The Chronicle is reporting and the official site is very drily confirming that Jeff Bagwell has yielded to the obvious and will begin the upcoming season on the disabled list.
The official site ominously goes on, "Bagwell will . . . work to make a comeback later in the season," and I had really thought that when the farce that his spring campaign has become was ended this week (and I WAS sure it would be this week), that it would be ended with the announcement of his retirement.
Such an announcement would have provided closure to the situation without the possibility of rancor we as Astro fans have so greatly feared.
Who knows? Perhaps Bagwell will simply retire off the DL after a few weeks or months. But right now, I think we could end up with the armed standoff we foresaw in January, simply deferred to June. A contentious Bagwell claiming he can play, the club--who seem to have talked themselves into a Spring Training Exemption with the insurance comany--unwilling to let him.
And here I'd thought the possibility of ugliness was gone. And instead of the glowing tribute to the player that might have occupied this space (and the ones at the Chronicle and the official site) we simply have constructed a very large sign that says, "To Be Continued. . . ."