Seattle Mariners: Dan Vogelbach Working to Improve His Defense
While the Seattle Mariners are locked in a tight Wild Card race, one of their mid-season trade acquisitions is setting himself up to make an impact in 2017.
It may not be front and center in the minds of everyone in the Seattle Mariners organization with the team currently sitting just one game back of a Wild Card spot, but trade acquisition Dan Vogelbach has reportedly been working on his defense with the hopes that he can help the big league club next season.
Formerly a farmhand in a loaded Chicago Cubs farm system, the first baseman was one of the more offensively capable players in the high levels of the minor leagues for Theo Epstein and company. Since being drafted in the second round in 2011, the 23-year-old has had his fair share of success with the bat. Prior to the 2016 season, Vogelbach had never finished a minor league year with less than 16 long balls. He also carries a career .286 batting average with an impressive .391 OBP. It looked like Vogelbach was ready to make an impact in MLB offensively this year, too, as he produced a strong line of .292/.417/.505 through 133 games this year. However, he wasn’t making the jump to the majors because he was basically a designated hitter trying to carve out a niche on a National League ballclub.
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With young talent at pretty much every position in the majors, Chicago decided to send their power hitting first baseman to the Mariners in exchange for left-handed relief pitcher Mike Montgomery. This was probably good for all parties because Vogelbach was destined to be a bench bat in the National League, so switching to the American League gave him a chance to make his mark at designated hitter.
Granted, the lefty slugger has only appeared in seven games with the Mariners since being dealt. He’s collected only one hit in 12 plate appearances. But it looks like the club could have Vogelbach in their plans for next season with the Mariners’ current everyday first basemen hitting free agency.
Veteran Adam Lind and Dae-ho Lee have been the Mariners’ primary first basemen for the 2016 season even though both have had mixed results in the batter’s box. As of now, Lind is hitting around .240 with a lowly on-base percentage of .287. He has contributed some solid power numbers, hitting 20 homers. Lee has been a bit better in terms of getting on base, but his numbers are average as well. The team could really use some better offense to compliment the likes of Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager in 2017, and their new slugger could be just that guy if he earns the opportunity to start in next year’s Spring Training.
Dan Vogelbach could certainly help out in a designated hitter role next year with the Mariners shifting Nelson Cruz to right field. However, it is probably in his best interest to try and improve enough with the glove to be a feasible option at first base next season, and it seems that the former Cub is doing just that.
According to Bob Dutton of The News Tribune, Vogelbach has been emphasizing working on his defensive skills with Mariners bench coach Tim Bogar. By doing this, the first baseman/designated hitter is making it clear that he wants to be an option at the position in the near future.
“It’s definitely something I’m taking seriously,” Vogelbach said, “because it’s something I need to improve. I’m taking full advantage of Bogie, and he’s been teaching me the correct things so that come the off-season, I can get after it and come to spring training and be ready to go.”
Being so capable with the bat is usually viewed as a good thing, but perhaps Vogelbach’s defensive capabilities were pushed to the side because of how promising of a player he is offensively. At least this was a theory that Bogar pointed to when discussing his extra work with the 23-year-old.
“When you’re a younger player and you hit as well as he does,” Bogar said, “sometimes the defense gets pushed aside. You just rely on athleticism to play the position without knowing the intricacies of how to do it correctly.”
With the increased reps that he’s doing in the field, Vogelbach has been incredibly blunt about how wrong he’s been playing the position over the course of his playing career, which is a very refreshing take from a player that’s looking to make big strides at the position.
“I’ve been doing it the wrong way for so long,” he said, “that I’m now making the correct muscle memory. Getting it to be a natural habit. I can already feel a difference.”
(Quotes from The News Tribune)
Vogelbach figures to be right in the mix to play in an everyday role next season, and while he does have the ability to be a game-changer with the bat, if Vogelbach can improve his play at first base, it gives him a much better shot to crack the starting lineup. The Seattle Mariners surely would not mind if he learned quickly.
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What do you think of Vogelbach’s attempts to improve defensively? Do you see him as an everyday player for the Mariners next season? Let us know in the comment section below.