Vogl Making the Most of New Role

July 10, 2008   ·   Patrick Hickey, Jr.   ·   Jump to comments

Last season at this time, Cyclones outfielder Will Vogl was manning the right field wall in Brooklyn on an everyday basis, getting clutch hits at a frenetic pace and gunning runners out with pinpoint precision. He was so good through the first 30 or so games of 2007 that his theme song as he reached the plate, “Animal,” by Three Days Grace, sent chills down opposing pitchers’ spines.

Then August came.

Losing nearly 60 points on his batting average by the season’s end in what could have been the best season of his professional baseball career, Vogl ended up with a mediocre .240 clip after what he calls “the worst slump of his life.”

When the offseason finally came, Vogl opted to focus on the season ahead and make sure he never got himself in a fix like that ever again.

“I was disappointed with the way my season ended with the never ending slump and all,” he said. “I just felt like I was pressing too much to get hits.”

But because of the slump and the addition of recently drafted prospects like John Servidio, Sean Ratliff and Kirk Nieuwenhuis this season, Vogl now finds himself the fourth outfielder on a Brooklyn team flooded with talent.

Most players would be noticeably shaken if in Vogl’s shoes, spending his third season in Single-A and lobbying for playing time in an outfield as drenched in athleticism, speed and power as the Cyclones’ currently is. However, this 24-year-old St. Johns product has quickly become master of getting himself into a box score. Despite his new role as a bench player, Vogl has played in 13 of the team’s 20 games and has one homer and four RBI in only 36 ABs.

While admitting that he’s still not quite used to being on the bench, Vogl has no problem doing whatever it takes to get into ballgames.

“I’ll do whatever it is they want me to do,” he said. “Whether it’s pinch running, hitting or subbing on defense, it doesn’t matter.”

Armed with a solid arm, even better speed and a knack for drawing tons of pitches from opposing hurlers, Vogl is quickly becoming the team’s super sub. Replacing some of the more inexperienced players during the late innings of close games or pinch hitting when the team is need need of a jolt, Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo knows that Vogl is still a more than reliable player.

“Even though he’s not starting right now, he’s still one of my favorite players,” said Alfonzo. “He works so hard out there.”

Nevertheless, despite his Spartan-like work ethic that often has him taking extra batting and fielding practice before every Cyclones game, the best thing about Vogl is his attitude.

Rather than harp on the end of his season last year or his lack of playing time this season, Vogl only has one expectation this season: winning the NYPL Championship.

“We were so close last season,” he said of the 2007 Clones that were two wins away from the title. “It left a bad taste in my mouth. This season, I want a ring.”

Notes:

Ignacio Medrano, Seth Williams and Darren Clark made their Brooklyn debut last night in Jamestown. Both middle-infielders by trade, Williams was inserted into right field, while Clark made an appearance in left.

Second baseman Josh Satin was sent to Kingsport to make room for the team’s new additions and responded by going 4 for 4 in his first game with the K-Mets. Outfielder John Servidio was also sent to Kingsport.

The Ike Davis show continues as the Brooklyn first baseman notched another hit last night, his 13th in a row and only four shy of the team record.

Link:

Box Score to last night’s 4-3 Cyclone loss.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.