Bagwell Heads Home as Biggio Heads for Cooperstown

For the past 16 years Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio have been the heart and soul of the Houston Astros. They have spent their whole careers in Astro uniforms playing beside each other in the Houston infield. They both won Rookie of the years awards, have made several All Star teams and are fan favorites. They both are true teams players. Many times they have deferred salary and on occasion even taken pay cuts, to remain in Houston, allowing the organization to pursue other big name players in hopes of winning a championship. However after battling injuries over the past two years, and missing the entire 2006 season Jeff Bagwell at age 38 called it quits, and hung up his spikes. He announced his retirement in at a press conference in Houston on Friday December, 15. Biggio will turn 41 and will be back for what is expected to be his last season.

It is a sad time for the entire Astro organization and the Astro fans. Next year will mark a changing of the guard as some younger player from the minor leagues will replace Bagwells spot on the roster. And although Biggio will be playing he will also be expected to groom his future replacement Chris Burke. But the reality is although Bagwell is a great person, loved by Houston fans and regarded as the best hitter team history, he is not hall of fame material. I am sure the die hard Houston fans will disagree, but the truth is Jeff Bagwell is headed home, not to the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Meanwhile Biggio appears to have just enough gas left in his tank to sputter into the Hall of Fame.

Bagwell falls short in every category defines a Hall of Famer. If he had gotten to 3000 hits and/or hit 500 home runs he would be a shoe in for the Hall of Fame. However, he did neither finishing with only 2300 hits and 449 career home runs. Although he was a very good player for 15 years. He only had nine truly great seasons. He even finished with a career batting average under .300. I am not saying a player has to hit 500 home runs, get 3000 hits, or finish his career with a batting average over .300. Not very many players have done all three, but I am saying a player needs to accomplish at least one of these feats to be considered worthy enough to be elected for the hall of fame. Bagwell was a good baseball runner when he was younger and also played good defense. Unfortunately as a first baseman he will not judged by base running or defense. Biggio on the other hand will make it to 3,000 hits this season, and that alone will write his ticket to Cooperstown, although he will not finish is career above the .300 mark nor will he finish his career anywhere close to 500 home runs. Biggio also has a few other things working for him. He has was named to the All Star team at two different positions. He has won several gold gloves for superb defense. And as a second baseman defense plays a factor in your hall of fame election. No second baseman has ever hit 500 homeruns. He is also the all time leader hit by pitches and is one of only 23 players with 10,000 career at bats.

Both Biggio and Bagwell are great ballplayers and great people loved by baseball fans. Father time just caught up with Bagwell. At 38 he is washed all up and wore out. If Bagwell could have played another two or even three years he would have almost certainly reached 500 home runs and would find himself headed for in the hall of fame. But he did not. The reality is Bagwell ran out of gas just a little too early and his numbers although good, do not match up in any category. Bagwell will continue to be with the Astros as a special assistant. He will have a front row seat to watch Biggio in the middle of the hot Houston summer get his 3000th hit and ticket to Cooperstown.