Tony Vitello, Giants players react to series sweep vs. Yankees
Tony Vitello, Willy Adames and Tyler Mahle speak to reporters after San Francisco's 3-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Saturday at Oracle Park.
Tony Vitello, Giants players react to series sweep vs. Yankees originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
Tony, I know it's tough getting swept, but, what did you see today and specifically, especially with the, the offense, you know, perking up somewhat?
Yeah, there was a few things that were good.
I mean, I'm sure Malley wanted to go a little longer, but I thought, per his build-up, his start was good.
Defense had some highlights a- and was good.
But overall, you mentioned the offense, you know, looking a little more lively, really just more competitive at the plate.
And again, it's not about the try hard, it's just more about some of those at-bats.
Positions we put ourselves in, were certainly better, and the execution was better, too.
Guys looked more comfortable, more relaxed, and, you know, the numbers don't completely tell that story on the scoreboard, but overall in the stat line and how the game went, it certainly was a competitive effort from their part.
I think you hadn't dipped into your bench until using Oliver to pinch run for Adames, in the bottom of the ninth.
Was that a matter of circumstance, or, or do you, you know, envision being a little more aggressive with utilizing the bench going forward?
just circumstance.
I mean, I, I'd like to be aggressive with JO being involved in the game and, and try and get creative and, and get Gerard opportunities offensively, but that was just circumstance.
I mean, if for some reason we move the ball forward, you know, the at-bat before, then, you know, hold out.
I mean, we would've done it for Bader if he would've got on base.
but he's our fastest guy, and you don't want any regrets over the course of the game.
I don't care how it goes.
You usually at least have one or two in there, and they're tough to live with.
So, I'd hate to have a play at the plate, as fast of a runner as Willy is, I know he doesn't wanna come out of the game.
you'd hate to have a regret that you got the fastest guy I've been around, sitting in the dugout.
And then with Jung-hoo in the eighth, that's, you know, a very tough left-on-left matchup.
Was there any consideration going to the bench in that situation?
No.
not at all.
I mean, he's our guy, and, I, I think those guys had gotten a previous look from Hill.
I mean, yeah, obviously he's really tough.
but Arraez was able to get to him, and some guys in spring training with a good approach were able to have success against him, so.
But he's, he's a weapon for, for them out of the pen with that weapon, but if things go well there, one more guy gets on base if, you know You got Jung-hoo at the very least on deck.
so with the game on the line in the ninth, so.
Tony, you mentioned pulling Malley.
you had the matchups there for Baraki in that inning.
Was there any consideration to not pitching to Judge given all the lefties around him?
Yeah.
No, there was, for sure.
So there's your regrets.
If we go back in time, now that we know the result, we would do that.
but that was a consideration, and didn't do it, and he made us pay, which is why he's pretty good.
He's more than pretty good.
Learned in the off-season, need to use verbiage the right way.
again, with regards to the bench, you had, Luis Urias reach base in the eighth inning with Rafi coming up.
Was there a thought there to maybe pinch run for him to try and maybe get out of the double play or steal a base to get out of the double play?
No, not really.
you know, in that situation, with the way Rafi's swinging the bat, I know Hill's, you know, slot he's throwing from against Rafi, but it wasn't really a consideration for a variety of reasons.
Tony, I know obvious- obviously it's early, but how important are first, first run, first hit for guys, like the first success to kind of get that relaxation you're talking about?
Yeah.
I think to get a feel for it.
First road trip, get a new I mean, obviously, we wanna be here in our home ballpark and, and of course in our locker room.
But first road trip, spend a little time away from, from everything here, and, do it with a little bit of a head of steam.
Obviously, it's not, you know, ideal to lose today, and, and lose in a heartbreaking fashion as well.
But as you mentioned, some, some notches in guys' belts that they can take some confidence in and, and go on the road and hopefully pick up some steam.
I know Malley's dealt with some injuries and surgeries.
Where do you expect him to get to in terms of buildup, and how long do you think that's gonna take?
Yeah, I mean, he was close.
I mean, to put you inside the dugout, he was close, you know, to the pitch count we were looking at.
If we date back to a little bit of an illness in spring training, he was a step behind everybody on the buildup.
and then just taking it all into account with those two things, pitch count, buildup, Grisham coming back around, and, you know, had a couple decent at-bats against him, or good at-bats against him.
We were gonna turn it over anyway, so we figured the best thing to do was give Baraki a clean inning, to start there.
So probably a little shorter day than he wanted, but at the same time, our comments in the corner were we were pretty pleased with what he was able to do today.
Just the pitch count, the last couple days, last three days, got a little higher quicker than we wanted it to.
Do you think 100 pitches is a realistic goal eventually?
Yeah, eventually.
No question.
No question.
Elliott's worked very hard on his defense this spring.
He said he wants to get back to where he was kind of the year before last.
first of all, what, what were your thoughts on his throw to the plate?
Yeah, the throw to the plate, I think, we, we talked about this, I think, with Robbie pitching, and then we score in the bottom of a spring training game.
I, I think there's no question our, the guys came into the dugout with a little extra snap to them, based off that play, and it so happens to be the one inning we scored.
and then the reads he got on some balls out there, you know, they're probably watching on TV or in the stands.
