Mariners’ Daniel Vogelbach says he’s focused on slowing the game down

Mariners first baseman Daniel Vogelbach is one of the hottest bats on a team that has the best record in baseball (we don’t care if the club is just 11 games in; in a year that’s supposed to be about taking a step back, Seattle has scored five runs or more in all but one contest, making them one of baseball’s most interesting offenses so far).

Vogelbach’s bat sends message that Mariners need to get him at-bats

Vogelbach joined Danny, Dave and Moore on 710 ESPN Seattle to recap his performance and talk about this year’s team. The 26-year-old is fresh off his strongest game of the season Sunday, when he hit for two home runs and six RBI.

Here are a few quick notes. You can listen to Vogelbach’s full interview in the audio clip embedded above.

What did that performance feel like at the plate? “I’ve just been for the past couple days really trying to slow the game down. In the past when I’ve been up here, it’s been sped up a little bit. I’m just tying to get back to being myself and being the hitter that I’ve been my whole career through the minor leagues… (and I’m) finally starting to put together some good at-bats.”

GM Jerry Dipoto has always said you’ve raked at every level. What’s the feeling like to be hitting so well now? Is it a relief? “It’s definitely a relief. But I mean, I’ve always  believed that I could do it up here and I could do what I’ve done through the minors. So I just kind of trust myself and believe in myself to go every day, just knowing that eventually it’s going to click if I continue to push and work at it.”

You’re in the lineup Monday. But what’s the mindset you have knowing you and two other guys are performing well at the same spot? “Yeah, I mean I think that it’s continuing to get your work in, and continuing to believe in yourself and stay in the game. Because you never know when this game’s going to call your name. And every night, whether I’m playing or not playing, there’s always something I can do to help the team win. And that’s the biggest thing and that’s the goal every single time you come to the field, is to win the game and win the series.”

How do you feel about “get aboard the Vogelwagon” as the slogan for your fans? (Laughs) “Whatever you want it to be is good with me.”

Who do you hang out with the most on this team? “I can’t say one person, and I know it sounds (cliche) and a lot of people say it, (but) everybody’s just close. We all go to dinner together; it’s not really individualized. There’s no pitchers hang out with pitchers, or position players hang out with position players. Everybody hangs out together. And I think that’s a reason to the way we started. You wake up in the morning and you look forward to coming to the ballpark… you’re with these guys more than you’re with your family most of the time, so it’s always good to just bond and have a good relationship and get along.”

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