Bagwell Attempts Come-Backe

According to SR610 this morning, Brandon Backe will test his strained oblique muscle(s) in a simulated game today against, among others, Jeff Bagwell, who will face a (formerly) major-league caliber pitcher for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this summer. Assuming Backe is able to get a pitch somewhere near the plate, Baggy might even take a cut, although considering Backe's recent control problems, color me somewhat skeptical. It seems like a superstar rehabbing from injury may be safer trying to cross six lanes of Westheimer during peak drag-racing season than stepping between the lines against Houston's new Wild Thing.

Much debate has arisen about Bagwell's status, especially considering the heavy financial burden that his salary will place on the team in 2006 if he attempts to play. I do not know enough about the rules regarding the ability of insurance to pick up an injured player's salary, but I do know that the bats currently available when the Astros expand their roster on September 1 are names like Mike Coolbaugh, Raul Chavez and Luke Scott. The mere presence of Baggy in the clubhouse loosening up for a potential pinch-hit situation would be more of an asset than Mike Coolbaugh would provide with a corked bat. Any concerns about next season should be postponed until precisely then. I'm no doctor, but I did drive past a Holiday Inn Express this morning on my way to work, and in my medical opinion, there are too many variables involved to try and accurately predict Baggy's status for 2006. The real question is whether or not he'll be available off of the bench in late 2005, and Astros' fans should sure hope that he will be.