There are balls you feel should be caught.
but we feel like in our corner we're in, the comments we've made, he's, he's gotten to po- into position pretty quickly with good reads and good first steps.
So I think his hard work's paying off, and the good thing is if you come watch him during BPUm, he's not slowing down with the work ethic.
A- and, there were a lot of challenges today.
He had too, as a hitter, and, and he was ripe both times.
What are your thoughts on him, you know, taking- Yeah advantage of that?
I, I think he's seeing the ball as well as anybody.
you know, a couple of the at bats, i- in particular, the first one doesn't go his way.
A 3-2 pitch that's a little bit up, but I mean, it was a, if I remember right, a four-seam that, you know, early on in the game, Warren was a little more firm than usual with his fastball.
It had some good ride to it.
so tip the cap to him more than anything because the battle they had back and forth and the at bat Ramos put together there was pretty good.
So I'd say out of all of our guys trying to kind of get in a rhythm and, and feel comfortable in the box, he's seeing it as well as anybody right now.
When you have two challenges left in the ninth inning, is it just, do the players know it's just, "Hey, it's this"?
Yeah, they're kind of all on each other.
couple guys, you know, gave a, either a poke with the bat or shout out, you know, be aggressive in those situations, so.
Well, you guys obviously have, have opened up the season a little bit flat offensively.
Today, kind of, you guys showed some strides.
Do you feel like you're kind of getting to where you want to be?
I mean, I think today was better.
You know, obviously we didn't get the big hit again.
didn't think the, these first three games have, go the way that we wanted to, but, you know, that's how baseball goes, you know.
obviously we didn't want to start the season like that, but, like I say, now we have a new series, a new day to, start fresh and, you know, start, start rolling.
Willie, you were pretty excited about the adjustments you made coming into the spring, the swing adjustments.
Where are you at right now, kind of with your swing and your approach?
I'm just getting, just getting, trying to get rolling.
You know, I mean, it's the first three games of the season, so I'm not really worried about it.
I mean, obviously it would've been better if we were winning, but, it feels a little, more uncomfortable that, that we're not winning.
So, you know, I think, things are gonna start getting better and, you know, we're gonna start winning games.
Do, do you feel the offense is getting a little closer every day to- Yeah you know, the timing and everything to- Yeah, I think, break out in San Diego?
Yeah, I, I think, I think we were better today.
I mean, obviously, it hasn't shown yet, but I mean, no, I think, you know, Rafi got some hits today, some doubles and stuff.
Chappy got an RBI.
You know, Arraez got a hit.
I got a hit.
I, you know, and the boys, I think, you know, we going into the right direction.
Like I say, we just haven't got the big hit, and the big situation and, you know, that's, I think that's, that, that's what changed the momentum, and we haven't had that yet.
It's obviously early in the baseball season, but how important are firsts for you guys?
A first hit, a first win, a first, you know, big play or a pi- a win for a pitcher.
How, how big are those for you guys?
Yeah, I mean, we have to start rolling.
now like I say, we have a new, series now, to start fresh and, you know, go to San Diego and compete and try to take that series and, you know, come back home and do what we have to do.
It's rare that, you're pinch run for.
What was your reaction to that?
It's my, the first time that happened in my career.
Yeah.
You know, Tony makes the decision and, you know, he's the manager.
Tony was saying that you were right at, kind of around the pitch count they were looking for.
How did, how do you evaluate things?
I mean, yeah.
I think they told us like 85 pitches, so, I finished the fourth at 80.
So, I mean, I would've went above The way things were going, I would've went, went well above that.
so, yeah.
How do you assess your stuff?
Not great.
I mean, just didn't make pitches when I needed to.
split was good.
Fastball, you know, had some good life, just, didn't locate them like I wanted to.
So, in key situations for sure.
Tyler, it's been a few years now since you've thrown 100 pitches.
I mean, you've dealt with injuries and surgeries and building up.
Is that a goal of yours to eventually get back to being able to get to 100?
I don't think that's really something guys, like, I don't know, strive to do.
we wanna go deep in games, whatever the pitch count is.
yeah, I think, I think that's the goal, is just to go deeper into games.
like six innings is a baseline to where we should be striving for.
so I think that's the, that's the goal, is to be consistently, you know, pitching into the sixth.
What'd you think of the throw that Elliott made to get the runner at the plate?
It was great.
I honestly, I couldn't see it really.
I know, you know, the base hit went to left, and couldn't really see where the ball was or where Elli- or where, Elliott was.
and then obviously I had to run to, you know, back up home.
but yeah, it was awesome.
it's a good one.
You know, you're not making pitches, but you can count on your, your defense to, you know, back you up.
There were a lot of, ABS challenges just overall today.
Elliott was mentioning that, you know, with the shadows too, that might've played into it a little bit for the home plate umpire.
Did you get that kind of sense?
I don't know.
the, you know, everything looks good from where I'm at, you know?
The sun doesn't bother me, so, I'm not sure what they see.
But, I'm sure, yeah, it was crazy being in the sh- shadows and, you know, it lit up behind me.
I'm sure it's really, funky.
