Could Ryan Vogelsong Return to the Giants?

On Tuesday, it was announced that San Francisco Giants‘ starting pitcher Tim Hudson underwent ankle surgery in order to remove bone spurs. The surgery was done on the same ankle in which Hudson suffered his gruesome ankle injury, a fracture, while a member of the Atlanta Braves. The expected time-table for the winningest active pitcher in baseball’s recovery is around 8 weeks, which will cause Hudson to miss the beginning of Spring Training. Any unforeseen setbacks, which is not of the equation for a 39-year old pitcher, will most likely force Hudson to miss Opening Day.

Matt Cain also has question marks surrounding him, as he missed the final three months of the season and all of the postseason after undergoing surgery on his elbow, also to remove bone chips. He would undergo another procedure on his ankle in the offseason, also for, you guessed it, bone chips. He should be ready for spring training, but because of the two procedures, his offseason training was most likely altered, which could mean it will take longer for Cain to get back in a groove where he is ready to pitch against big league talents again.

The teams’ Assistant General Manager Bobby Evans said that the team is no longer pursuing any big-fish pitchers on the free agent market, including James Shields and Max Scherzer. But he also went on to remark that the team is always looking to add depth to the rotation. That seems like it could open the door for the return of fan favorite Ryan Vogelsong.

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Vogelsong would most likely sign a minor-league deal, complete with the obvious invite to Spring Training, and would immediately put himself in a battle for the fifth starters’ job with Yusmeiro Petit and Tim Lincecum, along with any minor leaguers who impress during exhibition games.

Vogey has been a critical part of two World Series runs in his tenure with the orange and black, and has become a lovable icon, despite his surly disposition when he pitches. The competitiveness, which is on par with his teammates Madison Bumgarner and Jake Peavy, makes him tough to deal with before games, but also tough to deal with if you’re an opposing hitter.

Oct 25, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Ryan Vogelsong throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning during game four of the 2014 World Series at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone around the game knows of Vogelsong’s road to stardom, from journeyman pitcher, to Japan, and back to the United States. He earned an All-Star bid in 2011, his first season back in the major leagues in five years. He went 13-7 with a 2.71 ERA, and quickly became the most feared fourthth starter in baseball. His success would continue in 2012, when he finished 14-9 with a 3.37 ERA. He also dominated in the postseason, as he started four games and pitched to the tune of a 1.09 ERA while going 3-0.

2013 was marred by injuries, but he bounced back well in 2014. He finished 8-13 with a 4.00 ERA and 1.278 WHIP. The record looks worse than it should have been, as Vogelsong was repeatedly Cained (pitched well, but with little to no run support) over the final two months or so of the season.

Over his four years in the Bay, Vogelsong pitched in 80 games, including 78 starts, with a 31-22 record. His 3.63 ERA and 1.311 WHIP are both very good totals.

As far as fifth starters go, there are a lot worse options than Vogelsong. However, he is 37 years old, and will be 38 in June, so obviously, this is not a long-term solution by any means. But signing the familiar face will give the Giants’ young prospects, like Kyle Crick, Clayton Blackburn and Ty Blach, among others, time to develop to the point where they’re ready for big league action.

Vogelsong’s story is already one that could be filed under the “feel-good” category. But nothing would make Vogelsong, the Giants, and the fans, happier than to see him retire with the team that brought him stardom.