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COPYRIGHT 2005 South Florida Sun-Sentinal
Byline: Mike Berardino
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Despite the skewed media treatment, Barry Bonds was not the only former Most Valuable Player to come back from a serious injury and parachute into the middle of the National League playoff race this month.
Astros stalwart Jeff Bagwell did the same thing, with one major difference: His surgically repaired throwing shoulder isn't strong enough for him to play the field yet.
In fact, Bagwell doesn't think he'll be able to do more than pinch-hit the rest of the season. Unless, of course, his Astros make their first World Series.
Then the 38-year-old ambassador for his city and his sport might get to take four at-bats per night as a designated hitter in the American League park.
"The only reason I'm doing this is maybe I can have a couple good at-bats that they need the last two weeks," said Bagwell, the NL MVP in 1994. "These are important at-bats. We're trying to get to the playoffs."
Since his return on Sept. 9, Bagwell was taking things slowly. He struck out in a pinch-hit appearance in Milwaukee and worked an eighth-inning walk off the Marlins' Chris Resop last Wednesday.
Friday, however, he beat the Brewers with a game-winning single off rookie Dana Eveland in the bottom of the ninth.
What can the Astros reasonably expect to get out of Bagwell down the stretch?
"We don't really know," Astros General Manager Tim Purpura said. "Probably not a lot. Probably pinch hitting at best. Hopefully we can get him to pinch hit late in the game and give us a hand. Maybe he can be a force."
The surgery Bagwell had in early June was considered career-threatening, but the pain in his right...
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