In a somewhat surprising move, the Mariners announced that first baseman Dan Vogelbach has been optioned to Triple-A. GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters (including Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times) that veteran Danny Valencia will be the Mariners’ everyday first baseman, with utilityman Taylor Motter as the backup.
[Updated Mariners roster at Roster Resource]
Vogelbach is hitting just .228/.313/.333 over 64 plate appearances in Spring Training, which Dipoto said contributed to the decision. The slow start hasn’t removed Vogelbach from Seattle’s longer-term plans, however, as Dipoto noted that the the club is looking at the move in a similar vein as the Triple-A stints for Mike Zunino and James Paxton last season. Both players performed well after that extra bit of minor league seasoning, and given how Vogelbach has just eight big league games under his belt, it makes sense that he would get a bit of extra time at Triple-A.
Still, this move is notable since the Mariners spent much of the winter aiming to use Vogelbach as their regular first baseman against right-handed pitching. Acquired as part of the Mike Montgomery trade with the Cubs last July, Vogelbach owns an impressive .286/.391/.481 slash line and 83 homers over 2329 career PA in the minors since Chicago selected him in the second round of the 2011 draft.
While Vogelbach has drawn praise for his power and his patient approach at the plate, however, he is already showing signs of being a bat-only player at age 23, as he possesses below-average defense even at first base. His average and slugging numbers against southpaws in the minors are also well below his numbers against right-handed pitching, which is why the Mariners acquired the right-handed hitting Valencia this offseason.
Instead, Valencia now moves into an everyday role after hitting .287/.346/.446 line over 517 PA for the Athletics last season. With Shawn O’Malley sidelined for at least 10 days following an appendectomy, Motter has stepped up as the M’s top utility infield option. Ironically, first base is the spot where the versatile Motter has been the least amount of action (just 14 career games at first in the majors and minors), as he has been more regularly deployed everywhere else around the diamond except pitcher and catcher. Valencia doesn’t have impressive splits against right-handed pitching over his career and Motter is also a right-handed bat, so there’s a slim chance Seattle could explore one of the left-handed first base options (i.e. Ryan Howard, Justin Morneau or Kelly Johnson) still on the free agent market, but the far more likely scenario is that Vogelbach is promoted after a few weeks.
Surprised to see this, but I get the logic. Worked for Zunino and Paxton, fingers crossed the same here.
The Ms said they were thinking about an 8 man bullpen for the first couple of weeks of the season; I think this move just made it a very likely scenario
Mark, he’s 24.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the White Sox contact the Mariners regarding a potential trade for Dan Vogelbach. The Cubs have made it pretty clear that Kyle Schwarber is not available, so I’d settle for his one time minor league teammate and doppelganger from Seattle.
The White Sox can use a left-handed power bat to platoon at DH and backup Jose Abreu at 1B. Vogelbach can hit and maybe the contending Mariners could find some use for another bullpen piece in exchange for him, perhaps Jake Petricka or Zach Putnam?
The White Sox also have an abundance of minor league pitching prospects that might intrigue the Mariners enough to part with Vogelbach and also be considered a fair exchange for GM Rick Hahn, perhaps hard-throwing RHP Victor Diaz?
Why would they drop him that quick after giving up more than those suggestions to get him last year?
Well I was thinking that the only way we trade Vogelbach is if he’s part of an Abreu trade.
1-Dan Vogelbach wasn’t traded in a straight up swap for pitcher Mike Montgomery last summer.
2-Vogelbach is a one dimensional player who has lost value since landing in Seattle, both with his performance at Tacoma in the PCL, his brief MLB debut with the Mariners and his problems hitting in MLB camp this spring.
3-I was looking for a fair one for one type swap. Of course there is always the option for an expanded trade that might include bigger names but Vogelbach would only be a secondary piece in a deal for an established and controllable MLB hitter like Jose Abreu.
