On May 6, 1998, Astros outfielder Derek Bell woke up as the leading hitter in the National League, one of three players in the majors hitting above .400.
But by 3:37 that afternoon, the 29-year-old veteran looked more like a 5-year-old seeing live pitching for the first time. In the Wrigley Field batter's box, Bell appeared anxious. Bemused. Helpless even.
The Cubs had heralded 20-year-old rookie Kerry Wood on the mound. And Wood had his absolute best stuff — a blowtorch fastball, wicked slider and a curveball usually only seen in video games.
When Bell dug in with two outs in the ninth, he had plenty of empathy from within his dugout. The Astros, even with a potent lineup that catalyzed a 102-win season, had been absolutely flummoxed all day, uncertain as to how they were supposed to touch this baby-faced Texan.
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