Vogelsong & Carroll: Waiver Wire
A good story and a good leadoff hitter (for a bad offense)…
Ryan Vogelsong | SP | Giants | Ownership: 10% Yahoo!, 9.5% ESPN
Is Vogelsong the new Colby Lewis? It’s a fun narrative; both guys flamed out as prospects in the States before finding success in Japan for a few years and returning to MLB. Vogelsong wasn’t given the security of a guaranteed contract like Lewis was, but you know what? Their peripherals in their first season back from Japan are pretty similar…
Lewis: 8.78 K/9 (9.5% whiffs), 2.91 uIBB/9, 0.94 HR/9, 37.9% GB
Vogelsong: 8.10 K/9 (7.5% whiffs), 2.70 uIBB/9, 0.68 HR/9, 45.3% GB
Lewis did it in the less forgiving league and in a much less favorable ballpark, but yeah, Vogelsong kinda is the lite version of Colby2.0. His .240 BABIP will correct at some point, especially considering that ground ball rate and infield defense, but he’s piling up strikeouts and limiting walks for a good team in a relatively weak division. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when Barry Zito gets healthy, but for now Vogelsong’s job is safe. His next start comes in Oakland at home against the A’s, a great spot start situation even if you’re not comfortable with keeping him around forever.
Jamey Carroll | 2B, SS | Dodgers | Ownership: 16% Yahoo!, 10% ESPN
Carroll took over as the Dodgers’ everyday shortstop once Rafael Furcal made his annual trip to the disabled list, and he’s given the team probably more than they would have gotten out of the position had Furcal stayed healthy. Carroll’s hitting .333 with a .400 OBP over his last 21 games, just short of a calendar month. His .375 BABIP during that time (.374 for the season) is high but not outrageous, he’s been hovering right around .340 for a few years now. You’re not going to get any power out of Carroll, none at all (hasn’t hit a homer since 2009), but he has a history of getting on base at very good clips and is doing so yet again this year ahead of Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp. The Dodgers’ don’t have much offensive firepower, but Carroll’s doing all he can from the leadoff spot. He’s a great get in OBP leagues, and depending on your league’s rules, he might have 3B and OF eligibility as well.
Mike writes about the Yankees at River Ave. Blues and baseball in general at CBS Sports.
comparing vogelsong to lewis is just stupid. vogelsong was a reliever in japan for 3 years and amassed a 4.50 ERA while there. On the other Lewis pitched 200+ innings two years in a row in Japan with a K/BB ratio like 7 over 400 innings.