It wasn’t exactly a fantastic year for San Francisco Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, but apparently, his performance hasn’t ousted him from the good graces of the organization.
#SFGiants are negotiating to bring back Ryan Vogelsong, plus some other coal chunks as the hot stove gets started: http://t.co/iDbwXE1zX4
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) November 3, 2013
According to Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area, the Giants will not be picking up a $6.5 million contract option for 2014 on Vogelsong, but instead, the two sides have begun negotiations on a multi-year contract that would likely pay him less money per season. This is the type of move that would be expected from the Giants normally, but in an off-season that has seen them give out a bizarre, $35 million deal for Tim Lincecum, anything seems possible.
In 2013, Vogelsong was an abject disaster, posting a 5.73 ERA in 103.2 innings (with a -0.6 fWAR) before being shut down due to injury. However, we are just over 12 months removed from back-to-back seasons with a sub-3.50 ERA for the 35-year-old, and apparently, the Giants are doubling down on their asset.
For me, anything short of a drastic pay cut would be an overpayment for Vogelsong. The “stuff” was never elite for him, and the advanced metrics screamed that he was a bit of a fluke (if not a full-fledged one) in the two productive seasons. Alas, the Giants need to save money in other places, thanks to the deals for Lincecum and OF Hunter Pence, and extending a player that they already control is a way to keep costs down.