Updated - Ryan Vogelsong, In His Own Words

 

In this age of pampered professional athletes with zillion dollar contracts, its refreshing to listen to an athlete, especially one of our own, be so real.

Whether you go to church every week, twice a year at Christmas and Easter, or don't go at all, you'll be touched by this video of Octorara grad and San Francisco pitcher Ryan Vogelsong telling his story about getting cut by the Phillies last summer.

For the first time in his adult life he found himself sitting at home in the middle of the summer, 32 years old and seemingly at the end of his career.

Ryan was picked up a week later by the Anaheim Angels who sent him to Salt Lake City for the rest of the Summer.  Over the winter the a Giant scout saw him playing winter ball and invited him to their Spring training.

When one the Giant's starting pitchers got injured in April, Ryan was called up from the minors to fill in.  He pitched so well the Giants gave the right-hander a spot in their rotation and a chance to pitch every 5 days.

A 7-1 record led to Ryan being named to the National League All Star team in July.  While August was a tough month for Vogelsong and the Giants both, no one will ever be able to take away what has been as storybook 2011 season for Ryan and his family.

What you don't know is . . . well, I'll let Ryan tell his own story. He tells it so much better than I ever could.

Just to set the stage, the video was made after Saturday evening's game, a contest the Giants lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks, their division rivals.