MD13
Formerly howler1313
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2009
- Messages
- 7,204
- Reaction score
- 14,712
- Points
- 123
As good as Tito was, Vogt has shown why things can sometimes get a bit stale and there’s a lot to be gained from having a fresh perspective and voice in the room. The biggest move of them all imo (not just on Vogt, maybe the org would have still done the same if Tito was still here) was moving Freeman full time to CF and having the commitment to start him after ST. It’s been a long time since we’ve had the type of contact ability and potential power that he brings to the team from the CF spot.OK, setting the Civale debate aside momentarily and getting back to 2024, I've noticed a huge difference between Tito and Vogt. Tito was extremely loyal to his veterans. No matter how bad they were slumping he kept them in their roles. His main priority was to show he believed in them, counting on that faith to help them work their way out of it.
Vogt is moving pieces all over the place. For example, Gimenez has batted 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th. Jose is bouncing back-and-forth between hitting 2nd and 3rd. Arias has started at 3B, SS, and CF while also playing 1B and RF. Fry has started at C, 1B, and LF. Bo Naylor has hit in five different spots in the batting order.
Gaddis has gone from the last guy in the bullpen to pitching the 8th inning today in three weeks. Smith is getting higher leverage assignments. Vogt said Clase is the closer but nobody else has a role; they need to be ready to pitch in any inning depending on who is coming up to bat. Nobody is designated to be a middle reliever or a set-up man. It's all about getting the best matchups regardless of the inning.
Tito believed in everybody having a defined role or a stable spot in the batting order so they could get comfortable. Vogt is a chess master - he moves guys all over the place. He said the batting order is set up to beat that day's starting pitcher, as opposed to each player having a permanent spot that does not vary from day to day.
I love Vogt's approach. He brings in the right relief pitcher for the situation, not the inning. He tweaks the batting order every game based on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing pitcher. It's working and I love it.
Love the way he’s also rewarding guys like Arias and Florial with more at-bats when they’ve shown that they deserve it.