Jeffrey Robert Bagwell

The only sound one hears are the periodic "clanks" of metal meeting metal echoing from the weight room. The Astros' iron man is pumping iron again. For decades, conventional wisdom excluded weight training as part of a baseball player's fitness routine. Jeff Bagwell's monster season knocks one more hole in that philosophy. By late July, Bagwell already had slugged a career-high 33 home runs and was the first player to reach 100 RBI. He also was hitting .367 and sat among the NL leaders in eight offensive categories. These miraculous numbers came from Bagwell’s outstanding 1994 season with the Houston Astros. Jeff Bagwell is not known by many people. He is not a Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr., or Barry Bonds. Jeff is a man who comes to work everyday and loves what he does. He has a talent that most people do not have. He is a remarkable baseball player with a strong sense of leadership. The Houston Astros have not been the best team out there during the past few years but with Bagwell there everyday, they have a good chance. Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio have been the right side of the infield for the Houston Astros for 12 years now. This dynamic duo has led the franchise to four National League Central Division titles in the past five years.

Despite the success the Astros have had in the regular season over the past decade, they have struggled greatly during the postseason. The Astros have never won a playoff series in there entire history of the franchise. Bagwell and Biggio deserve a victory in the playoffs because of their hard work. The two have constructed a team over the past decade that has been through many ups and downs. Three seasons ago, manager Larry Dierker, collapsed during the middle of a game and was rushed to the nearest hospital immediately. There he received brain surgery, but when he first collapsed, guess who was the first person at his side to help him. Jeff Bagwell, who was quickly followed by Craig Biggio. "He (Jeff Bagwell) has quiet leadership more than anything," said Wagner, 29, who sets the tone in the bullpen on and off the mound. "With everything he does on the field, he doesn't have to say much to get his point across.” “Jeff Bagwell is a great player.” Said sports writer Steve Cutchen. “He has a chance to be the first Astro in the Hall of Fame. He is one of the best first basemen of all time and the best Astro ever.”

The Boston Red Sox were the favorite team in the Bagwell household of Killingworth, Connecticut. “The whole family followed the games,” Jeff remembers. “My parents grew up in Boston. We love the Red Sox. We were always die-hard Boston fans.” Jeff was the star third baseman at Xavier High School, and earned a scholarship to the University of Hartford. Bagwell blossomed there, hitting better then .400 each of his three seasons and was named the East Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year twice. His accomplishments did not escape the eye of the pro scouts, and in the fourth round of the ’89 draft, Boston, of all teams, selected him. Jeff Bagwell’s dream had come true. He was a Red Sox draft pick and many thrills lay ahead in Boston’s minor-league system. His fist season was mostly spent at Winter Haven of the Florida State League where Bagwell hit .308 in 69 games, earning him a promotion to New Britain of the Double-A Eastern League. This League has a strong reputation as being pitcher dominant, but Jeff hit 34 doubles (tops in the league), seven triples and 160 hits. He led the league in hits, total bases and intentional walks, and lost the batting crown by a single point. Chugging away at full speed, Jeff seemed to be well on his way to Boston. But the Red Sox were in a pennant race and needed pitching, not a third baseman and they were willing to trade him to get it. Sure enough, he was dealt to Houston on August 31st 1990, for Larry Anderson. Bagwell’s dream of breaking into the majors with the Red Sox was gone for good. Being traded to the Astros was most likely the best thing that could have happened for Bagwell’s career. He began to develop as a player and as a leader staged by example. Even though he grew up as a third baseman, he was moved across the diamond to first base because the Astros had a cluttered left side of the infield at the time. Once settled in he began to increase his skills and work through his mistakes.

Soon the time came when he started receiving the applause he deserved and earned. In 1994 he had a remarkable season and received the national league MVP (most valuable player) award. He was the first Astro to win the award. The ’94 season consisted of his career high, at the time, 39 home runs. One of Jeff’s more recent accomplishments are his accumulated 360 home runs. In the 2000 season he became only the fifth player ever to have recorded 300 homers, 1,000 RBI and 1,000 runs in their first 10 years of Major League Baseball. Jeff has also been the opening day first baseman for Houston for the past 10 consecutive years.

Jeffrey Robert Bagwell was born on June 27th 1968 in Killingworth, Connecticut. He lived in Connecticut until he was signed by the Red Sox and sent to the minor leagues. He then was traded to Houston and eventually moved there where he now resides with his wife and two daughters. His wife’s name is Ericka and his two daughters are named Bryce and Alycia. Jeff enjoys playing golf and fishing. He is a Chicago Bulls fan and his hero is Carl Yastrzemski. Jeff Bagwell sets a positive example when he is on the baseball field. He is a role model for young kids and players because he conducts himself appropriately and he leads by example. If you make a mistake he will pat you on the back and give you a simple remark like “You’ll get um next time” or “It’s just part of the game”. Bagwell is a positive addition to major league baseball and has an outstanding chance of someday being inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame.