Tony Vitello explains how Giants developing younger players nearing season end
Giants manager Tony Vitello speaks to reporters before San Francisco's matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday at Oracle Park.
Tony Vitello explains how Giants developing younger players nearing season end originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
Junior Marte is here.
Is- Yeah is he gonna be part of the plans for tomorrow?
Potentially.
We'll end up having a couple of new faces around, and we'll, we'll measure up how today goes and then calculate tomorrow.
The best thing would be to give you exactly how tomorrow's gonna be scripted out, but a lot of it'll be dependent on what happens today.
It'd be nice to have that off day to be in the clear, in particular for some of those relievers.
But depending on how today goes, and also just conversations with some guys that have already taken place, to be honest with you, with those guys playing catch.
Some guys won't even be available.
So it'll dictate what's going on with some of these other guys.
He was obviously part of these attempts to be traded last year.
Just what are some of the reports that you've got on him?
Yeah.
Great kid.
He's gotten stronger as the years goes, has gone on, I think, physically, a, a little bit, and then ball jumps out of his hand.
He's got a good fastball, and he's made a lot of progress.
And to be honest with you, I think it's awesome for him, but it's a, it's a quick, you know, chain of events that take place where it's kinda like Coxie getting his chance all of a sudden right out of the chute.
So it'll be exciting to be a part of him getting his opportunity.
And he's got a little unique plan today, too, on how he wants to get settled in and be prepared if his, his opportunity presents itself tomorrow.
Are you aware of the other Junior Marte?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Because- I was a little confused when I started reading about him at first.
Yeah, because when you, you know, you wanna watch some recent video and things like that.
Right.
So, yeah.
So it'll be interesting to see how this one compares to that one, but a total different look.
Yeah.
So.
Really?
In, in what way, though?
I just think the, his arm slot.
We were talking last night at presser.
Different release points, and we just have a lot of sinker ball guys.
So to have a guy who's over the top, and like I said, the ball kinda jumps for him.
Changeup is good, too.
You know, got a variety of guys right now that got a pretty good breaking ball kicking for him out of the pen.
So it'll be a different look from that version of Marte.
But I think in general, too, for the other guys we have out here.
So I could ask you if you know the differ- if you could tell the difference between the Will Smith who just took some ground balls, the Will Smith who catches for the Dodgers, and the Will Smith who used to throw left-handed 15.
Well, when you're talking about a reliever, it's a little different.
But when in conversation, the two Will Smiths are definitely different.
But, you know, the Dodger one spent time at Louisville, so a little more familiar with him than the other three guys.
But yeah, that's, those aren't the only examples of where it gets confusing a little bit.
And yeah, sometimes I should've s- I should've spoke up in spring training right away.
You talk about Logan.
I should obviously know who Webby is, but when you got cameras in your face and everything, it's, it's Webby to me, you know?
So.
Yeah.
The Max Muncy's are the crazy ones.
Yeah.
With the same birthday and drafted by the same team.
Yeah.
Same position.
Very different and almost the same in some aspects.
But so weird.
So you just saw Matt, Tugboat, walk up as well.
Is he Is it kinda just gonna be dependent on what happens today?
Yeah.
Or is there one other- 'Cause, I mean, just to be frank, there could be a guy who is here who doesn't pitch for us.
Okay.
So, um- Yeah could speculate and all those things, but we'll wait to solidify, which might be post-game when we talk.
Might be able to solidify some of those things so everything's kinda cleared up or you know what the vision is for tomorrow.
How's Marcelo doing, and when do you think we might see him on the field?
He's jacked up.
I mean, as far as excitement level goes, just because he got that boot off.
And I, I think that was one of those things where it's better safe than sorry, if you wanna label it that, but a few more days, out of precaution.
But he was gleaming in the dugout yesterday having that thing off.
And then today a lot of his work is kinda more stationary.
And then he'll progress with activity the next couple days as far as getting active.
What made Blade so effective at Philly?
Strike one early.
You know, it's interesting.
Each scoreboard presents different things, strike percentages in big, bold letters up there on their board.
And he was low to mid-70s for the first two or three innings, and I think that opened up the door.
It's a lot easier to do that.
And then as you get second, third time through facing guys, maybe you're, you're making adjustments and attacking guys differently.
And so by nature, maybe that strike percentage comes down a little bit.
It's a heck of a lot easier to do it that way as opposed to be running in sand early and trying to play catch-up.
Your pitch count climbs.
You're not having success.
So, as simple as it sounds, I think strike one was huge.
And then a lot of our guys, I thought, just handled the moment well.
You can You know, when you play these guys in Arizona, it's in the dome.
It's a, y- you know, very consistent, controlled environment.
It's a different type of crowd.
There's different history in Arizona, just for example, as there is in Boston.
And, you know, you signing your name out there, and there's just a lot that comes with it.
And I thought our guys handled it well, but Blade's a great example of just handling all the extracurricular very well.
You've had a- I have a quick one for you after.
Okay.
You've had a lot of young guys come onto this team in the last few weeks.
Just what's it kinda been like for you as the manager to see all these kinda young guys get these cracks here at the big leagues and, you know, start to get better here, these last few weeks?
Yeah.
I mean, it's kinda unique.
I spoke with somebody right after I I talked with Marte in the performance center, and I was walking out for the early hitting part of the day.
And it just kinda hit me, just, you asked a personal question.
Like, it's pretty special.
It'd be better if you can influence and, you know, feel good about helping somebody along the way.
But even if you're just there alongside somebody, whether it's a pitcher or hitter experiencing some of these things, like eventually he will.
Tugboat did.
Turner Hill.
Just being a part of Nate Ferman, see- competing against him in college.
And essentially him overachieving, there's no other way to say it other than his mind and his work ethic are what has got him here.
He does have a skill set.
But just standing next to that is, is pretty awesome.
Yeah.
It's hard to put into words.
And obviously it's been a, a tough season record-wise, but when you see all these guys come up and get these opportunities, like I won't say it offsets, but this kinda maybe eased the grind of, of the season right now when you're seeing all these guys take advantage of their opportunities?
A little bit.
I mean, the challenge for everybody right now is to grind during this part of the year and play hard.
And those guys have made it easier on everybody around them to come to work with a little extra sense of juice or energy to you.
And there's been a little bit of back and forth with that as well, too.
So yeah, I don't think you can erase.
You know, it's the same for every club.
It kinda comes in months or different waves of the season, pre-All Star break.
We can't erase anything that happened, but y- you gotta focus on what you got going on today.
And I think what we got going on present moment is, at the very least, fun, and hopefully it appears that it's, it's going in the right direction, too
