Ryan Vogelsong

Ryan Andrew Vogelsong (born July 22, 1977), nicknamed "Vogey", is an American former professional baseball pitcher.

In 1995, Vogelsong graduated from Octorara Area High school in Atglen, Pennsylvania, where he played baseball, basketball, and soccer.

He played his Little League baseball for Highland in the Southern Chester County Midget League and played Legion baseball in Oxford, Pennsylvania.

Vogelsong played for Kutztown University of Pennsylvania during the 1996–1998 seasons.

He recorded 242 strikeouts and set nine school records in his three years at Kutztown.

Vogelsong was drafted by the Giants in the fifth round of the 1998 MLB draft.

In 1998, he made his minor league debut, with the Single A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in Keizer, Oregon.

Vogelsong made his MLB debut with the Giants on September 2, 2000.

He finished the rest of the 2000 season by appearing in four games, with six innings pitched in relief.

Vogelsong did not perform well to start the 2001 season, as he went 0–5 and compiled a 6.75 ERA in 15 games (two starts).

Vogelsong was acquired by the Pirates on July 30, 2001, along with outfielder Armando Ríos, for pitcher Jason Schmidt and outfielder John Vander Wal.

He appeared in two games for the Pirates before he required Tommy John surgery that kept him out of the majors until the end of the 2003 season.

The 2004 season marked Vogelsong's first full campaign in the major leagues.

He spent most of the season as a starting pitcher.

Vogelsong struggled in that role, ending the season with a 6–13 record and 6.50 ERA.

He was inducted into the university's Hall of Fame in 2005.

He rebounded in 2005 after being moved to the bullpen, posting a 4.43 ERA and 2–2 record while being used primarily as a middle reliever.

He held the host Pirates to two earned runs on four hits and struck out eight en route to a 5–2 Giants victory and his first MLB win since September 2005.

Vogelsong continued to excel in his replacement role, posting a record of 6–1 with a 2.17 ERA in the first half, which secured him a spot in San Francisco's vaunted starting rotation.

By the end of the 2006 season, Vogelsong had accumulated a career 10–22 record and a 5.86 ERA in 120 games and 315 innings over parts of six seasons.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers (2007–2008) and Orix Buffaloes (2009).

He stands 6 ft tall and weighs 215 lb.

Vogelsong signed for the Hanshin Tigers of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 2007 and made his Nippon Professional Baseball debut as their starting pitcher on April 5, 2007, facing a future Major League Baseball pitcher, Kenshin Kawakami.

He won in his debut at the home stadium, Koshien Stadium, on April 12, 2007, hitting a home run in the bottom of the second inning.

Vogelsong signed a one-year deal to play for the Orix Buffaloes of the NPB in 2009.

During the 2009–2010 off-season, Vogelsong made his way back to the MLB and signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

He appeared in 25 games for the AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs, posting a 2–5 record with a 4.91 ERA in 58.2 innings.

He was released by the Phillies on July 15, 2010.

Vogelsong signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on July 28, 2010.

Vogelsong appeared in eight games for the AAA Salt Lake Bees, posting a 1–3 record with a 4.66 ERA in 36.2 innings pitched.

He was released after the season ended.

His career was revitalized with the Giants in 2011.

He made the 2011 All-Star team, and in 2012 he posted a streak of 16 consecutive quality starts, allowing three earned runs or fewer in at least six innings each game.

On January 11, 2011, Vogelsong signed a minor league contract to return to the San Francisco Giants with an invitation to spring training.

He started the season in AAA Fresno, but on April 17, 2011, the Giants purchased his contract to replace the injured Barry Zito.

On April 28, 2011, after making two relief appearances, Vogelsong got his first start since the 2004 season against his former club, the Pirates.

Giants and 2011 National League All-Star manager Bruce Bochy named Vogelsong to the 2011 NL All-Star Team on July 3, 2011.

He didn't see any action in the NL's 5–1 win over the AL. His first start after the All-Star break on July 18, 2011, a 5–0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, gave him enough innings pitched to qualify for the National League leader in ERA with 2.02.

In four starts during the 2012 postseason, he recorded a 3–0 record with a 1.09 ERA, twice helping the Giants avoid elimination en route to their 2012 World Series title.

In 2014, Vogelsong made a career-high 32 starts, helping the Giants win another title in the 2014 World Series.