Can Stephen Vogt Repeat as an All-Star Catcher?

Stephen Vogt had a miraculous first half of the 2015 season, but then a long slump hit, which has given him even more motivation to improve his game once again for 2016.

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Stephen Vogt was golden for the Oakland Athletics in the first half of the 2015 season. He was steady as a rock behind home-plate, and he earned a spot in the All-Star Game as a result of his strong play. Vogt’s sudden All-Star status may have been one of 2015’s biggest surprises.

“I Believe in Stephen Vogt!” became an infectious chant that was born from the energetic right field bleachers at the A’s ballpark. Vogt made believers out of the entire MLB as he became one of the best catchers in the American League.

Unfortunately, his first half high came crashing back down to Earth along with the rest of the Oakland A’s in the final months of the 2015 season.

Before the All-Star break, Stephen Vogt had a .287 batting average with 14 home runs. After the break, he managed just a .217 batting average with a minuscule four home runs. That kind of slump would obviously discourage believers, but the chants for him kept coming strong through the final pitch of the season.

Nobody will ever say a slump is caused by one thing. However, the short explanation from Stephen Vogt in a recent Mercury News article was that “the team’s struggles got to me mentally.” When it comes to preparations for the 2016 season, there’s certainly no need to panic.

Vogt played in 136 games in 2015, and that’s more games than he played in the 2014 and 2013 seasons combined. As the season moved forward, Vogt fell victim to the same thing that most of the players on Oakland’s roster faced. They all were beat up mentally and physically from all of the losing. That experience though, should make him more prepared to face a long season with consistent productivity in 2016.

Plus, Vogt dealt with the ongoing strain of the horrific pitching from the A’s staff. Pitching that also got worse as the season wore on and devolved into a complete mess. It’s not a surprise that Vogt regressed due to the mix of more playing time than ever and poor team play

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Despite the disaster of 2015, Stephen Vogt isn’t making any excuses for his own decline. He’s using the failure as motivation to be a mentally tougher fielder and batter in 2016. The A’s manager, Bob Melvin, noticed Vogt’s decline in durability through a combination of decreased bat swing speed and inconsistent catching performances.

Over this past offseason, Vogt took it upon himself to fix his issues and aim for the top once again. He definitely has the A’s on his side because the organization traded a young catching prospect away to acquire Khris Davis.

Something he said gave us all a brief look at Vogt’s mindset, “Obviously if you’re not trying to be an All-Star, then I don’t think you are playing the game the right way. You should want to be successful for your teammates.”

People can question Vogt’s durability and skill, but nobody can ever doubt his outstanding attitude toward his craft. Stephen Vogt represents the Oakland Athletics in the best way because he epitomizes the hard-working underdog that A’s fans admire. It isn’t hard to imagine how much the “I believe in Stephen Vogt!” chants might mean to a baseball player as introspective as him.

Next: Oakland Athletics Prospect Profile: Pitcher Sean Manaea

With the right mindset and a little bit of luck, Stephen Vogt can easily repeat as an All-Star and hit at least 20 homers and 80 RBIs. He has the skill and puts for a strong effort. And now he just needs to believe in himself with the same passion as his supporters do.

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Can Stephen Vogt Repeat As An All-Star Catcher?

By Brandon Keller | Apr 1, 2016

Stephen Vogt had a miraculous first half of the 2015 season, but then a long slump hit, which has given him even more motivation to improve his game once again for 2016.

More from Golden Gate Sports