l3igballer23
08-03-2005, 08:06 AM
Sounds like good news...
Notes: Bagwell making strides
08/02/2005 10:52 PM ET
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
PHOENIX -- Jeff Bagwell postponed taking live batting practice on the field until the team is in San Francisco this weekend, deciding instead to hit in the cages off hitting coach Gary Gaetti at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix on Tuesday.
Bagwell, approaching the two-month mark since his June 7 shoulder surgery, said he probably could have taken batting practice with the team prior to the series opener in Phoenix. But having spent much of the last week hitting off soft toss, he felt more comfortable hitting in the cages in what was the first time he had seen anything close to real pitching since May.
"This is the first day to hit off the coaches and it's good for me just to see how I feel, instead of making it a big circus out there, watching me hit [on the field]," Bagwell said. "I'd rather wait a few days until I feel comfortable."
Manager Phil Garner watched the BP session and was impressed with the outcome, noting that Bagwell had made considerable progress since his soft toss session on Saturday.
"He hit the ball good," Garner said. "He was swinging pretty strong through the zone, had good extension. He hit the ball the other way some.
"Last Saturday, I thought, 'Well, we have a ways to go.' Seeing him today, the results were double. He was swinging harder, he was hitting the ball harder, he was going through the zone good."
Bagwell said he is eying September as a possible return date and hopes to be able to, at the very least, pinch-hit for the Astros through the final month of the season.
"I have to start throwing eventually," he said. "A lot will depend on how that goes."
This road trip marks Bagwell's first with the team since May. He was required to remain in Houston following his shoulder surgery because of a rehab schedule that called for two visits a day to The Insititute of Rehabilitation and Research at the Texas Medical Center.
Needless to say, Bagwell, who watched most of the road games on television from his home in Houston, is glad to be back with the club.
"It's obviously more enjoyable," he said. "I feel like I'm actually doing something baseball-worthy. Instead of having to follow the guys on TV, I can see a big league ballgame from a nice seat."
Stamina: Roy Oswalt may be experiencing a slight case of dead arm syndrome, but he is confident that any fatigue he felt in his last outing will not affect him in his future starts.
Oswalt allowed three runs on nine hits over six innings in the Astros' loss to the Mets on Sunday, and said later his arm and legs were somewhat fatigued. On Tuesday, however, he said he felt strong, and to illustrate, he went for a pregame run in order to regain his stamina.
"I feel good," Oswalt said. "I'm still young. There's nothing to be concerned about."
Odds and ends: Had Roger Clemens not been able to pitch on Tuesday because of the back problems that have hampered him the past week, Garner would have turned to right-hander Ezequiel Astacio, who is scheduled to start the second game of the series in Phoenix. Because of the off-day on Monday, everyone is receiving an extra day of rest this time through the rotation. ... Conor Biggio, the 12-year-old son of Craig Biggio, conducted a pregame interview for the Astros TV broadcast with D-Backs left fielder Luis Gonzalez on Tuesday. Craig made sure Conor asked Gonzalez about his "World Series jam shot" off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in 2001, and if it is true that Gonzalez keeps a tanning bed in the D-backs clubhouse. ... The Diamondbacks begin their home games at 6:40 p.m. MST, Monday through Saturday. Wednesday's game begins at 7:10 p.m. MST because it is being televised by ESPN2.
Coming up: The series in Arizona continues on Wednesday, beginning at 9:10 p.m. CT. Astacio (1-4, 7.17 ERA) will face D-Backs left-hander Brad Halsey (7-7, 3.81 ERA).
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Notes: Bagwell making strides
08/02/2005 10:52 PM ET
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
PHOENIX -- Jeff Bagwell postponed taking live batting practice on the field until the team is in San Francisco this weekend, deciding instead to hit in the cages off hitting coach Gary Gaetti at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix on Tuesday.
Bagwell, approaching the two-month mark since his June 7 shoulder surgery, said he probably could have taken batting practice with the team prior to the series opener in Phoenix. But having spent much of the last week hitting off soft toss, he felt more comfortable hitting in the cages in what was the first time he had seen anything close to real pitching since May.
"This is the first day to hit off the coaches and it's good for me just to see how I feel, instead of making it a big circus out there, watching me hit [on the field]," Bagwell said. "I'd rather wait a few days until I feel comfortable."
Manager Phil Garner watched the BP session and was impressed with the outcome, noting that Bagwell had made considerable progress since his soft toss session on Saturday.
"He hit the ball good," Garner said. "He was swinging pretty strong through the zone, had good extension. He hit the ball the other way some.
"Last Saturday, I thought, 'Well, we have a ways to go.' Seeing him today, the results were double. He was swinging harder, he was hitting the ball harder, he was going through the zone good."
Bagwell said he is eying September as a possible return date and hopes to be able to, at the very least, pinch-hit for the Astros through the final month of the season.
"I have to start throwing eventually," he said. "A lot will depend on how that goes."
This road trip marks Bagwell's first with the team since May. He was required to remain in Houston following his shoulder surgery because of a rehab schedule that called for two visits a day to The Insititute of Rehabilitation and Research at the Texas Medical Center.
Needless to say, Bagwell, who watched most of the road games on television from his home in Houston, is glad to be back with the club.
"It's obviously more enjoyable," he said. "I feel like I'm actually doing something baseball-worthy. Instead of having to follow the guys on TV, I can see a big league ballgame from a nice seat."
Stamina: Roy Oswalt may be experiencing a slight case of dead arm syndrome, but he is confident that any fatigue he felt in his last outing will not affect him in his future starts.
Oswalt allowed three runs on nine hits over six innings in the Astros' loss to the Mets on Sunday, and said later his arm and legs were somewhat fatigued. On Tuesday, however, he said he felt strong, and to illustrate, he went for a pregame run in order to regain his stamina.
"I feel good," Oswalt said. "I'm still young. There's nothing to be concerned about."
Odds and ends: Had Roger Clemens not been able to pitch on Tuesday because of the back problems that have hampered him the past week, Garner would have turned to right-hander Ezequiel Astacio, who is scheduled to start the second game of the series in Phoenix. Because of the off-day on Monday, everyone is receiving an extra day of rest this time through the rotation. ... Conor Biggio, the 12-year-old son of Craig Biggio, conducted a pregame interview for the Astros TV broadcast with D-Backs left fielder Luis Gonzalez on Tuesday. Craig made sure Conor asked Gonzalez about his "World Series jam shot" off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in 2001, and if it is true that Gonzalez keeps a tanning bed in the D-backs clubhouse. ... The Diamondbacks begin their home games at 6:40 p.m. MST, Monday through Saturday. Wednesday's game begins at 7:10 p.m. MST because it is being televised by ESPN2.
Coming up: The series in Arizona continues on Wednesday, beginning at 9:10 p.m. CT. Astacio (1-4, 7.17 ERA) will face D-Backs left-hander Brad Halsey (7-7, 3.81 ERA).
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.