This story really concerned me. Makes me think that theres a real possibility that this could be Bags last season with us. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2623453 Bagwell still battles pain By RICHARD JUSTICE Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle MILWAUKEE -- Jeff Bagwell knows the pain is always going to be there, constant and nagging and raw. He understands, too that he probably will never be the player he once was and that coming to the ballpark will never be as much fun as it had been. These are difficult admissions for someone as tough and proud as any player in the big leagues. His right shoulder hurts from the moment he gets up in the morning until he goes to bed at night. He takes oral medication, he takes pain-killing injections, but the pain never really goes away. He's not seeking sympathy, only understanding. He talks about it only because he's asked to talk about it. "Sometimes I wish everyone could feel it for five minutes," he says. He's not into excuses. "Does it matter?" he asks. "If I put on the uniform, I should still be expected to do my job." A model player This answer shows one of the reasons he's so respected inside his clubhouse and throughout his sport, why he and Craig Biggio will be the measuring sticks for all future Astros. Yet there's also sadness in his voice. He once loved coming to the ballpark as much as almost any player. He loved the uniform and the competition and especially the winning. If you watch him in the clubhouse on one of those nights after a victory, you would not know whether he hit the game-winning home run or struck out three times. His body language and demeanor in those moments let everyone know that only the bottom line counted. He loved that he and Biggio had helped transform a losing organization into a consistent winner. Aches getting worse He once seemed a dead solid lock for the Hall of Fame despite playing his first nine seasons in the Astrodome when he surely lost at least a handful of home runs each season. His career changed forever in 2001 when his right shoulder began to ache. He's not sure why or exactly when, only that the pain began gradually and got worse until it became almost unbearable. He missed just one game that season, hit 39 home runs and helped the Astros win the National League Central for the fourth time in five seasons. He underwent what he hoped would be a quick-fix surgical procedure that winter, but doctors found more damage than they could repair. They also found a degenerative arthritic condition. They told him to get used to the pain. In the three seasons since, the game has gotten harder. Lately, it has gotten much harder. "It's just not as much fun as it used to be," Bagwell, 36, said. "For 11 years, I had a great time." He has lost so much strength in the shoulder that he can't get his bat into the hitting zone as quickly as he once did. He has adjusted his swing to compensate for the shoulder and has remained remarkably productive. In two seasons since the surgery, he's averaging 35 home runs and 99 RBIs. He missed five games. Still, each time he has a bad streak, the Astros wonder if the pain is worse than he's letting on. A recent exam found that bone spurs have developed, making the shoulder more of a train wreck than it was. And he's struggling. He was hitless in three at-bats during Friday's 9-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers and is batting .188 this month. His average has fallen from .322 to .276 since May 11. Still, he remains on a pace for 25 home runs and 95 RBIs and is one hot streak away from having his numbers about where they always are. Is he going to have another 43-home run, 135-RBI season as he did in 1997? No, but he's still going to be in the upper echelon of big-leaguers. "I'm playing because I can still do certain things," he said. "But defense used to be a big part of my deal. That has changed. I also have to understand that some days I have to be a good teammate. When you're at your best, the rate of failure in this game is pretty tough. That's just part of it." But the pain is always there. He's especially reminded when he steps onto the field a couple of hours before game time and attempts to play catch. If you've watched the Astros much the last three seasons, you know what this looks like. Jeff Bagwell, once one of the National League's best defensive first basemen, can do little more than lob the ball. Except that throwing the ball is not even half the problem. He could survive fine with a weak throwing arm because others have done so over the years. What he attempted to hide the last couple of years is how much the bad shoulder affects his hitting. He shrugs when asked about this. "Nothing is the same," he said. "I have to deal with the shoulder every single day. Some days are worse than others."
If the shoulder is that bad sit him down move Lance to first put lane in the outfield and go from there.It seems somewhat self serving for him to continue to hurt the team.
Sadly, I smell a homecoming trade to Boston for prospects in the next two years. Only 'good' reason for the DH. I hate how everyone all of a sudden says he has 'no chance' at the Hall. As i see it, if The Big Hurt (which I think Bagwell should adopt) makes it, Bagwell will too. They're both too similar. The edge would go to Thomas only because of the DH. He made his first start of the season at 1B today.
While the trade value is high, I would trade Bags for Johnny Damon. Move Berkman to his natural position at 1B and then move Biggio over to left field where he will not have as room to cover. I love Bags but business is business.
He was hitless in three at-bats during Friday's 9-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers and is batting .188 this month. His average has fallen from .322 to .276 since May 11. Still, he remains on a pace for 25 home runs and 95 RBIs and is one hot streak away from having his numbers about where they always are. Wow...if this guy were playing centerfield for the Reds, he'd be a projected All-Star and on the cover of SI.
Come on, 25/95 is still good production, just not for the 3 spot in the lineup. Move him down, put Lance 3, Kent 4, and Bags 5. He's shown that he can still hit for power. Last year 39/100. Also Biggio in left? He doesn't have the arm for that. The only reason Berkman's not in center is because Biggio has a weak arm. Berkman played center pretty well a couple of years ago.
Your weakest outfield arm should always be in left. The left fielder has the shortest throw to third base. That's where you stop those guys going from first to third on a single. Biggio would be an adequate left fielder.
This may sound dumb, but why not turn him into a lefty. How hard could that be. That left shoulder is probably pretty strong too.
I keep thinking about it, but as soon as I do, Bagwell is going to rip off one of his usual summer hot streaks....
Instincts. Bagwell has been swinging right-handed his whole life, and is used to watching the ball come from that side, and he'd have to perfect his swing left handed, which he doesn't have time left in his career to do. Or are you talking about throwing? It's pretty strange to throw a ball left handed when you've been throwing right handed your whole life, but it has worked before, in the case of Billy Wagner.
Did anyone else catch the announcement that Bags and Berkman are switching places in the lineup, starting tonight?? Berky batting 3rd Bags batting 5th
No, but it is past due. Bags -- let's win it this year, for Bags. Then let the MAN retire and do it gracefully. A shame his injury, a true shame. he deserves much better.
In MMP line drives off the wall can be held to singles with a strong throw back to second, something Berkman is very good at. I just don't think Biggio will be able to do that.
If Bagwell were to retire at the end of this year, would the Astros still have to pay him? Im guessing he wont because he probably wants to get 500 home runs before he is done.
