Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Looking back at the 2019 Giants, with an eye toward the future. Previously: Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith, Pablo Sandoval.
Stephen Vogt created a lot more believers this season. Possibly too many more for the Giants to retain him.
Many Believed In Stephen Vogt by the end of his comeback year, in which a veteran catcher who seemed to be on the outs proved he has something left.
Vogt, eventually given his chance May 1 after beginning his season at Triple-A Sacramento, did not relinquish it, turning a backup job into a timeshare, his bat forcing his way into the lineup even when Buster Posey was behind the plate, a leader leaving his mark on the many rookies the Giants trotted out.
Vogt did so much for the team, slotting in both in left field and at first to get a lefty bat that slashed .263/.314/.490 in 99 games. It says a lot about both Vogt and the team that a backup catcher was seventh (0.9) among Giants position players in Fangraphs’ WAR.
Entering his free agency, the 34-year-old will no longer be seeking a minor league pact, like the one he inked with San Francisco in February. He was coming off shoulder surgery that jeopardized his career and erased his entire 2018 season. Vogt will be a future manager, but that future is further away than it seemed at this time last year.
While Farhan Zaidi declined to talk about their free agents individually, he said the Giants will “have interest in at least having discussions about those guys coming back.” Included is Vogt, and while Zaidi loves his versatility, it is hard to find where he fits in to the 2020 Giants.
Posey, signed through 2022, will be back and not moving around the infield; his greatest value as a 32-year-old is his excellence behind the plate. Joey Bart is looming, the 2018 second-overall pick rising to Double-A this season and positioning himself to arrive next year. Aramis Garcia, who did not hit this season, is still around. Vogt has built himself a market, and it’s difficult to envision the Giants outbidding another team (even in the low-stakes backup catcher aisle).
Working for Vogt is his bat, his leadership and his flexibility. Working against Vogt is his catching.
His arm, especially off that shoulder surgery, is a problem. He threw out just six of 35 base-stealers (17 percent, compared with Posey’s 26.5 percent). His 2.14 pop time was dead last in the majors this season, according to Baseball Savant. Fangraphs gave him negative-4 in framing, and his overall -3.1 defensive ranking, per the site, was good for 82nd in baseball.
If the Giants extend a $2 or $3 million offer, it would be because of Vogt’s bat and versatility, and not because of his catching. He showed he could hit. He showed he could lead, and he put himself right in the thick of free-agent catchers, a field that likely will be led by Yasmani Grandal, assuming he turns down his option. Others include Robinson Chirinos, Jason Castro, perhaps Tyler Flowers, Travis d’Arnaud, Russell Martin and Austin Romine.
Someone will want Vogt. If the Giants are involved in that wanting, he would be more than a backup catcher.