Leave it up to the Comeback Kid to snap the Giants’ five-game losing streak. Sure, much of the credit was given to the Giants’ bats finally waking up, but let’s not dismiss yet another solid performance from pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, who allowed just one run in six innings to the hot-hitting Arizona Diamondbacks this afternoon. Vogelsong chalked up his ninth victory—tied with Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain for the team lead—and now leads the National League with a 2.19 ERA.
Discussion on today’s sports talk shows pondered the possibility of the 34-year-old righty being considered for the Cy Young Award. While pundits say that it’s unlikely that Vogelsong will be chosen over the likes of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Jair Jurrjens and Clayton Kershaw, wouldn’t it be a fairy tale ending to a remarkable story?
It wasn’t too long ago that Vogelsong wondered if his professional baseball career was coming to an end. His journey has taken all sorts of twists and turns. Originally drafted in the fifth round by the Giants in 1998, Vogelsong made his Major League debut in 2000, but was soon traded midseason in 2001 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He suffered a devastating elbow injury, which later required Tommy John surgery, in his second start for Pittsburgh and went through a frustrating year of rehab in 2002. After several mediocre seasons, the Pirates released him. With few options in the States, Vogelsong and his wife, Nicole, decided to move to Japan where he would play two seasons for the Hanshin Tigers and one season with the Orix Buffalo.
“It was tough, not just on me, but on my whole family being away from everyone,” says Vogelsong. “Just going through the struggles of not really ever having success. Always failing and failing beats you down after a while.”
But it was his love of baseball that pushed Vogelsong to continue pursuing his dream. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. I can’t really see myself doing anything but this,” he says. “That’s what drove me.”
At the end of 2009, Vogelsong, with encouragement from Nicole, decided to give the Major Leagues one more shot. But his road continued to be bumpy. He signed a minor league contract with Philadelphia, but was cut halfway through the season. For six days, no team picked him up. Eventually, the Los Angeles Angels signed him to a minor league contract, but did not re-sign him for 2011. Vogelsong went to Venezuela to play winter ball and caught the eye of Giants scouts, eventually signing a minor league contract on Dec. 28, 2010. He pitched impressively during Spring Training and started the season at Triple-A Fresno.
Vogelsong was promoted to San Francisco on April 17 to replace the injured Barry Zito. He earned his first win on April 28 against his old team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since then, he has been playing lights-out baseball, compiling a 9-1 record.
“It was a long, tough road, but the main thing is that it got me back here,” says Vogelsong. “This is where I always wanted to be.”
Last month, Giants manager Bruce Bochy named Vogelsong to this year’s All-Star Game. Even though he didn’t pitch in the game, just being there was a dream come true, says Vogelsong.
“It was an amazing experience. To be around all these elite players for a couple of days was very special to me, considering all that I’ve been through,” he says.
While his path back to the Majors may not have been ideal, Vogelsong says he has gleaned benefit from all of his experiences. That combination of life experience, mental focus and maturity over the years has helped him develop into the pitcher that he knew he could be.
Still, now that he is seeing some success in the big leagues, Vogelsong does not take his situation for granted.
“I don’t look too far ahead these days. When I was younger, I was always looking four steps ahead,” he says. “I’m more focused on taking the next step instead of looking too far in advance. I think about who I’m facing in my next game, the next pitch and try to simplify things as much as I can.”
His wife and one-year son, Ryder, help put things into perspective.
“I was always the guy who brought the game home with him. Baseball was always on my mind at home. Now that I have (Ryder), once I leave here, it’s time to be Dad,” says Vogelsong.
