So what's up with Vogey?

[Mays-Fan]

Not exactly impressing so far. Is he working on something? Just throwing fastballs?

Any inside scoop would be appreciated. Even if it's bad news, I'd like to know it.

His ST so far does not give me a warm and fuzzy about the #5 SP slot. Although it does make me glad we pursued Hudson.

 

[moxie]

This might help explain it. This echoes something similar from the announcers after his Mariners outing. Though I'm getting a little freaked out that he's so umm... not angry?
Bay Area Sports Guy ? Vogelsong scraps new mechanics and reaps benefits, Susac shines in tie with Rangers

Vogelsong tried to rebuild his mechanics after a difficult 2013, and that process led him to look toward the best pitcher in the game for some ideas. But Clayton Kershaw is left-handed and has been pitching the same way forever, and Vogelsong and his pitching coach both realized after Saturday that he needed to go back to the old way of doing things.
“I was spinning off a lot of balls (in 2013). The ball was flat. So I was kind of thinking, if I could get some shoulder-tilt this way, and come on over, top to bottom. Kershaw’s kind of like that. He has a little shoulder-tilt to him, and he gets really over the ball and gets plane on it. So I’m like, well, the guy’s pretty darned good. Maybe I should try to be doing some of that,” said Vogelsong.
That led to a difficult offseason that started with self-doubt and progressed with more flexibility work than ever before. Everyone was in agreement this week that Vogelsong’s best approach is to go back and fine-tune his old mechanics, but he has no regrets about trying a new way of pitching.
“I think it helped me. I think that made me understand what I needed to do differently. I don’t think it was a wasted experiment,” he said.

 

[calsnowskier]

This might help explain it. This echoes something similar from the announcers after his Mariners outing. Though I'm getting a little freaked out that he's so umm... not angry?
Bay Area Sports Guy ? Vogelsong scraps new mechanics and reaps benefits, Susac shines in tie with Rangers

This.

I did not listen to yesterdays game, but I did hear a quick recap (on KNBR??) that said he lost focus a couple times in the game.

WHAT???

Focus is one of Vogeys strengths. That is why he is suck an asshole on his game-days. If he is losing focus, he is done.

 

[SFGRTB]

Just hope that Escobar figures out his stuff by May. I think we'll be seeing this kid this year, probably earlier than I originally expected if Volgey can't get it done.

 

[tzill]

I wouldn't put too much stock in a March game in Goodyear, where the ball was flying to all fields. I think Vogey will be ok. If not, we have Petit.

 

[Stokes1931]

I wouldn't put too much stock in a March game in Goodyear, where the ball was flying to all fields. I think Vogey will be ok. If not, we have Petit.

Thanks. I will sleep much better tonight.

 

[calsnowskier]

I wouldn't put too much stock in a March game in Goodyear, where the ball was flying to all fields. I think Vogey will be ok. If not, we have Petit.

If that were all it was, I would agree with you. But it is not just one game. It is the entire spring, and 90% of last year. It is not looking good for our #5 pitcher right now.

 

[tzill]

If that were all it was, I would agree with you. But it is not just one game. It is the entire spring, and 90% of last year. It is not looking good for our #5 pitcher right now.

Well, I saw him last Thursday in Surprise. He looked like the old Vogey to me. He scrapped a plan to change his pitching approach and has gone back to his old mechanics. The first time he did that was in Surprise. The second time was in Goodyear, where the ball was rocketing all over the place. Is it concerning? Sure. But it's also a short sample size. I discount last year because he was hurt for most of it. Maybe he's done, but I think he gets 10 starts to see. By that time, Eskie should be ready to go, and we have Petit.

Bottom line: how many teams have a reliable #5? We're spoiled in that we don't seem to ever use more than 6-7 SP in the same year. Most teams use 9-10.

If Bum and Cainer consistently go 7+, the Tims go 6+, then I can live with a Vogey/Petit/Eskie #5 gutting out 5.5 innings a start.

The #5 SP isn't going to determine our season, the other 4 will.

 

[calsnowskier]

Well, I saw him last Thursday in Surprise. He looked like the old Vogey to me. He scrapped a plan to change his pitching approach and has gone back to his old mechanics. The first time he did that was in Surprise. The second time was in Goodyear, where the ball was rocketing all over the place. Is it concerning? Sure. But it's also a short sample size. I discount last year because he was hurt for most of it. Maybe he's done, but I think he gets 10 starts to see. By that time, Eskie should be ready to go, and we have Petit.

Bottom line: how many teams have a reliable #5? We're spoiled in that we don't seem to ever use more than 6-7 SP in the same year. Most teams use 9-10.

If Bum and Cainer consistently go 7+, the Tims go 6+, then I can live with a Vogey/Petit/Eskie #5 gutting out 5.5 innings a start.

The #5 SP isn't going to determine our season, the other 4 will.

Sure. Good points, all.

However, our rotation is not what it was in '10-'12. The days of four Acers in the rotation are over (for now, at least). We have one no-doubter and one potential if he bounces back. Then we have two potential #3's and a huge question mark.

Tossing the #5 like an unnecessary afterthought is not something this team can afford to do. We just aren't that strong.