I’m a baseball traditionalist: no clowning, no boorish behavior, no fat flips or mouthing off to the umps. I like-hit and- run plays (No, it’s not a smash and grab crime; it’s a seldom-used baseball play), perfectly-executed relay throws, stolen bases, a well-timed wheel play, the bunt, double plays, and triples. The occasional home run is exciting, but not four or more a game. A good play by the opponents is recognized by doffing the cap. “Hats off, boys.” Respect is key in the traditional game. A good example comes from the land of the great Shohei Ohtani, aka Japan, where players bow to the umpires.

Alas, baseball is being impregnated with what I call the “Savannah Banana” effect. This is a team that dances, sings and pulls stunts like pitching on stilts -The Harlem Globetrotters of baseball. It’s wildly popular with dilettantes.

Thus I am alarmed by the news that the ancient and venerable San Francisco Giants -a member of the National League since 1883- have hired a fellow from Tennessee to manage the club. By description it seems he is equal parts clown, comedian, and umpire tormentor. I saw a video where he ran on the field and yelled at all four umpires after a call did not go his way. How ennobling!

Of course, the rubes loved it.

Here is a short profile of the new skipper from the New York Times.

“Tony Vitello — The University of Tennessee’s intense, eccentric, hilarious national championship coach — to the San Francisco Giants? College baseball wasn’t sure how to take this guy a few years ago when his teams started beating everybody in their path — all while taunting bat-inspecting umpires, wearing fur coats and running the bases with middle fingers extended.

Tennessee baseball was like Happy Gilmore, luring chest painters to pro golf events and offending traditionalists. Vitello might be a bit excessive for the Carolina League, too. And now he’s in The Show? Tony Vitello? Tony the Tiger and Dick Vitale would have been just as believable before Giants president Buster Posey made this a serious pursuit.

But it’s serious, and real, and compelling. Posey got his guy, a devastating loss for Tennessee. And a major win for people who like fun with their sports. It could be a win for the Giants. It’s absolutely unconventional and a risk. It’s also going to make that franchise, and its press availabilities, much more interesting to the world at large.”Vitello’s appointment has generally been well received, with some reservations have been expressed that this is the first time a coach without any major league experience has been promoted to manager. His new team is comprised of seasoned veteran players who grind out 162 games a year. ” –Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, October 24, 2025

The questions from curious onlookers are already starting. “A challenge facing Vitello will be working with an older team for the first time. In his 23 years of coaching, he’s coached and developed young adults, Now, Vitello will have to lead a team with an average age of 29,” Lourence Alturino of Golden Gate Express observed. 

There  is a video on the internet that shows Vitello jumping into the stands and embracing fans, and dancing and mugging it up with players: true viral TikTok moments. How will wealthy, jaded major leaguers respond? I have a hard time seeing big leaguers giving the middle finger to their opponents as they round the bases.

I salute Posey for taking the risk. Excitement and enthusiasm are important for the Giants who have to compete with an array of existing Bay Area  entertainment options to sell tickets. But such stunts tend to wear off quickly, and seasoned fans will demand a winner on the field, not a side show. The 162-game major league season is one-hundred more games than the college boys play. The media believes the Giants have a team that can win now, a tough task that has the Dodgers and Padres in the same division. For me, I hope the antics are kept to a minimum. If I want to see clowns, I’ll go to the circus.