Braves Fan-Favorite Poised for New Role With Rival Team

Watch Braves Fan-Favorite Poised for New Role With Rival Team - Rizzle on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Braves' fan favorite, poised for a new role with rival team.

00:04Braves' favorite Ron Washington is headed west again, but not for a manager's chair this time.

00:10At 73, the beloved baseball lifer will take his infield wizardry to San Francisco,

00:14joining the Giants as an infield coach under new manager Tony Vitello.

00:18It's a reunion of sorts with the baseball diamond,

00:21though this time, Washington's return comes with fewer spotlights and more grounders.

00:26This marks Washington's 21st year in a big league coaching role, a remarkable milestone by any standard.

00:33The move raises eyebrows not for his resume, which spans decades, teams, and accolades,

00:38but for who he'll be coaching with.

00:41Tony Vitello, 46, jumps straight from the NCAA ranks to the majors, skipping the minor league grind entirely.

00:48It's a rare transition, and Washington's experience may not just be valuable,

00:52it may be critical to anchoring this dugout.

00:55Of course, Washington's own story adds layers to this next chapter.

01:00Washington left the Los Angeles Angels midway through the 2024 season after undergoing a quadruple bypass.

01:07It was a sobering moment for someone who has become something of a baseball institution.

01:12He later expressed hopes to return to managing in 2026.

01:16But the Angels chose a different direction, tapping Kurt Suzuki instead.

01:20That pivot opened the door for San Francisco.

01:23What Washington brings is more than just decades of know-how.

01:27It's a brand of coaching that borders on obsession, especially in the infield.

01:32Braves fans still sing his praises for the meticulous drills he ran during his seven-year stint in Atlanta,

01:38culminating in a World Series win in 2021.

01:40He managed the Texas Rangers to two A.L. pennants and became a legend in Oakland, molding Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez.

01:49In San Francisco, he'll shape Matt Chapman and Willie Adamas, two strong defensive presences and young blood like Bryce Eldridge.

01:57If history is any indication, his infield sessions will be appointment viewing, the thousand fungos before breakfast included.

02:05Whether this is Washington's sunset or just another sunrise, the infield dirt will be a little sharper under his watch.