SF Giants’ first-year manager Tony Vitello has a Hall of Fame mentor: Tony La Russa

One of the coolest perks so far of being a big-league manager, Tony Vitello likes to show off to friends from back home, in St. Louis. It’s Tony La Russa’s phone number.

And he’s put it to use often.

“Over the course of the time that I’ve been hired, you could average it out to once every couple of weeks I’ve heard from him,” Vitello said. “And it hasn’t been surface-level, stereotypical conversations or just broad comments; it’s been very in-depth.”

The Hall-of-Fame manager...