2012 May Came Close

He's happier now.

When we got his autograph in September he was struggling. Now he very well may be the hero of the National League Championship Series.

Pitcher Ryan Vogelsong helped the Giants catch up with the Cardinals at one game apiece last week in a 7-1 pitching gem. On Sunday night he struck out nine batters in a must-win 6-1 victory for the Giants. Tonight the Giants and Cardinals face off in Game 7 to decide who will go to the World Series.

The national media is taking note of "one of baseball’s best comeback stories."

After spending parts of six seasons in the majors from 2000 to 2006, Vogelsong languished in the minors and in Japan until 2011, when he got a second chance with the team that drafted him. Now, at age 35, he’s been the Giants’ best pitcher of this postseason.

The Giants won't top the swell of emotion and joyful surprise of their 2010 Championship season. But if Ryan Vogelsong, Barry Zito, and some of their other given-up-for-dead teammates do go all the way, 2012 will come close.