Jeff Bagwell Quotations

When I came back, we decided to give it a try and see how I would do. I told them: I can give you a good at bat and I think I can help the team. I can hit a home run now. I can get a base hit to right field. I'm just a lot stronger -- and I've been in these situations, runners in scoring position.

When you come in here, it's no different from anybody else, ... except when the game starts.

Second guess all you want. I think that's easy to do in that situation, but I think it's a little unfair, too. I feel like I can help the team, I really do. I feel like I'm going to give a good at-bat. I'm a lot stronger now.

Oh, yeah, he made those great plays. What would have been if those balls got through?

Mentally and physically, this has been the most difficult, most exhausting, most frustrating season I've ever had. Being an Astro my whole career, I felt the same way about this team that a lot of people did, that this was the year we'd get through the playoffs and into a World Series. And I felt that I was letting the team and the city down.

My at-bats were fine. I'm not so concerned with results with my hitting. I'm just concerned with ... does it affect my hitting when I go out there and throw, and so far it does not.

Maybe (Billy) Wagner, ... I can't think of anybody else.

I don't know exactly why that is. I was dying in the St. Louis series, I was dying in the Atlanta series. Of course, I haven't been playing, so I'm more of a fan than anything else,

But the great fans are going to be next door, so we'll just have another nice, new park with the same fans. The best of both worlds.

I have a chance to go to the World Series toward the end of my career and I'm ecstatic.

If I'm going to do this thing and try and come back and play, then I've got to be a little smarter.

I felt all right. (Today) will be a good (gauge) of how I feel. With the adrenaline, it's tough to tell what your pain level is, but it wasn't too bad. Physically, I didn't go to my knees in pain, so it's all good so far.

I feel good enough to where I could do something. But this is not about me. It's about the other 24 guys and what's best for the team.

I can't just go away. That's not in my nature.

For so long, it's been, 'OK, he's playing first base. Don't even worry about him in spring training. But it's a different story now, and I fully understand that. That part has been a little weird for me, but that's the way it is right now.

From the fans to the players to the manager to the umpires, the support I've gotten the last six months has been mind-boggling. I couldn't appreciate it more. ... It's a heck of a job to have for 15 years.

If that ball gets down the line, maybe. But you can't ever look back like that.

He did a lot of good things for baseball in this city, and it's really unfortunate that the one thing he's remembered for is letting Nolan Ryan leave,

Today it wasn't bad, for me to be able to come back after the other night and be able to bounce back. I'm happy with it. I don't expect to be able to know whether I can play right now. This is a little too early, I've got to get through my soreness first and then a little later on see what I can do. Right now my main focus is to get out there and throw the ball in between innings, get my legs under me, things like that.

We talked about taking a month or so to try to strengthen my shoulder and try to see how my shoulder reacted to non-baseball things. Not throwing a baseball, not hitting a baseball every day.

Today didn't go that well. My arm was bothering me from when I woke up, so I'm hoping it's just that I slept on it wrong. I tried to get loose and see if felt any better, but it didn't, so I just didn't want to take my chances. Playing catch is no fun, but that's secondary right now. That'll come, hopefully, in another couple of weeks.

He's determined to play through whatever it is. Even if his life's in danger, he doesn't care. He just wants to pitch.

Hitting is no problem, the question is if I can make throws. I'll give it a try at first base in a game in about a week.

Hitting is no problem. The question is if I can make throws.

He's gone far beyond any expectations of hot.

He's going to be fine. Every closer goes through a little bit of a glitch where things don't go their way. Those were Brad's two games. The first one didn't cost us, we won that series, and hopefully this one won't cost us, either.

He's going to be fine, ... Every closer goes through a little bit of a glitch where things don't go their way. Those were Brad's two games. The first one didn't cost us, we won that series, and hopefully this one won't cost us, either.

He didn?t look real good last night. Of course, there were probably a lot of things going through his mind.

I wouldn't say I'm all the way back, I'm just pinch-hitting. I'm capable of doing that.

Just to get out here, get back on the field, I felt like it was a little bit of a trial camp today. I felt like I almost had to try and prove something, but yet I've got to sit back and say, 'No, I don't, I just have to get ready for April 1.

I swung at a couple of high fastballs, but I'm getting the bat head there. I just need to get the ball down a little bit. He's a guy that just comes in and throws hard. Whether you have 35 or 40 postseason at-bats, a guy throwing 100 miles per hour, it's not that easy.