4-As a rebuilding team the White Sox can afford to live with a struggling hitter like Vogelbach as he adjust to his role in MLB. The Mariners as a bonafide contender do not have that luxury. They might be better served cashing him in for immediate MLB pitching help or move him for a young big-armed prospect such as Victor Diaz.
yeah nothing like trading for a guy with 0 years of service time and then jumping ship after a less than stellar 13! MLB plate appearances and spring training (lol?). They saw something they liked in him when they acquired him, it’s very hard to believe they don’t still see whatever that was after such a short period of time.
If his value has dropped so much due to this, why do you want him?
I wasn’t thinking Vogelbach for Abreu. Something like Vogelbach, Peterson, and O’Neil for Abreu and young prospect the Sox may be giving up on.
Honestly, after re reading my comment, the Mariners don’t have the prospects to make any big trades so now I agree with what you said more. Trade Vogelbach for whatever prospect you can get. And they should just sign Howard to be the left side of a platoon.
Guy was born in the wrong era. He’s a useful bat vs right hand only pitching and can’t play defense at a time when versatility is highly valued. In this day and age where teams are carrying 8 man bullpens and multiple Loogy options, this type of player is looking like a thing of the past.
He’s a dangerous bench option but looking way too one dimensional for an everyday player year after year.
Dan Vogelbach could be a useful left-handed hitting DH and backup first baseman. He would be a nice fit on the rebuilding White Sox, who lack that type of player on their current 40-man reserve roster.
shoulda kept montgomery and grabbed one of the many firstbasemen that were on the market
Deco
Definitely. Morneau or Howard. Howard DHing prob has a good year left in him. Especially platooning. Remember who was pitching when the Cubs won the WS???
Kind of felt this was coming, he’ll be back. Why would the Mariner’s be in any hurry to trade him? They see him as their future first baseman or DH when Cruz’ contract is up.
A big bodied, bat only guy who can’t even hit lefties. Yeah, thanks for Montgomery.
You literally just described Schwarber, and I’m a Cubs fan.
Kyle Schwarber is hardly as one dimensional as Dan Vogelbach. Aside from being a more prodigious hitter, Schwarber is far more athletic with the ability to catch and play the corner OF positions. He may not win a Gold Glove anytime soon but the Cubs and Joe Maddon certainly have enough faith in Schwarber to at least be adequate out in the field. Vogelbach struggles at first base, the only position he’s capable of manning defensively and is best utilized as a DH versus right-handed pitching.
I also believe that Schwarber will be at least adequate versus left-handed pitching as he gains more big league experience. He showed no fear in his appearances against one tough hombre in the World Series, Andrew Miller.
No thanks. Defense is as important as HRs these days
I didn’t like this trade when it happened still don’t like it. We gave up a mid rotation LHP for a guy that is not that much different than what we have waiting in AAA. The Cubs fleeced us, you can say it is too early to say it but Vogelbach will not be as valuable as a LHSP. Dipoto has made some good moves and some bad moves.
I will be surprised if the Segura move pays off. Again we lose a long term pitcher for a 1 year SS. I understand the win now mentality but is he going to outperform Walker and Marte? We will see. This trade though was stupid how many 1st bm are worth a mid rotation LHSP? You have to be a future HOF perennial AS Miguel Craberra type to be worth it.
To be fair, MiMo has never been “mid-rotation” and probably never will be. Best used as a swingman/ emergency starter. And the other guy the M’s got in that trade they flipped for Valencia, a good hitter and defender. And they have Segura for 2 years. Now you are armed with facts for future arguments.
There you go confusing people with facts.
Which GM is going to bite on signing Ryan Howard? The league should create a special rule-a one time 26th/41st roster spot exemption. I’d actually be kind of intrigued.
Well considering david ortiz wasnt great against lefties having amassed only a wrc+ of 111 career wise against lefties and vogelbach is gonna see more righties than lefties despite being platooned just because most rotations feature mostly right starters with 1 or 2 lefties safe to say long term the mariners will get more out of vogelbach if he figures things out than the cubs will montomery as a 5th starter long relief swingman.
Keep him in the minors for 5 weeks and they get an extra year of service out of him.