Which version of the Killer B's would you take in a pennant chase?

Down the stretch of a pennant chase, with identical records and healthy rosters but the same susceptibility to injuries (ie: 2004 Oswalt/Pettite are healthy but at risk to break in half every time they hit the mound), which version of the Killer B’s would you choose?

’98 – Randy Johnson, Mike Hampton, Jose Lima, Shane Reynolds. MVP caliber Bagwell and Biggio. Carl Everett and Derek Bell. Scott Elarton setting up Billy Wagner in the pen. Greatest Astros team of all-time. Possibly the best ace in baseball for the stretch he was in red.

’01 (Oswalt rookie year) – Oswalt, Miller, Hernandez, Astacio, Reynolds. Dotel setting up Wagner. Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman, Alou, Hidalgo, Castilla, with Ward and Merced off the bench. This is assuming you’re getting this squad at complete health. Roy Oswalt before he went down in his rookie year was the epitome of sheer dominance – probably the best of his career thus far. Hernandez before the slide was virtually unhittable. Astacio was 4-1 I believe before the injury. This incarnation of the Killer B’s matched the Seattle Mariners game for game in the 2nd half before the injuries set in. Biggio and Bagwell were in decline but Alou and Berkman were unreal. Dotel and Wagner absolutely unhittable in the pen.

’04 – Clemens, Pettite, Oswalt, Miller, Redding. Weathers and Miceli setting up Lidge. Biggio, Berkman, Bagwell, Beltran, and Kent. Biggio more productive than in ’98. Bagwell while no longer elite, still a productive offensive player. Berkman another monster year with Kent on pace to knock in 113 RBI’s. Berkman, Beltran, and Kent the true meat of the order. Oswalt and Miller very shaky. Clemens and Pettite experience down the stretch could be invaluable however.

I think I’de choose that 2001 team. Before the injuries, Oswalt and Hernandez were flat out unhittable. That team was on pace with the Seattle Mariners throughout the second half of the season. Best bullpen in baseball as well. Wasn’t that also the year that both Berkman and Alou were #1 and #2 respectively in BA for good chunks of the year, hovering around the .350’s? The thing that might make me sway from this team is that they didn’t have a veteran ace like Clemens or Johnson. Then again, I think baseball is the one sport where experience is overrated. You either have game or you don’t. I didn’t see experience holding back Prior, Wood, and Beckett last year.

 

Oops. Meant to say more productive than in 2001. Biggio in '98 was MVP caliber.