Crasnick: Bagwell in the teacher role

Bagwell, franchise favorite and hard-core Hall of Fame candidate, signed on as Houston’s hitting coach during the All-Star break. He’s been in the role six weeks, and the Astros already have some of the most entertaining coach-player dynamics this side of Rex Ryan and the New York Jets on HBO.

Bagwell loves interacting with the young players and fervently roots for them in the dugout. He also responds to unsightly swings and unproductive outs with a blend of humor, light sarcasm and entertaining banter meant to lighten the mood. The only thing missing is a keg in the dugout.

“Do I make fun of these guys?” Bagwell said. “Every chance I get.”....

On any given day, Bagwell might be ribbing Pence for swinging at pitches around his neck, or giving Johnson the business for chasing too many balls in the dirt. At one point, Lee was getting jammed by so many fastballs, Bagwell joked that he might be better off flipping the bat around and holding it by the barrel so he could get more wood on all those inside pitches.

Crasnick points out that the Astros were ranked 28th in runs scored before Bagwell became hitting coach and are ranked 14th since he took the position.  Probably just coincidence…but who knows?