SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Vogt is ready to do whatever

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he can to take pressure off Buster Posey as both catchers work to bounce back from surgeries that cut their 2018 seasons short.Vogt is returning to the Bay Area after agreeing to a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants.He shared the news in a text message Monday Jose Ramirez Jersey , when he arrived in the Arizona desert from his home in snowy Washington state — “14 inches,” he noted saying Arizona felt great already — and headed to the club’s spring training complex in Scottsdale, where pitchers and catchers report Tuesday.San Francisco also agreed to a minor league deal last week with catcher Rene Rivera.“I definitely believe it presents a good opportunity. Obviously Buster, he’s the guy. If he’s not going to be 100 percent then hopefully we can pick up the slack and hold the fort down until he’s ready to go 100 percent,” Vogt said by phone from Phoenix. “For me, too, I have to get healthy first as well. I know Rene Rivera is going to play a big part in that as well and I’m excited to work with him. I played against him for a number of years as well. It’s going to be fun the three of us talking and putting our heads together.”New Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said Friday he was still seeking depth at the catcher position behind Posey, who is recovering from right hip surgery.Vogt grew up in California’s Central Valley, and the Giants were his favorite team. He used to pretend he was Will Clark in the backyard and loved Barry Bonds. Vogt attended the final game at Candlestick Park and the first at the franchise’s new waterfront ballpark when it opened in 2000.“Just getting a chance to talk to Farhan and chat everything out, it was very exciting for me, because not only is it back to the Bay and back where Alyssa and I had our kids and spent a bunch of years, it was my childhood favorite team, as well,” Vogt said. “So growing up a Giants fan, this is going to be so incredible.”Vogt and Zaidi knew each other before Zaidi left the A’s for the Dodgers, where he spent the past four years as general manager.The 34-year-old Vogt had surgery on his troublesome right shoulder last May and didn’t play for Milwaukee last year. He says he feels great now and is throwing Ronald Acuna Jr. Jersey , but throwing from the catcher’s crouch remains a step he must complete.A career .251 hitter with 57 homers and 218 RBIs through parts of six major league seasons, Vogt played for Oakland from 2013 through part of ’17.The A’s designated the fan favorite for assignment in June that year. Vogt was so likable he drew chants of “I believe in Stephen Vogt!”A rookie and playoff first-timer in October 2013, Vogt delivered a game-ending hit against Detroit in the best-of-five division series. He had left the Tampa Bay organization for the Bay Area on April 5 that season, traded back home to his native California, only a couple of hours from where he grew up and still lived in Visalia.Vogt was a minor league journeyman who made it to the major leagues at last at age 28. He needed 33 at-bats to finally get his first big league hit, a home run against St. Louis’ Joe Kelly on June 28, 2013. Rewind to that spring, and Vogt spent six days in Durham, North Carolina, wondering about his baseball future. He didn’t make the Rays’ opening-day roster and figured to start the season there at Triple-A. Then, Oakland acquired him. November is the cruelest monthAt least for those baseball players who’ll be out of a job at the end of the day."D-backs news [SI] Paul Goldschmidt trade rumors: Who will get the Diamondbacks' star? - The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly keen on trading perennial MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt, as he has just one year left on his contract and will be one of the most desired free agents of the 2020 class. While every team could use a player of Goldschmidt's caliber, some fit better than others. A handful of our staff members were asked to come up with trades for Goldschmidt—these are completely speculative and unsourced, but deals we believe could come to fruition. So who has the best package for Goldschmidt anyway?[Metro] Paul Goldschmidt Yankees Trade Rumors: Greg Bird, Luke Voit, More - The Yankees could use Luke Voit's red-hot second half of the 2018 season to their advantage. After bouncing between the majors and minors with the St. Louis Cardinals Sean Newcomb Jersey , Voit was acquired by New York in August and exploded for 14 home runs and 33 RBI in 39 games.Obviously, the Yankees would have to sweeten the deal far more than just one of those first basemen even though Goldschmidt is only signed through the 2019 season. That could mean the inclusion of outfielder Estevan Florial, New York's top prospect and 45th-overall talent in the minors, per MLB Pipeline.[AZ Big Media] Billy Joel will perform at Chase Field - Arizona Diamondbacks Events & Entertainment and Live Nation announced legendary musician Billy Joel will perform on Saturday, March 9 at Chase Field. This performance will be Billy Joel’s first-ever baseball stadium appearance in Arizona and the first concert at Chase Field under the direction of Arizona Diamondbacks Events & Entertainment. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, December 7 at 10:00 a.m. “We are thrilled to have music legend Billy Joel perform at Chase Field,” said Derrick Hall, D-backs President & CEO. “Billy’s music is known and loved amongst fans across multiple generations, much like baseball, and we are excited to offer our fans an additional form of entertainment at Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.”[Arizona Sports] Stark: D-backs Paul Goldschmidt could end up in Houston - The Athletic’s Jayson Stark told 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station‘s Bickey and Marotta on Tuesday he believes Goldschmidt will get traded and he expects it will be to one of the American League’s best teams. “When the dust settles, [Goldschmidt] will get moved,” Stark said. “Talking to these teams, one of them told me that they bet he will get traded. If I were a betting man, I would say that Goldschmidt ends up in Houston. I think that’s the fit.”And, elsewhere...[The Athletic] Rosenthal: Corbin should receive six-year offers; Yankees may wait on Arenado rather than act now; Bauer could be odd-man out with Indians - to result in him receiving six-year offers Preston Tucker Jersey , if he hasn’t already. Corbin, 29, will not necessarily agree to a six-year contract, particularly if it is loaded with deferrals. He also could accept five years at a higher average annual value from a preferred club. But at six years, his value probably would exceed the largest contract awarded to a free-agent starting pitcher last offseason — six years, $126 million to righty Yu Darvish.[Philly.com] Patrick Corbin is a nine-figure risk worth taking, former pitching coach says - After trying unsuccessfully to change speeds on the slider and experimenting with a change-up, Corbin finally developed a slow curveball that he began throwing midway through the 2017 season. Mike Butcher calls it "a game-changer." "When you're throwing 93 [mph] and a hard slider, the curveball acts as a change-up as well as a different shape of a pitch," Butcher said. "When it's coming out of the same slot as the slider, it's very deceptive. The curveball became the pitch where he could get ahead in counts, he could steal a strike. It was a big pitch for him."[NY Daily News] Yankees-Red Sox London tickets could cost you a fortune - Major League Baseball is charging princely prices for its first games in Britain. Premium seats at London's Olympic Stadium will cost 385 pounds ($493) for the games between the Yankees and World Series champion Boston Red Sox on June 29 and 30. The top non-premium seats near the infield cost 320 pounds ($410). Seats in the outfield corners go for 270 ($346) and 220 pounds ($282), according to a chart on Ticketmaster's website. The ones behind the outfield fences go for 120 pounds ($154).I’ll miss John Sickels and his valuable insight into prospects all around the league. I wish him all the best.