Giants sign Vogelsong to two-year deal

Published by on January 11, 2012 | 4 Responses

Jon Morosi tweets:

Source: #SFGiants’ deal with Ryan Vogelsong is two years (plus option) at $8 million.
January 11, 2012 9:31 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite
@jonmorosi
Jon Morosi

Vogelsong was in line to earn $3-4M this season through arbitration. So, when you consider the fact that the Giants were going to pay Vogelsong $3-4M in 2012 regardless of what happened, this seems like a nice little deal for the team. Vogelsong — who has to be thrilled right now — gets more financial security than he’s probably had in a long, long time. The Giants, essentially, are paying Vogelsong like he’s a 1 WAR pitcher per season over the next two years. Even if you factor in some regression, it looks like a good deal for both player and team. (ZiPS has Vogelsong projected as a 93 ERA+ pitcher in 2012 — that’s three points below the league average ERA+ for a starter in the National League.) If Vogelsong turns out to be an asset, then the Giants can keep him on the team beyond 2012 at a very reasonable price.

I’m not sure we’ll see the 2011 version of Vogelsong in the upcoming baseball season, but the Giants really just need him to hold his own at a league average performance. And, I think this is one of those deals where I can separate myself from the money involved and just be happy for the player.

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Paul Heally
Paul Heally

And how many pitchers have a breakout season at age 32 and maintain even a league average rate of performance there after. It is assumed if Vogelson wins 10 plus games with a league average ERA, it's a good deal. At a $5MM guaranteed second year at age 34, I am just not convinced this will happen. When has it happened before? I think the Giants would have done the organization better by offering Vogelson an arbitration estimate for 2012 and if he repeated, then looked at a better deal. Wasn't that kind of what they did with Andres Torres? For some reason, the Giants feel a player that has a break out season at a bargain price, should be made up to with an overpriced two-year deal (See Section labeled Aubrey Huff). Maybe I am wrong--I just don't think so--and I am usually not so certain!

Paul Heally
Paul Heally

I believe I am the only person in the Giants Universe that did not like this deal. First--and I mean FIRST, I loved and I am so happy for the season Ryan Vogelsong had last year--altho I should preface I did not think he should make the NL All-Star Team--so maybe I am not really that happy for Ryan Vogelsong and just doing my best to avoid a Giant Stoning, which is not an unusual result on Giant Message Boards! Let's just assume I am happy for him, and I think his wife is HOT as well. Still, this is a 32-year-old pitcher that threw 250 innings between Winter Ball and MLB in a 12-month period.

alex
alex

Mr. Bay City Ball, Any chance you would want to update the positional depth chart? I am curious what you think their lineup will be.

Chris
Chris

Well said. Happy that the Giants didn't go crazy with years or AAV, but especially happy for Ryan.