Astros ask Bagwell to retire

kcballboy

Just my opinion, but Bagwell was always one of my favorites. He played hard and he played with class and if he never takes another swing it would be a sad way to end a stellar career. I would think that the Astros would be willing to restructure with an incentive based contract and give him the chance to prove himself after all he has given to the team.

Bagwell

And, since it seems to be a popular topic recently, does anyone think he makes the HOF. If he never played again I think his numbers fall a little short but I still think he gets in within the first few years.

Wondo

Definate HOF

DirtyHarry

This guy is a major positive influence for the much desparaged institition of MLB. He will retire when he wants to.

stevek

I realize he was playing injured during the World Series, but his bat speed was atrocious. He has the look of a player who is done.

goose3

<< <i>I realize he was playing injured during the World Series, but his bat speed was atrocious. He has the look of a player who is done. >>




you aren't kidding. it was almost sad to see him at bat because it clearly was not the same player.

Stingray

I am a big bagwell fan and have followed him through out is career. I am not sure what he has left in the tank. I did notice and was wondering if anyone else had, he had hudge forearms and it seemed that when they announced the steriod testing policy, bagwell came back the next year looking a lot smaller in his arms in paticular. I do not know if he lost the weight intentionally but I sure could tell. I hope he has a couple of good years left.


Stingray

JoeBanzai

Wow, after all this guy has done for the organization, they sure seem to want him to retire. I have lost a lot of respect for the Astro's.

His numbers had dipped a bit in the three years before the injury, but still pretty good numbers.

His numbers over the first 14 years are more than enough to put him in the hall, Puckett got in with a shortened career. Apples and oranges, but both players were great.

JoeBanzai

On the subject of shoulder injuries, I hurt mine and it makes it hard to do anything athletic. I wouldn't give up on him just yet.

downgoesfrazier

<< <i>I did notice and was wondering if anyone else had, he had hudge forearms and it seemed that when they announced the steriod testing policy, bagwell came back the next year looking a lot smaller in his arms in paticular. I do not know if he lost the weight intentionally but I sure could tell. I hope he has a couple of good years left >>



Stingray,
How old are you? This is a really (insert more tactful, PC and gentle word for stupid) post. What's going on here? Free country, but c'mon people you GOTTA bring more than this garbage to the forum.

On topic,
An incentive contract makes sense to common-folk like us...not so much to baseball. The Astros are stuck here. Baggy may be nearing the end as his forearms ( would suggest, but as another poster mentioned, painful shoulders can really mess with the ability to be explosive and can be disruptive to timing as well. The fact is, he was examined --from Dr. Andrews hospital bed, no less -- and the evidence will not be substantial enough for the club's insurance policy to cover Bagwell's 2006 salary. They now have to just wait and see like the rest of us if Bagwell can contribute come the spring. It's funny, when Bags was tearing it up and taking names in 1993-2000, when he was GROSSLY underpaid in terms of what the open-market was dictating, I just can't recall him complaining and sitting out and looking for a loophole. Mr. McLaine (sp?) has a fine reputation around baseball and I don't doubt that he's a good man, but this is a golden opportunity for the Astros to step up and look like the classiest organization in baseball and I hope they don't blow it. I would vote for Bagwell in a heart-beat (small forearms and all) as well as Craig Biggio for the HOF. I'd like to think even the writer-geeks who read Bill Jame's books and subscribe to "useless statistics weekly" magazine could figure that out too.
Bagwell represents what we all love about the game and hope it becomes once again.


dgf