Tennessee baseball is losing a few arms from its bullpen and pitching rotation, so Tony Vitello and company went into the transfer portal to add the first arm to the pitching staff. 

Tennessee has had seven players announce their intention to transfer out of the program with the portal window closed on July 2. With the portal closed, no new players can enter it, but players can still finish their portal recruiting process and commit to a new program. 

Kennesaw State transfer Tanner Franklin announced his joining the Vols on Tuesday. The right-handed pitcher is the first player to transfer to Tennessee after the Vols’ national championship run. 

“It’s the best spot for me,” Franklin told 247Sports. “I felt like God was telling me to go there. It’s home at the end of the day. That’s what led to the decision.”

“I was looking for somewhere I can go and develop as a person, but also as a player, somewhere it’s fun playing baseball,” Franklin said. ” When you watch Tennessee, they have fun every single day. It doesn’t matter if it’s a practice or a game, whatever it is. They’re enjoying being out there and are after the same thing. That’s something I was looking for.”

Franklin is returning home as a Johnson City, Tennessee, native after pitching 27.1 innings and collecting a 4-1 record, five saves, 43 strikeouts, and a 5.60 ERA with the Owls. 

He brings some heat to the Tennessee pitching staff, where he will likely serve out of the bullpen. His fastball topped out at 99 MPH this past season, which is why Tennessee was interested in the young arm. 

Franklin said a big reason the staff was interested in him was his size and power on the mound. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-handed pitcher can throw heat and bring an intimidating presence to the mound. 

He comes to Rocky Top with two years of eligibility and joins JUCO RHP Thomas Crabtree as the first two commits to sign with Tennessee.

OMAHA, Neb. — Tony Vitello checked his phone before bed five nights prior to Tennessee baseball making program history.

His iPhone popped up a string of photos, including one from October 2017 that triggered a memory montage. It showed him standing on the field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium with a glove in his right hand and his father, Greg, with a glove on his left hand before he had coached a game at Tennessee.

Vitello’s left arm is slung around his dad’s shoulders.

On June 26 in Omaha, Greg Vitello wrapped his right arm across his son’s shoulders for a family picture next to the pitcher’s mound at Charles Schwab Field. He reveled in every moment of Tennessee’s first national championship — and the brilliant work his son has done to build a program in the past seven years. 

“You know the movie ‘Field of Dreams’ when he says, ‘Hey, is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa?’ No, this — this — is heaven for us,” Greg Vitello said. “You can’t do any better than this.”

Why Greg Vitello thinks Tony Vitello is successful as a coach

Tony Vitello hugged his staff, ran to celebrate with his players, dashed back to shake the hands of the Texas A&M coaching staff, then made the most important stop after Tennessee beat the Aggies 6-5 to win the national championship.

He climbed up the stairs behind the third-base camera well to lead his parents and family onto the field. 

“I don’t think a lot people really understand what it takes to get here until you do this,” Greg Vitello said. “To be able to walk away with a championship, it is just totally amazing.”

Any conversation about Tony Vitello being a coach has to begin with his father. 

Greg Vitello coached at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis for 46 years, winning six state titles — five in soccer and one in baseball. Tony Vitello watched his dad, played for him and is undoubtedly on his father’s coaching tree.

Greg Vitello didn’t know what kind of coach his son would be when he got into coaching. He was — at his own admission — a marginal player, but undoubtedly a hard worker. Tony Vitello hopped into coaching at Missouri as a volunteer assistant as soon as his playing career for the Tigers ended. He worked at TCU then landed at Arkansas, where he continued to become feared as a recruiter and a master of player development.

Tim Jamieson, who coached then hired Tony Vitello at Missouri, once told Greg Vitello he had never seen anyone work as hard as Tony Vitello did.

That is one of the traits that Greg Vitello said got Tennessee to the national title.

“He has gone through a whole lot — every coach has,” Greg Vitello said. “His perseverance and being able to rather than point the finger at somebody else, point the finger at me, I think that is one of the reasons he gets along so well with his players.”

How the Vitello family came together for Tennessee baseball national title 

Tony Vitello took off on a full sprint down the left-field line in Omaha, up a rolled-up tarp and into the stands after Tennessee won the title. 

Moments prior, he was hunched over between his mom and dad to embrace them both. It was a moment within the many celebratory minutes that Greg Vitello, 77, said he hopes to remember for a really long time.

“I will take it to heaven with me,” Greg Vitello said. 

Vitello family members from across the country flocked to Omaha for the College World Series final. Greg Vitello’s brother came from Chicago. Family members from Houston came and others did from New York. 

Family was on Greg Vitello’s mind after Tennessee won it all. He lauded the way Kathy Vitello raised their four kids — Tony Vitello and his three older sisters. He admires his wife’s strength. It could be why Tony Vitello is the way he is and why he battles so hard for for his players. He value family and clearly treats his players like family members.

BOOK: Celebrate Tennessee baseball’s epic CWS national championship with our special new book

The Vitellos posed for photos in the middle of the field, holding commemorative newspapers, shirts and pompoms. More importantly, they held each other. 

“His baseball brought together our family,” Greg Vitello said. “It’s all our family. It is all because of baseball. You just don’t do better than family. You really don’t.”

That isn’t lost on Tony Vitello. Neither is what he saw in the old picture with his father from seven years ago.

Lindsey Nelson Stadium had natural grass, trees behind left-field and only one row on porches. The ballpark is entirely different now and about to change even more, including a decal on the wall for the first national title in Tennessee baseball history.