I swung at a couple of high fastballs, but I'm getting the bat head there, ... I just need to get the ball down a little bit. He's a guy that just comes in and throws hard. Whether you have 35 or 40 postseason at-bats, a guy throwing 100 miles per hour, it's not that easy.

I threw 20 balls and took about 15 swings on videotape and went and saw Dr. Andrews, who was a heck of a trouper for seeing me in his hospital bed after a heart attack. We had a good conversation. He examined me, and that's about the extent of it right now.

I said I wasn't going to embarrass myself, and I felt like this was a joke. I don't have a problem with my work ethic. I don't have a problem with determination. But I can't control what's going on in my shoulder.

Over any short period, pitching can carry a team. We've got the kind of pitching than can give you the chance to win game after game after game.

That doesn't count. To be honest with you guys, I'm not really looking to throw. I guess everyone else is.

That ball actually went farther than I thought it would, so that was good. I've said before I'm not the greatest spring training player in the world. I saw a bunch of pitches today which was good. The more pitches I see the better I'll get.

Locating on the outside corner, getting confidence with his outside fastball, hitting his spots, ... When he does that, he's tough to hit.

I wish I could've done a little bit more.

It feels better as I do it. The key is during the course of a game, is it going to stay like that? Or at least that it stays the same, not regresses.

It feels like there is still something lodged in there, but it does feel better, and the guys who are watching say it looks a lot better. I've got a ways to go. I've got to be able to maintain my throwing throughout the spring training if I'm going to be able to play during the season.

I thought it all went well. I was just trying to get the (bat) head out. In general I guess I did. I hit the ball on the barrel, which is good. It's coming. I just need to keep hitting. It takes awhile to get those muscles strong again.

I thought it all went well, ... I was just trying to get the (bat) head out. In general I guess I did. I hit the ball on the barrel, which is good. It's coming. I just need to keep hitting. It takes a while to get those muscles strong again.

I think the teams are to blame. They start out by giving guys out of high school millions of dollars and contracts that guarantee they'll be in the big leagues by a certain time. Then they coddle them all the way through the system. They get used to having things given to them rather than having earned them.

That was probably the calmest I was the whole postseason.

You just know it. The group just believes in each other. It's a special group.

Yeah, that doesn't count. To be honest with you guys, I'm not really looking to throw. I guess everybody else is, but I'm not. I'm just trying to get my legs underneath me, get out there, get used to taking throws again, covering the base. All of the things that you seem to take for granted, but it's a little bit different here.

You know, I am not fragile of mind, ... Just because I've been out, this is the kind of opportunity I love. But when a guy's throwing 100, it's pretty tough to catch up with it. And if he throws a cutter at 100 ... man, that's not easy.

When you're playing in his games, ... it seems like you raise your intensity a little bit, because you don't want to make a mistake behind him.

What led me to this (decision) was the tremendous amount of pain that I just couldn't deal with anymore. I played a couple of days in a row. I came out that first game. Then I played a couple days and I got through it. And I was like, 'All right, let's see what's happening here.' I had to come out of the game in Detroit.

This was what we wanted to do, ... We spent a lot of time in this city and this organization trying to get to this particular point.

You have to be a little nervous in that situation. It was a big moment, and it's a win we needed.

We win that game, it changes the whole series. But the bottom line is, we didn't, and we've got to deal with that.

Towards the end of my career, I didn't want an opportunity like this to go by.

Eventually, he and I are going to have to sit down and talk. When that is, we'll figure it out at some point.

Easier said than done, ... It's not like the guy is throwing soft toss to me. It's hard in those situations. I loved the opportunity, and I wish I had the at-bat over again. That's just not the way it is.

There's no other situation this would be OK. A normal guy, that wasn't going to play. It fit for our situation at the time. It's not something I would advocate. But Roger Clemens is a gift from the baseball gods. Anything he does is a gift. ... Craig (Biggio) and I have never had a ring. Our best opportunity to get one was to have Roger around. He tends to his obligations, his kids. And it's not like the man comes in here and pitches five innings and gives up six every day.

There's nothing really (doctors) can tell me. There are educated guesses of what's going on. I just need to rest a little bit.

There's nothing more we would like, ... than to get this city to the World Series.

It was a little sore to start with, but the more I went, the better it felt.

The team can't wait on me. They need to know now. I think I'll honestly know if I can or can't.

No problem, no question about it, ... but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Actually, it went better than I expected. I was a little apprehensive. I wasn't real excited when I saw it was a TV game. But it went OK. Tomorrow's going to be a big test for me to see how it feels.

You don't want everyone to think you're soft or that it's an excuse. It's tough on younger players.

This is what we wanted to do, ... We wanted to be part of something special here in Houston.

