Jeff Bagwell

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Jeff Bagwell
Image:Bagwell2006HA.jpg
First base
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 8, 1991 for the Houston Astros
Final game
October 2, 2005 for the Houston Astros
Career statistics
Batting average     .297
Home runs     449
Runs batted in     1,529
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Jeffrey Robert Bagwell (born May 27, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman, who spent his entire major league baseball career with the Houston Astros.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Bagwell grew up in Killingworth, Connecticut. He graduated from Xavier High School, a private Catholic school located in Middletown, Connecticut, where he excelled at soccer as well as baseball. His former coaches have said that he was a better soccer player than a baseball player, but was an all-around phenomenal athlete. After high school, he remained in Connecticut, attending the University of Hartford.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Red Sox prospect

Bagwell was selected in the 4th round of the 1989 draft by the Boston Red Sox. On August 30, 1990 the Red Sox traded him to the Houston Astros for 36-year old relief pitcher Larry Andersen to gear up for their playoff run. That trade is now regarded as one of the most one-sided of all time. Although Andersen pitched well down the stretch in 1990 (allowing three runs in 22 innings of relief) and helped the Red Sox win the AL East division title on the last day of the season, Boston was swept in the American League Championship Series and then lost Andersen to free agency (in part because of a so-called collusion settlement).

Bagwell had been considered a good prospect, but his route to the majors was blocked by established Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs and top prospects 1B Mo Vaughn and 3B Tim Naehring.

[edit] Houston Astros

Bagwell blossomed in Houston, becoming one of the best and most respected players in Astros franchise history. Bagwell spent his 15-year career in a Houston uniform and, along with teammate Craig Biggio, was synonymous with the Astros throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s.

Bagwell hit and threw right-handed. His batting style was exaggerated and unusual; he actually stepped back with his front foot as he began his swing. Bagwell had a unique wide-open, crouched stance, which started in a low position with his knees bent, looking somewhat as if he were sitting on an invisible bench. Sliding his front foot backward, he would rise from his stance and swing.

Developed as a third baseman, he was shifted to first base during spring training because the Astros already had an established third baseman in Ken Caminiti. Debuting on opening day, Bagwell hit .294 with 15 home runs and 82 RBI, led the 1991 Astros in several offensive categories, and was named the 1991 National League Rookie of the Year.

The best year in Bagwell's professional career was the strike-shortened 1994 season when he was unanimously named National League Most Valuable Player after batting .368 with 39 home runs, 116 runs batted in and 104 runs scored, in just 400 at-bats. He became the first National Leaguer to finish first or second in batting average, home runs, RBI, and runs scored since Willie Mays in 1955. His .750 slugging percentage in 1994 ranks as the 11th best single-season mark in major league history. Bagwell's hand was broken by a pitch on August 10, just before the players' strike began; had the season continued, he would likely have missed the remainder of the year and would not have won the MVP. But because of the timing of his "lucky break," Bagwell became just the fourth player in National League history to win the award unanimously. Bagwell was also the runner-up for the 1999 MVP, and was third in 1997.

Bagwell's unique stance made him vulnerable to inside pitches. His left hand was broken by pitches in 1993, 1994, and 1995. But rather than change his successful style, he began wearing a heavily-padded protective batting glove.

Bagwell had nine seasons with over 30 home runs, eight seasons with 100 or more RBI, and nine seasons with over 100 runs scored. In six consecutive years-- 1996 through 2001-- he reached all three marks in every season. He drew at least 100 walks for seven straight seasons, and had six seasons with a .300 batting average.

Bagwell was also considered a strong fielder, winning a Gold Glove award in 1994, and compiling a career .993 fielding percentage. He also exhibited above-average speed and baserunning skills for a first baseman, stealing 202 bases over his career, including two seasons (1997, 1999) in which he stole at least 30 bases, and five seasons (1994, 1996-99) in which he stole at least 15. In 1997, he became the first full-time first baseman to steal 30 bases while hitting 30 home runs.

Bagwell was teammates with Craig Biggio for the entirety of his major league career. While Derek Bell was on the team from 1995-1999, the trio was sometimes called "The Killer B's." The nickname was later revived to include Lance Berkman and Carlos Beltran.

