By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Sunday's game

In his first year with the Houston Astros, Jeff Bagwell hit 15 home runs. "I was a Punch and Judy hitter," he said.

That was in 1991, just after Bagwell had been traded to the Astros by the Boston Red Sox. Twelve years later, the self-proclaimed Punch and Judy hitter hit his 400th career home run, a solo shot Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

It was his second home run of the day and the 42nd of his career against the Reds, the most he has hit against any club.

"I don't know why that is," Bagwell said. "It just means that I've played a long time against these guys."

Bagwell, who ranks 35th on baseball's career home run list, credited his former hitting coach, Rudy Jaramillo, for seeing his potential as a home run hitter.

"He really believed in me," Bagwell said. "He thought I could hit a lot more home runs. It's just learning how to hit. It takes awhile sometimes for guys to learn how to hit."

Bagwell's numbers are impressive considering he spent his first nine seasons playing in the spacious Astrodome.

If not for that, Astros second baseman Craig Biggio said, "He would probably have 480 or 490."

But Bagwell says he doesn't think about what he could have had.

"That doesn't cross my mind at all," he said. "I'm thankful for the opportunity to play the game of baseball and the Astros gave me that opportunity. I was fine hitting in the Astrodome. I didn't expect my career to be the way it is now anyway."

At 35, Bagwell is two years older than Ken Griffey Jr., who has been beset by injuries the past few years. Bagwell says he feels for the Reds' center fielder, who just underwent season-ending surgery.

"I had my shoulder injury a couple of years ago." Bagwell said. "I had surgery and I've kind of struggled since I came back from that. I understand what it's like to play when you're not 100 percent, and you can't do the things you're normally capable of doing. Your mind thinks you can do it, but your body can't."

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E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com