Interview: Sean Vogel

In the wake of the 5th world championship for the Toronto Blue Jays in the last 25 seasons, we interview baseball's best player Sean Vogel to get his opinions on his career, the Blue Jays, and baseball in general.  But before we do that, let's run down who we're talking to today:

Sean Vogel has split his 11+ year career in half - half defensively at third base and half at second base.  He has won three gold gloves in his career - two at 2B and one at 3B.  One could make the case that he is the best fielding second baseman in baseball today, even at age 32.  He is a three time world champion.  A three time MVP.  A nine time All-Star.  He has a career .303 batting average, .953 OPS, 367 homeruns, 1310 RBI, 1000 runs scored, over 1700 hits, and nearly 400 doubles.  He also won the MVP award in every round of the 2035 playoffs.  In a few words: he is baseball's best and by the end of his career he could be among the all-time greats at any position, much less second base.

But let's begin, Hello Sean, congrats on your World Championship!

SV:  Thanks, we really worked hard for it and we knew going into the playoffs that our arch-rival LAA was down this year and we had a good chance if we play our game that we'd bring home another title north of the border. 

Interviewer: Yeah, it was an impressive run, losing only the one game to Seattle on your way to sweeping out the title.  Is this the best team you've been a part of?

SV:  We've had a lot of good teams, it's hard to say.  2028 was a special team and it was really disheartening to lose that first playoff series to LAA.  We were up 2-1 and come off a record season winning 121 games.  We had so many talented players back then - Mike Vanner, a career year from Adam Witton, Munny was bashing, and we Boz, Castilla, Onty, and Boris Turner in our rotation.  That was a pretty special team and I think arguably one of the greatest groups ever assembled.  But in the playoffs anything can happen, I learned that the year before I was drafted when a similar Toronto team got knocked out by some upstart Oakland A's. 

But this team is good.  P-Mac is easily one of the game's most underrated stars.  The man does everything and gets very little cred for it.  Munny is bashing his way towards 400 homeruns.  Vargas was such a good pickup a few years back, even in down years he is incredibly dangerous.  JV is still picking it as well as anybody at short and Onty and Castilla are still two of the league's best starters.  I would hate to pitch against us, Bobby and P-Mac are amazing table setters and then you just get brutalized by power hitter after power hitter.  That's our strength.

I: Well, is that the key to the Blue Jays?  Is that why you control the AL East year after year?

SV: Well, that's part of it, but more than that we try to limit how much we beat ourselves and that loosens us up to pummel with the power.  We're an outstanding defensive team and have been since the day I walked on.  I remember when I was drafted late, bypassed by most every team many times, and Andy  pulled me aside and told me something I have passed down to every rookie that has walked into this dressing room: "Play defense or play somewhere else.  And if you play defense, you'll always have a spot with us"  It's true - we play outstanding defense - we play with range, we play aggressively, we don't beat ourselves.  It's a matter of pride and our pitchers appreciate the hell out of it.  They keep the ball in the ballpark, work quick, and hammer the zone and we pick it for them.  Then we get to the plate and lay it on the poor sap on the mound against us. 

I:  Tell us about that draft experience, you had some doubters huh?  How does it feel to be here now?

SV: Myself, JV, and Munny were all drafted the same year.  Andy told us then we were the foundation for the team's future and he was relying on us to be that.  I know there were doubters, saying Munny was too high for a guy who could only DH.  JV got some "Steal of the Draft" love, but ultimately wasn't a top pick and I slid late.  We took it as personal affronts and I think we've proven the rest of the league wrong.  There isn't a team in the league that doesn't wish they could redo the draft we were taken in.

I:  Any thoughts on the state of the AL East and the competition?  After the playoff beatdown you adminstered last year, you have to be confident right?

SV: Never rest on your laurels around here.  Andy runs a machine, there are always young guys on their way, if you want your spot, you have to earn it.  Even then, sometimes the team has to keep moving on.  I try to be that steadying force but I look around and I see a Baltimore team hungry to knock us off.  They have the talent to do it too, we're going ot have to be even better to beat them next year.  Boston is always there and now they have Thursty over there helping that rotation, they won't be easy.  Tampa has a few young studs to watch and NYY is still the Yanks, can't ever take them lightly.  The NL West showed how strong they were last year and you have some central teams like the Sox, Royals, and Indians to watch.  If we're not careful, we won't be looking at a repeat next year. 

I: Do you see yourself getting to 500 homeruns?

SV: I don't see why not.  I figure 5 good years left in me, I can do it.  But I'd trade that for 6 consecutive world titles in a heartbeat.

I:  Will you be a Jay for life?

SV:  I hope so, I'm a Carolina boy but I bleed blue now.  This team has done right by me every step of the way.  I want to repay that the best way I can - producing wins for this team and it's fans.

I:  Any final thoughts Sean?

SV:  Yeah, we need to get a run going here - Canada wants a three-peat and I mean to deliver.  So stay out of our way boys!