In 2001, Bagwell signed a five-year extension with Houston. By 2005, Bagwell was the seventh highest-paid player in the sport, receiving $18 million in the fourth year of the deal. However, shortly after the season began, a persistent arthritic condition in his shoulder sidelined him for three-quarters of the season. This same condition, which began to affect him in 2001, turned the former Golden Glove winner into a defensive liability at first base, forcing him to "push" the ball instead of throwing it. Teams began taking advantage of Bagwell's defensive weakness. And as Bagwell's offensive production declined, pressure mounted to bench the perennial All-Star. Although unable to throw, Bagwell was reactivated in September 2005 as a pinch hitter and played a small but symbolic role in the Astros' successful drive to capture the National League pennant. Bagwell was the Astros' designated hitter in the first two games of the World Series versus the Chicago White Sox, and a pinch hitter in the two games played in Houston.

[edit] Health issues

On January 23, 2006, the Astros indicated that they would file a claim on an insurance policy on Bagwell's health, to collect approximately $15.6 million of the $17 million in salary Bagwell was owed for the 2006 season. Because of the language of the policy, the Astros could not release Bagwell without losing their settlement, nor could Bagwell take the field. The decision effectively eliminated Bagwell's chances of playing again in the major leagues.

Nonetheless, Bagwell still reported to spring training hoping he could contribute in some way during the upcoming 2006 campaign, and to test his own injured body. He wanted his play to determine his status, not the particulars of the Astros' insurance policy. Bagwell played several games with the Astros in spring training, batting .219 with two RBI. He never had to make any throws that were difficult enough to put notable stress on his shoulder, since the other infielders shifted toward him when they were playing. As expected, the Astros put him on the 15-day disabled list in late March. Bagwell said that he was only in good enough condition to play every several days, rather than every day. [1] However, the insurance claim was ultimately denied, forcing the Astros to pay Bagwell the full amount for the final year of his contract.

The Astros declined to pick up the $18 million club option for 2007, instead buying Bagwell out for $7 million. Bagwell filed for free agency in November 2006, but announced his retirement one month later. Astros owner Drayton McLane and general manager Tim Purpura announced that Bagwell would remain in the Astros organization, in the player development department, as one of the Assistants' to the General Manager.[2]

[edit] Trivia

  • Bagwell was born on the identical day-- May 27, 1968-- as Toronto Blue Jays DH Frank Thomas. The two have also had notably similar careers. [3] [4]Each was named MVP of his respective league in 1994. The pair faced each other in the World Series in 2005, though Thomas was injured and inactive, while Bagwell's injuries kept his playing time to a minimum.
  • In 1995, Bagwell broke up a no-hitter bid by Greg Maddux with an eighth-inning home run.
  • In 1996, Bagwell became only the second player to hit two balls into the upper deck of Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium. Pirates slugger Willie Stargell, with much greater opportunity, had been the first.
  • On September 18th, 2004, Bagwell became the first Houston Astro and the 29th player in Major League Baseball history to have 1500 runs and 1500 RBIs in a career. He accomplished both marks in the same game.
  • The Boston Red Sox chose Mo Vaughn in the first round of the 1989 draft ahead of Bagwell. It is the only time in history that a team selected two future MVPs in the same draft.

[edit] Career Statistics

Bagwell's career batting average is .297 in over 9,000 plate appearances. He has 488 doubles, 449 home runs, 1,401 walks, 202 stolen bases, 1,517 runs scored, 1,529 runs batted in, 2,314 hits and a slugging percentage of .540. Bagwell's best seasons took place in the pitcher-friendly Astrodome, making his numbers even more impressive. Bagwell played in nine playoff series, batting .226 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 106 plate appearances. Baseball statistician Bill James, in his New Historical Baseball Abstract, listed Bagwell as the fourth best first baseman of all time.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
David Justice		 NL Rookie of the Year
1991		 Succeeded by
Eric Karros
Preceded by
Barry Bonds		 National League Player of the Month
May, 1993		 Succeeded by
Andrés Galarraga
Preceded by
Lenny Dykstra & Mike Piazza		 National League Player of the Month
June & July, 1994		 Succeeded by
Matt Williams
Preceded by
Barry Bonds		 National League RBI Champion
1994		 Succeeded by
Dante Bichette
Preceded by
Barry Bonds		 National League Most Valuable Player
1994		 Succeeded by
Barry Larkin
Preceded by
Barry Bonds		 National League Player of the Month
May, 1996		 Succeeded by
Dante Bichette
Preceded by
Luis Gonzalez		 National League Player of the Month
July, 2001		 Succeeded by
Sammy Sosa
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