Surprise name emerged in Giants’ manager search before reported Tony Vitello pivot

As the SF Giants search for a new manager, a bit of a surprise name has entered the mix: Tony Vitello, the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, who will reportedly come to an ultimate conclusion within 24-72 hours.

However, Vitello isn't the only surprising name who emerged in the past 24 hours. Vance Wilson, the third base coach of the Kansas City Royals, reportedly interviewed for the job earlier this month after previously being unmentioned.

This news comes via Anne Rogers who reported it on social media:

SF Giants linked to unlikely name in search for manager

Wilson is a former big league catcher who played six seasons with the New York Mets and two with the Detroit Tigers. He served as a backup to Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza during his years with the Mets and also served as a backup to Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez, another Hall of Fame catcher, in Detroit, so he has brushed shoulders with greatness.

Following his playing career, he served as a manager for several minor league teams in the Kansas City Royals organization. He eventually earned a promotion to the big league coaching staff and served as a bullpen coach for Kansas City in 2018 and 2019. In 2020 he became the team's third base coach which is where he has stuck ever since.

Not only did Wilson cross paths with Hall of Fame players, he also developed a relationship with Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland during his brief stint in Detroit. Leyland offered him advice as he became a manager in his own right so he has learned how to manage from one of the best to ever do it.

Wilson also interviewed for the managerial opening with the Minnesota Twins and he was interviewed by the Royals for manager last time they had an opening a few years ago so he has been through this process before.

His name is a bit unlikely in a Giants managerial search since he has no obvious connections to the organization. Perhaps president of baseball operations Buster Posey and the front office are trying to cast a wide net in the search to see if they can get some different perspectives.

There does seem to be a theme with the team interviewing former catchers though. Nick Hundley's name has come up a lot and the team also reportedly interviewed Kurt Suzuki, both of whom are former big league catchers.

It seems clear that Posey is looking for someone who views the game in a similar way to him. He is a former catcher in his own right so it is not a big surprise that that has been a common theme in this search.

However, recent reporting in The Athletic suggests that, after all that catching-related progress, Vitello, the head coach at the University of Tennessee, seems to be the favorite to land the job in San Francisco, which would certainly be a bold hire if it is true.

We will see if Wilson ends up being a serious candidate or if he was not really under heavy consideration. Either way, it is interesting to see an unlikely name thrown into the mix like this.