BRADENTON, Fla. - Every year it seems like Ray Searage gets a bigger challenge with his reclamation projects. Francisco Liriano had injury and control issues that plagued his career. Edinson Volquez had one good season that happened a long time before joining the Pirates. J.A. Happ had no good seasons. And all of these made the A.J. Burnett situation -- both of them in fact -- look incredibly easy.
This year, Searage has one of his biggest challenges yet -- making Ryan Vogelsong a productive pitcher again.
Vogelsong is coming off a 4.67 ERA/4.55 xFIP in 2015 over 135 innings, which was a replacement level performance.