Mariners notebook: Daniel Vogelbach ready for his debut

ANAHEIM – As expected, the Mariners added pitcher Cody Martin, infielder Mike Freeman and first baseman Daniel Vogelbach to the roster Monday afternoon. For Martin and Freeman, the call-ups mark a return. For Vogelbach, well, it is his first, and in the dugout at Angels Stadium there was no need to hide his excitement.

“This is a dream come true, isn’t it?” he told reporters after taking batting practice in the cages with Nelson Cruz. “As a kid, this is what you dream of. It’s been a long road and I wouldn’t have wanted to change it in any way. I’ve learned a lot as I have come through the minors and I have grown as a baseball player and a person and I’m just happy to be here.”

Vogelbach is not in the lineup Monday night but manager Scott Servais said there was a chance he could get a pinch-hitting opportunity later in the game. If not, after six years in the minors with the Cubs, Vogelbach should make his MLB debut Tuesday in the starting lineup. While he is appreciative of the time he spent in the Cubs organization, he is thrilled with the ease of his transition to the Mariners.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity than they (Cubs) gave me coming out of high school,” he said. “It’s been the best month and a half that I have had in pro ball (since being traded to the Mariners). It was an easy transition with the guys in Tacoma. The coaching staff was awesome, the team has been awesome. The team has been nothing but good to me and welcomed me with open arms. It makes me feel welcome.”

Vogelbach, who is a first baseman and designated hitter, was blocked in the Cubs organization by Anthony Rizzo. A tough situation to be in, but Vogelbach had faith that he would end up in the right place at the right time. The Cubs needed an arm and the Mariners a young “C the Z” type bat. The deal for Mike Montgomery was done and Vogelbach found himself in Tacoma. At the time of the trade, Vogelbach was hitting .292/.417/.505 in Triple-A. His numbers fell off a bit in 44 games in Tacoma, but he doesn’t believe it was a matter of adjustments.

“I don’t feel that it was anything different,” he said. “I think it was just one of those things where it is baseball. I ran into where I hit some balls that normally were falling that weren’t falling. I just never really lost my confidence at the plate. I just continued to grind at-bats out and I knew sooner or later it was going to turn around.”

Notes

• Adam Lind’s sprained finger did not look good Monday afternoon. He cannot grip a bat and Servais said it could be a few days before he is able to return to the lineup.

• Another honor for Mariners prospect Tyler O’Neill, who was named Double-A Player of the Year by Baseball America.