What Guardians liked about Stephen Vogt, why playing days prepared him to manage

CLEVELAND — Stephen Vogt learned he was being offered the Guardians' managerial job on a Zoom call. The very next thing he did? Shovel horse manure.

In a weird way, perhaps it's an example of Vogt's humility and down-to-Earth nature that has allowed him to connect with nearly everyone he's met in the game of baseball.

Vogt, who was introduced as the club's 45th manager in franchise history Friday afternoon at Progressive Field, is in virtually the opposite position Terry Francona was in when Cleveland brought him in before the 2013 season.

Meet the new skipper: Meet Stephen Vogt, the Guardians' new manager to replace Terry Francona

Francona was already a two-time World Series champion and a surefire Hall-of-Famer. Vogt, technically, has only one year of major league coaching experience and zero managerial experience.

In that way, they're 180 degrees from each other. But there's one key element both have, and it's one of the things that made an impact on members of the Guardians front office as they made their decision.

And it has more to do with who they are as people than anything with baseball. In baseball terms, it means managing the clubhouse.

"Stephen is such an extraordinary connector," said president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti. "He connects with everybody, regardless of their age, regardless of their background, experience. He just has this unique way to build relationships and if anything, among the references, there were so many things that stood out, but everybody referenced his ability just to connect with people and how much people love being around him."

That, too, was often the first attribute mentioned with it came to Francona's success as a manager.

Lewis: Jokes, respect, support and baseball: Cleveland and the game itself will miss Tito

Francona will stick around with the organization in some type of role. He has said he doesn't want to be hovering over the new manager, but he's available for any advice or feedback that might be needed. The two spoke during the interview process and again after Vogt was hired — and after he was done shoveling horse manure at the barn.

Stephen Vogt doesn't have a goal of filling Terry Francona's shoes as Guardians manager

Vogt's goal isn't to replace "Tito." Because nobody can.

"Can't fill those shoes," Vogt said. "This is one of the greatest managers our game has ever seen. ... Getting to talk with him, it confirmed everything that my little interactions with him over the years and any preconceived notions or things that I heard of him are true. He's such an unbelievable human being."

The experience factor is very different this time around. But Vogt's history isn't as simple as only having one year of major league experience. In reality, it started back in 2009, when he was a minor leaguer in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

Vogt hurt his shoulder and wouldn't be playing anytime soon. With his progression as a player paused, he asked the Rays' leadership if he could be in the dugout with the team for home games.

"It really started to get me excited about that opportunity and gave me a different lens and perspective as my playing career moved on," Vogt said. "It really started then and there, and obviously I learned so much along the way."

Stephen Vogt was trained to be a manager during his baseball playing days

In his mid-30s, Vogt landed with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was effectively given a crash course on managing a major league club. He had a view behind the curtain to an extent that few players are given.

Throughout his playing career — even before he actually reached the major leagues — Vogt has effectively been bred to be a major league manager. It was all in the works for 14 years.

Vogt said he has notebooks full of things he wanted to remember if he ever did get the chance to manage a club. And similar to what Francona was known for, Bob Melvin left an impression on Vogt for his ability to connect with players.

"[It was] the way he communicated with players and the way he kept his emotions in check at all times," Vogt said. "He knew when to talk to you. He knew when to leave you alone. And when I asked him about it, he said, 'It's all about knowing your people. It's all about knowing their personalities, their learning styles, their listening skills, their abilities and allowing them to be themselves.'"

Stephen Vogt believes he can rely on his experience as a catcher

In a way, Vogt's playing career was also the right recipe for medium-rare managerial preparedness.

He was a catcher who had to work his way to the minor leagues a bit later than most prospects. He was a two-time All-Star. He was released. He was a focal point of the offense and, later, a journeyman hoping to hold on to his playing days. There aren't too many situations to which he can't relate.

"A hundred percent. … I've been the worst player in baseball. I've been one of the best players in baseball. I've been a prospect, I've been a nobody, you name it. So no matter who was through the doors of that clubhouse, I feel like I know where they're at, and I can relate to them."

It was also his time as a catcher, specifically, that Vogt said he believes he can lean on as experience entering the 2024 season.

"I feel like the majority of my career was game-planning and making in-game decisions," Vogt said. "There's 150-to-175 in-game decisions that you make as a catcher every night. And any one of them could be the impact that leads to a win or a loss."

The Guardians know they have a new manager, signed to a three-year deal, who can connect with players and manage the clubhouse. They're taking a chance on someone without previous managerial experience.

But in many ways, Vogt has been paving the road to this day for quite some time. And now he'll move into Tito's old office.

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians introduce Stephen Vogt as new manager