.
It's just gonna be to an extreme with that game time, and, again, not so, so sure it makes sense, but not in charge of that stuff.
I'm sure there's a rhyme or reason.
Having all three of your three city trips jammed into the first basically two months, does that a little bit add an extra degree of difficulty for starting off a season?
Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, the way the season has worked out record-wise to this point, you look at literally every single thing and, you know, you catch Schlitter right out of the chute, and you get this and that.
But the, but the bottom line is you catch some breaks that maybe don't go unnoticed.
and you got some difficulties.
And as we talk, it's always easier to harp or, or kind of put your energy towards the negative things.
And we, we need to be in charge of making our own breaks.
It's the big leagues, it's always gonna be challenging.
And I think the biggest and most exciting thing with this group is we've yet to tap into who we are, in particular this year's Giants team, the best we can be.
So just gotta march on towards that, no matter how adverse the circumstances are.
Well, and the flip side is you're done with three city trips after this.
It makes it huge.
It makes it huge.
15 years, I don't think we ever missed Kershaw in a Dodgers series.
It just seemed like- Yeah it was impossible.
You did miss Skeens with the Pirates.
There's a pretty big arm here that- You don't know what you missed that we, that we missed.
So, but you don't know timing-wise, too.
And, and they've got Sprout.
I remember in college, we, we missed Sprout, you know, one particular weekend, and he was hell, and, and still kind of is.
So, but then you get those times, too, where, you know, you get it like the Kershaw instant, you get it a little worse.
the double header, you know, kind of affected us in a negative way in Philly.
but again, we always say the numbers are gonna even out.
I think just gotta push forward, and any time adversity comes up, you got excited to, to meet it head on.
I mean, Casey's a great example of that.
You could, you could call all that stuff adversity, moving up and down in the order like crazy, playing different positions, or you could call it an opportunity.
Yeah, I'm not sure in the spring any of us called Casey in left and hitting fifth.
No.
Nor did I.
Here we are.
Let's find out if it works