“It is a dream,” Greg Vitello said. “It is a dream come true.”

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it

Taylor Swift started her career in Nashville when she was in her early teens. The talented teen worked very hard at mastering her singing and songwriting skills in the city. Also, she visited record labels and gave them her demos in hopes of signing a record deal. Her hard work paid off, and her success is now history. She has broken hundreds of records with her achievements as a singer-songwriter-storyteller extraordinaire.

Swift still has strong ties to Music City, and she is believed to visit there quite often. After all, it is home to the Taylor Swift Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Nashville is one of the best cities for Swifties hoping to see a part of Swift’s history because they can find pieces of it all over the city. From murals to cafes to museums, Swifties could spend a week in the city and not run out of interesting things to do.

Here are some of the most fun Taylor Swift spots to visit on your next visit to Nashville. You might want to bring along some friendship bracelets to trade with other Swifties you are likely to meet along the way.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Every Swiftie who comes to Nashville should stop by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Not only is it home to the Taylor Swift Education Center, but the museum itself displays a lot of memorabilia from her illustrious career. The museum has fascinating displays and interactive exhibits that cover many aspects of country music history. You’ll probably want to linger for at least a few hours to take in everything.

The Bluebird Café

Taylor Swift’s connection to The Bluebird Café is legendary. When she was already an accomplished songwriter trying to get discovered in 2004 at the age of 14, Swift performed at The Bluebird Café.

There she met Scott Borchetta, and he later signed her to Big Machine Records where she released her first six album. Their long-time partnership ended when Borchetta sold Taylor Swift’s master recordings instead of giving her a chance to buy them herself. In a blog post on Tumblr, Swift explained the depths of betrayal and pain she felt after that happened.

Swift has since been triumphant in the release of her Taylor’s Version re-recordings of those albums. They have been extremely well-received and have broken records, and she has left that pain in her past. The Bluebird Café remains an iconic part of the star’s history.

Taylor Swift returned to The Bluebird Café for a surprise visit in 2018. At that time, she performed her hits “Shake It Off”, “Love Story”, and “Better Man”. Her show was filmed as part of the documentary Bluebird.

Tickets to see a show at The Bluebird Café can be hard to obtain, so be sure to plan your visit in advance and book tickets on The Bluebird Café website.

The Reading Bench in Centennial Park

During Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stop in Nashville, she learned that a bench had been placed in the city’s beloved Centennial Park in honor of her song lyrics. In “Invisible String” from the Folklore album, Swift sings, “Green was the color of the grass where I used to read at Centennial Park.” She was so honored by this gesture that she added “Invisible String” back into her set list during the second night of The Eras Tour in Nashville. It had previously been on her set list before she switched it out for fan favorite song “The 1”.

The plaque on the city’s bench read, “For Taylor Swift, a bench for you to read on at Centennial Park.” The text concluded with, “Welcome home, Nashville”.

It still stands in the park for fans to visit. It’s a popular spot for Swifties to hang out and take selfies when they visit Music City. Bring along a book to enjoy the full experience.

Kelsey Montague’s Murals and AirBnB

Kelsey Montague is an artist Taylor Swift has celebrated for years. The singer first posed with a mural of wings Montague had drawn on a wall in New York City. Later, Swift commissioned Montague to create a butterfly mural to announce her single “ME!” from her Lover album.

That mural was always meant to be temporary, but Montague has several other murals in the city now. The most famous is probably her butterfly wings in The Gulch. The “What Lifts You Wings” can be found at 230 11^th Avenue South in Nashville.

You can also book an AirBnB full of whimsy and Kelsey Montague art. There are artistic renderings of Taylor and art that will remind you of her at the beautiful multi-story home. The Gulch Wings Home by Kelsey Montague Art is a three-story home with a rooftop balcony that’s unlike any other place to stay in Nashville.

Ryman Auditorium

Not only has Taylor Swift performed many concerts at Ryman Auditorium, but she also told Nashville Lifestyles Magazine that she loves to go watch concerts there. You can visit the historical auditorium for a show, and they also offer a variety of fun tours. You can feel like Taylor Swift herself with their guided backstage tour which lets you walk in the foosteps of stars who have performed there.

Shopping Hot Spots

Taylor Swift has expressed her love of shopping in Nashville. She revealed to Nashville Lifestyles Magazine that she loves to visit the shops in Franklin, and she also said she loves going to Target in Nashville.

Music lovers are sure to enjoy a visit to Fanny’s House of Music, which Swift praised for its instruments, lessons, sweet staff, and vintage items. Taylor also recommended shops like Gilchrist and Gilchrist for those who like shabby chic styles. She likes Fire Finch and Pangaea in Hillsboro Village, and she also praised the Hill Center area shops H.Audrey and Anthropologie.

Nashville International Airport and Bus Stop

If you’re flying into Nashville for your visit, you won’t have to go far to see a location from a Taylor Swift video. Parts of her endearing music video “Ours” were filmed at the airport and bus stop. A Taste of Country revealed a behind-the-scenes video so you can make sure you hit the exact spots before leaving the airport for further Nashville adventures.

Grand Ole Opry

Any country music enthusiast should stop by the Grand Ole Opry while in Nashville. Taylor Swift made her debut on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry back in 2006, reported The Tennessean. You can do a backstage your of the Grand Ole Opry for a glimpse into what it might have been like when Taylor graced its stage. Look for a photo of Taylor and a quote from her appearance at the Grand Ole Opry posted backstage.