Here's a concept as old as baseball itself: Winning teams have fun. And the red-hot Giants are having a lot of fun right now.
When the Giants signed veteran catcher Stephen Vogt to a minor-league deal in February, it seemed like nothing more than a feel-good story. The former A's All-Star missed the entire 2018 season with a shoulder injury and at 34 years old, he didn't look like a player that fit the Giants' direction of trying to build a younger roster.
But as the Giants have learned in the past with players like Hunter Pence and many others, some guys bring a lot more than stats. Vogt is one of them. His standing with the team has been on full display every time a Giant celebrates a big hit.
You might have seen it or you might have missed it. Watch closely. The Giants are throwing up a "T-sign" with their hands to pay homage Vogt in their celebrations. It comes from a beloved skit Vogt performed years ago on MLB Network's "Intentional Talk" where he plays a basketball referee.
"I thought it'd be funny if I did it when I hit double or something. You know, the double tech. And it just kind of stuck," Vogt told The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly on Monday night.
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Vogt has played in 53 games this year for the Giants and has a .262 batting, his highest since 2014. His .508 slugging percentage and .844 OPS would both be career highs. As a backup catcher and bat off the bench, Vogt is playing a key role as the Giants find themselves in the NL wild-card race.
His personality, though, has been what's most important for this team.
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"I guess that shows you what Stephen Vogt means to this clubhouse," Joe Panik said to Baggarly.
When he signed with the Giants, Vogt called it a "lifelong dream." This team is on Cloud Nine with their unexpected success, and Vogt is the latest character that can help dreams turned to realities.