This is what we talked about for years and years, ... Obviously, this is a dream come true for us.

This is what we always wanted to be. I didn't want to put another jersey on, he didn't want to either. This is what it's all about.

There's been a lot of business decisions that have been made over time,

There's a lot of things that go through your mind, like how long it's been,

It's just a natural progression right now. I'm throwing a little bit between innings and getting my at-bats.

It was awesome. I can't imagine the fans being any better than they've been. ... I couldn't have appreciated it any more. It's sad for it to happen like this, but it made me feel that way.

I told Phil I don't want this to be a charity case or sentimental pick. That's not what Phil is about. He's a standup guy and he's going to be honest with me. This is what he wanted. He wanted me to be here and he wanted me to get an opportunity to play, because he thinks I can do something.

It's always nice to get a hit, but if I didn't get a hit it still wouldn't mean anything. I don't believe I have to show I can hit. It's whether or not I can throw, hit, play a full game, play in back-to-back games and three games in a row and be able to still hit.

It's going to come to an end. We know that. We're not talking about a 23-year-old rookie. We're talking about a 43-year-old guy who has been there, done that. Eventually -- whether it's the next two weeks or the next two years -- this thing is going to end. So I'm just grateful I had the opportunity to play baseball with him. As a kid who grew up as a Boston Red Sox fan to where I am today, it's been an honor.

It's great for me, but it goes way beyond that, ... It's big for the team. We needed to win this game. Everybody knows how important every single game is, and tonight is no exception.

That's the dumbest thing ever. I mean, what are the chances?

That kid should save that bat. And one of these days, he should sneak in and have Roger sign it. ... Uh, today wouldn't be a good day -- but someday.

It's like going to the (NBA) Finals in basketball or to the Super Bowl,

It's like going to the finals in basketball or to the Super Bowl. You still have to win it. Yeah, it's great to get there, but that's not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is to be the last team under the pile.

It's not good for us that he's had hamstring problems for us in the past. We need Rock (Clemens) to pitch. We are here partly because of him.

Everybody was getting tired of the beards. I think that, more than anything else, was the case.

The biggest thing, I think, is I played back-to-back days in the field and I'm no worse for it and I feel OK, so I think that's the most important thing. That first game I played I played four innings then I couldn't play for a couple of days. Now, I've played four innings back to back so that's good.

The best thing we can do for him tonight, ... is score some runs for him.

It's amazing, right down to both being hurt. I understand what he's going through, because I've gone through a lot of the same things. You don't really feel a part of it.

It kills me that I can't play now, ... I think the best chance for me to play again is to do the surgery.

It's difficult. It's probably the most difficult thing to do in the game. You're just thrust into a situation where the game speeds up real quick. When you play every day, it's easy to slow it down. It's been a difficult adjustment.

It was nice to see people and to pay our respects. There were a lot of people there. It was nice, but how are funerals? They're awful.

I've had both thoughts in my mind. How great it would be if I could play and end the season and be satisfied with that. And I've also had the other side where I spend time with my family. I'm OK either way.

I've had plenty of conversations (in past years) where I didn't know if I was going to be able to do it, but I've always found a way to do it. And that's why I'm here again.

Oh trust me, there are plenty of thoughts like that. You're not human if you don't get frustrated and wonder, 'Is it worth doing this?' But I still know I can do some things that are very positive. Am I going to be the same player I was in the '90s and 2000? Probably not. I don't know if I can ever be that player again.

It takes both sides, players and management, working very hard to make that happen.

It's very special, ... We've spent a long time together. It's really like a marriage. We've had good times. We've had bad times. But it's been a heck of an association.

It's who I am. I can't just go away.

It's very important to be there, ... He's been a friend of mine 15 years, and it goes beyond baseball. We stayed friends beyond baseball. He was a great man, and we owe it to him to be there.

I want him on the mound tomorrow night. He's one of the main reasons why we're here. Things happen every once in a while. I'm sure it's going to be the last time you see that.

I want him on the mound tomorrow night.

Their season doesn't last very long, so I only have a certain amount of time. I'll maybe play three games, DH, then come back and pinch-hit. Twelve at-bats over the course of three days, that should be enough of a gauge right now.

I'm sure they'd like me to see live pitching before I jump in there after three months. We'd have to see if it coordinates with Round Rock and, more importantly, if my shoulder coordinates with that.

I'm more of a cheerleader now, but I get to put on my spikes, ... It means a lot to me.

I'm just ready to go, ... Adrenaline is going to take over anyway, so I'll be fine.