Bagwell or Thomas?

[jobycom]

This World Series pits two teams who have not won a World Series in memorable history (The Astros have never been). But more interesting, it pits two icons of the game who seemed doomed to never making it.

Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas have both been great players and class acts, but they have also chosen to stay with the same team throughout their careers, not chasing after more bucks or a World Series win on another team. That is so rare today it should be pointed out. Either player could have made more money on another team. Neither chose to.

ESPN has a story on the two men, and their connections are eerie. They were born on the same day. They were drafted the same year. They both play first base. They both won their League MVP's in the same year. Check out the link to see how close their stats are.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2005/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2198984

On more thing on the Astros and team loyalty. I'm going from memory, so I hope I get these right. Eleven players on their roster have never played for another team. Seventeen came up through their farm league. This is a team that epitomizes loyalty.

Two class teams. Both of them deserve this, and not just because they won the games to get there.

Just my thoughts. Back to work.

[Not_Giving_Up]

1. Biggio has been with the Astros longer

But, if he's not a choice, I'll take Bagwell.

[jobycom]

3. Yeah, but he looks younger and his birthday wasn't the same so

it wasn't as cool!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Now I'm not particularly sports-minded my dear jobycom.....

But I found your post quite compelling...along with your thinking...

Thank you for posting this.

It might help if/when I watch the World Series.....

[jandrok]

4. Go 'Stros!

Bags and Bidge are the cornerstones of the Astros franchise. Both men have statues outside of Minute Maid park. They're both headed for Cooperstown. They both used to eat my father-in-law's barbecue down at one of the South Houston icehouses. Class guys, both.

[jobycom]

5. Yeah, I'm not as neutral about the two teams as I pretended to be

I can't wait for the party in Houston. (And the riots should be fun, too!)

[maveric]

6. Are Bagwell and Thomas on the active WS roster?

[jobycom]

8. Bagwell will pinch hit and maybe DH. I don't know about Thomas.

[warrens]

7. Frank Thomas has hardly been a class act

Whining malingerer and clubhouse poison.

[WeRQ4U]

9. But he hits dingers....

And bats for average too.

Lifetime average .307, and he only stopped hitting in the .300s in the past 5 or 6 injury riddled seasons. I guess the forgave him for being a prick. LOL.

[TomInTib]

10. Bags. Go Astros

[Reciprocity]

11. One more thing that is eerie...

is that Clemens's mother predicted that the Astros and Soxs would be playing each other on her death bed. This is something I heard during the game (Cards/Stros on faux sports) from Roger no less but, can only find in part on the web.

Here's the deal. On the day Bess died back in September.

Roger
"This is momma, she was thinking baseball. She came to and asked if we were in the playoffs yet," Clemens said. "Out of nowhere came, she mentioned Shoeless Joe Jackson. It was unbelievable. ... I asked her if she was in the fields, and she said, 'I think I am.' She just loves the game."

Clemens was with his mother, Bess, early Wednesday when she died. Later that night, he was on the mound making his scheduled start for the Houston Astros, just as his mother expected him to do.
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dssports/pro/161sd6.htm

She also gave the score of the game that Roger was to play that night 2/10 Astros.