Jeff Bagwell

American athlete and Texas Astro player, Jeff Bagwell led the team into the 1997 playoffs for the first time in 11 years, when he became the first full-time first baseman to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases. Bagwell is one of the league’s premier first basemen and best clutch hitters, and arguably the best player in Astro history. In 1994, he became only the 4th National Leaguer to be named unanimously as Most Valuable Player. His batting style is unusually exaggerated and the reverse of the usual stance but it works for him. In 1989 he was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 4th round of the 1989 free agent draft, but a year later was traded to the Astros after winning the Eastern League MVP award at the double-A minor league level. In 1991, he switched from his third base position to first base and led the Astros in home runs, walks, slugging, and on-base percentage. He became the first Houston player to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. In 1994 he won a Gold Glove, becoming the 1st player in the National League to finish first or second in the league in average, runs, RBI and homers since Willie Mays in 1955. He set club records and career highs, all despite his broken hand and a baseball strike that year. For 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1999, he was selected on the Sporting News National League All-Star Team, and he was named first baseman on the Sporting News National League Silver Slugger Team for 1994, 1997 and 1999. He holds the Houston all-time record for most home runs (380), most runs batted in (1321) and highest career batting average (.302). He has played for 12 years with the Astros and had an 18-game hitting streak in August 2000 and hit for the cycle (i.e., he hit a single, double, triple, and homer in one game) in July 2001. He has five career major league grand slams. On July 20, 2003, he hit two home runs, becoming the 35th player to hit 400 homers. Link to Wikipedia biography