Wow, what a beast. Great career. Hit some of the most impressive homers I've seen. Why doesn't Vogelbach do the Jim Thome dance?
Thome is much taller, 6-4, and earlier in his career, he was leeean-ish with a fairly tight body. He was significantly leaner at the same age than Mr. Bach who carries Thome's 40-year-old weight in a younger, and much shorter, and stocky frame. Different proportions mean they set-up and execute with different shapes, and shapes and proportions carry intrinsic physical advantages and disadvantages, setting parameters for the forces needed to manipulate them. An example is the difference between a large gear cog and a small gear cog. Both weighing the same; the smaller cog requires a less force and control to get the same spinning speed, and less to slow down. Also, once the cog is in motion, changes along the x-axis become more difficult ie: without tremendous body power you can't tilt the cog at high speed. Few people can simultaneously tilt the cog AND do so precisely-with consistency. Thome, being taller and leaner manipulates his cog very well-the cog, of course being the collective system of hips, waist, shoulders, head, arms, hands, and bat.
Thome was never mechanical or stiff, (neither is Vogel) especially from the hips to the hands. Fluidity, and free range of motion are important, but it's not the issue here. From the waist up Thome's in control- navigating a powerful, violent, complex motion with microscopic precision-like Giancarlo, maybe just a tick below. He easily transitions from large to small cog and back-easily tilts his cog up and down. Vogel does the same thing, but like I said, the level of tightness in body control tells me the doesn't control his body cog with the same precision, meaning larger error bars.
Because of Thome's proportions, there is less pressure on him to have that special Ortiz or Fielder-like torso control, except that he is right up there with them, making him HOF elite. Ortiz, BTW, spent a lot of his career a bit lighter than Vogel is now, and still 3 inches taller-a small cog from the get-go. The taller man can, typically, better control the bigger cog. He is just typically stronger. When you add the elite body control, you get to another level.
Thome maintained most of this upper-half throughout his career and then tapered off like everyone does with age. Regarding his lower half control, well, he was not springy. He'd make a terrible balerina, much less a Jack Cust center fielder. His legs were a bit busier catching his post-swing motion when he was lean and young,. Later, it seems he figured out how to do his swing without sloshing his legs about, allowing him to be more plump without penalty. In that sense he's more like Vogel.