Giants reportedly closing in on unprecedented managerial hire

When it's said that Vitello has no major league experience, that is not an exaggeration or hyperbole. He literally has none. He never played in the major leagues (or minor leagues) as a player and has never worked in any big league job. All of his coaching experience, both as an assistant and manager, has come in the NCAA. 

Prior to getting the top job at Tennessee, he worked as an assistant at Missouri, TCU and Arkansas. 

While it would be an unprecedented hire, that does not necessarily mean it is bad.

He still has an extensive baseball background, and has done well in his jobs, especially at Tennessee where he has been running the program. At the end of the day, it is still baseball, even if it is at a lower level. Would it be all that different to hire somebody from the minor leagues as opposed to this? Not particularly. 

Sometimes hiring somebody that comes from outside of the old boys network can mean a fresh vision, new ideas and a different approach. Sometimes that's what a team needs. The Giants have not been afraid to take that sort of approach recently, with president of baseball operations Buster Posey going into that role almost straight from his playing days with no other major front-office experience. 

The Giants are looking to replace Bob Melvin after two consecutive mediocre seasons that saw them finish 80-82 and 81-81 under his watch.