Ex-MLB manager Joe Maddon criticizes Giants' 'insulting' Tony Vitello hiring

Joe Maddon is no fan of new San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello. 

Maddon, a decorated former MLB skipper with the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels, told KNBR in San Francisco that Vitello's hiring was "insulting."

"I'm using the word 'insulting' only from the perspective that it appears as though you don't have to have any kind of experience on a professional level to do this job anymore."

Joe Maddon is critical of the San Francisco Giants' recent managerial hire

There's no questioning the wealth of big league managing credentials that the 71-year-old Maddon possesses, most famously leading the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs to the World Series in 2008 and 2016, respectively (the latter winning it all). 

However, his most recent stint in a big league dugout with the Los Angeles Angels was nothing short of a disaster, resulting in a cumulative winning percentage of .477 between 2020 and 2022. To add further context, both superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout were on those rosters. 

That's where Vitello comes in: He's got a "clean" slate in MLB, yet he also comes equipped with plenty of pedigree — the Tennessee Volunteers had developed into one of the nation's collegiate baseball powerhouses under his watch.

To be clear, the Giants are swinging for the fences with their Vitello hire. Much of president of baseball operations Buster Posey's strategy will hinge on whether the 47-year-old can successfully transition from college to the big leagues in short order. And it's not like San Francisco hasn't tried hiring veteran leaders recently: Longtime MLB manager Bob Melvin was just fired after an unsuccessful stint in the Giants' dugout, for example. 

Overall, Maddon comes off looking bitter in this public exchange despite later wishing Vitello "all the best." At minimum, these comments won't help if Maddon is attempting to pursue another managerial opportunity in MLB. Time will tell if Maddon will be proved right, but for now, all he and the Giants can do is watch as Vitello prepares for his first season in the professional ranks.