San Francisco Giants right-handed pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, a Kutztown University product, was elected winner of the 2011 "Willie Mac" Award, the club announced.
The "Willie McCovey Award" is an annual honor bestowed upon the most inspirational player on the team, as voted upon by Giants players, coaches, training staff and the fans.
The award was established in 1980, in honor of former legend and Hall-of-Famer Willie McCovey. Ryan Vogelsong received a plaque prior to the start of last Friday's game against the Dodgers. Engraved on the plaque are the words "Competitive Spirit, Ability and Leadership" to characterize the qualities both McCovey and Vogelsong exemplify.
Vogelsong's saga transcended baseball, which made him the obvious choice for this year's Willie Mac Award. The right-hander earned the distinction by winning a vote conducted primarily by players, coaches and the athletic training staff, who annually bestow the award upon the Giant best embodying the competitive and inspirational spirit of Hall of Fame first baseman Willie McCovey, who also gets a vote.
"It's named after one of the greatest Giants ever, one of the best players in Major League Baseball history," Vogelsong said, articulating the thrill he received with the award. "Just to have my name involved with his and some of the other guys who won the award is really neat for me. Because I enjoy being a Giant so much."
Moreover, Vogelsong cherished the respect of his peers that the award represented.
"I think the biggest thing is that it came from my teammates," he said. "I think if you ask any guy that's playing the game or played the game what's the most important thing, it's the way your teammates perceive you. So the fact that it came from a teammates' vote makes it very special."
Vogelsong gained popularity by compiling a 10-6 record with a 2.62 ERA. But he also captured imaginations by rising from non-roster invitee status in Spring Training to National League All-Star recognition after replacing the injured Barry Zito in San Francisco's starting rotation.
"When I think things are going to slow down a little bit, they just keep getting better," Vogelsong said during the on-field ceremony, which included McCovey and six previous Willie Mac Award winners: emcee Mike Krukow, Matt Cain, Shawon Dunston, Mark Gardner, J.T. Snow and Andres Torres.
Before this year, Vogelsong was the quintessential journeyman, meandering through four organizations and two teams in Japan since the Giants drafted him in the fifth round in 1998.
"I just think that guys understand my story," said Vogelsong, 34. "Most people have gone through some kind of struggle in their career at some point. Even if it's a couple-of-weeks thing, or a couple of years or a couple of months, they can look to my story and what has happened as a little pick-me-up to get you through. When you think things are bad, they can always be worse. And when you think things can't be worse, they can always get better. I think that's kind of why people, especially guys on the team, are drawn so much to me and the story. They can relate to it."
So, too, can non-ballplayers.
"People can understand working hard and persevering through tough times," Vogelsong said. Noting that he drew motivation from the resurgence of Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, Vogelsong added, "Hopefully my story is doing the same thing for other people."
It certainly made an impression among the Giants.
Third baseman Pablo Sandoval, himself a solid Willie Mac Award candidate for his in-season comeback from a fractured right hamate bone, graciously praised Vogelsong.
"He deserves it," Sandoval said. "He did a great job to help the team and he came from nowhwere. I knew he had talent when he signed with us. ... This is a guy who's been through a lot in his life. How he came back here, I appreciate the work he's done because not everyone can do that."
Said Torres, last year's award winner, "Seeing all he's been through and to come and perform and be a great teammate, he's the perfect guy."
Manager Bruce Bochy called the voting results a "no-brainer," adding, "We're fortunate to have had him when [Zito] went down and for him to pitch like he did, but also to be the person that he is."
"Pretty easy [choice]," outfielder Cody Ross said. "To see what he's been through, the way he performed and the way he carried himself, it's been really fun to be around and to watch."
Even if Vogelsong hadn't won the Willie Mac Award, he would have entrenched himself in Giants lore through the manner in which he re-signed with the organization before this season. The Dodgers actually offered him a contract first, shortly after last December's Winter Meetings. But, while playing for Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League, Vogelsong told teammate Guillermo Rodriguez, briefly a Giants catcher who had become the organization's roving catching instructor, that he preferred to return to his professional baseball roots. Rodriguez immediately contacted Giants vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans.
"About three hours later we had a deal in place," Vogelsong said. "I couldn't see myself being a Dodger. And I'm sure glad it happened the way it happened."
Drafted by the Giants in the fifth round in 1998, Vogelsong was traded to Pittsburgh in a four-player deal in July 2001. He underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in 2002 and went 10-19 with a 6.00 ERA for the Pirates from 2001-06. The 34-year-old pitched in Japan from 2007-09 before playing in triple-A for the Phillies and Angels last season.
AS A KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEAR: Vogelsong was a stellar pitcher and third baseman for the Kutztown University baseball team from 1996-98. Vogelsong finished his career with nine school records, including earned-run average in a season (1.41 in 1998) and career (2.87); wins in a season (nine in 1997 and 1998) and career (24); strikeouts in a season (109 in 1998) and career (242); innings pitched in a season (89.2 in 1998) and career (210.1) and complete games in a season (9 in 1998). Vogelsong emerged onto the scene as one of the top pitchers in Division II as a sophomore in 1997. That year, he tied KU's single-season record for wins with nine, while helping the team to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division title. Vogelsong earned first-team All-PSAC East honors. The following year, Vogelsong dominated PSAC hitters en route to a KU record and NCAA Division II leading 1.41 earned run average. He won nine games and struck out a school record 109 batters. That year, Vogelsong was a second-team All-American, North Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year, PSAC East Player of the Year, first-team All-Region and all-PSAC East and the KU Male Athlete of the Year. In addition, Vogelsong was a career .304 hitter as a third baseman, finishing in KU's top five all time with 73 runs batted in.
Listed below are the "Willie Mac Award" winners:
1980 Jack Clark
1981 Larry Herndon
1982 Joe Morgan
1983 Darrell Evans
1984 Bob Brenly
1985 Mike Krukow
1986 Mike Krukow
1987 Chris Speier
1988 Jose Uribe
1989 Dave Dravecky
1990 Steve Bedrosian
1991 Robby Thompson
1992 Mike Felder
1993 Kirt Manwaring
1994 None
1995 Mark Leiter, Mark Carreon
1996 Shawon Dunston
1997 J.T. Snow
1998 Jeff Kent
1999 Marvin Benard
2000 Ellis Burks
2001 Mark Gardner, Benito Santiago
2002 David Bell
2003 Marquis Grissom
2004 J.T. Snow
2005 Mike Matheny
2006 Omar Vizquel
2007 Bengie Molina
2008 Bengie Molina
2009 Matt Cain
2010 Andres Torres
2011 Ryan Vogelsong
