KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Craig Biggio stood tall at his locker Saturday and addressed the media in the same professional manner he has for every one of his 18 years in a Houston Astros uniform.

But the line of questioning clearly wasn't just another run-of-the-mill, give-and-take with reporters, and the second baseman was visibly pained while addressing what was likely Jeff Bagwell's final day in an Astros uniform.

"For a teammate and an Astros fan, today is a devastating day for us," Biggio said. "You're losing one of your all-time best players and a great guy in the clubhouse. Today is a rough day for everybody."

Biggio and Bagwell. Bagwell and Biggio. Rarely was one name mentioned without the other, and together, they helped shape the Astros organization into the success it is today.

They became teammates in 1991, when Bagwell took over first base next to Biggio, who was in his fourth year as an Astro. Little did they know they'd go down in history as one of the most successful and long-running duos in sports history.

Officially, Bagwell's announcement indicates he will begin the year on the disabled list and have surgery to remove bone spurs from his shoulder in one last-ditch attempt to salvage his career. But the reality is that Bagwell's career is likely over, and for those who know the first baseman intimately, this news was hard to take.

Bagwell will attend Opening Day and the ceremony on April 4, during which the Astros will receive their National League Championship rings. After that, Bagwell will pursue surgery and will probably not be with the team during the 2006 season.

"He's a standup character guy, and he said all he really wanted to do was come down here and see if he could get through it," Biggio said. "We're not saying he can't come back yet, but not breaking camp with him is a tough day. To me, the two classiest people I ever met in the game, as far as professionals and the way they handle themselves, were Cammy [Ken Caminiti] and Baggy. So for me, on a personal note, it's a rough day."

Bagwell and Biggio were in the prime of their careers in 1997, when Brad Ausmus joined the Astros after being traded from Detroit. Bagwell and Ausmus share a friendship that extends far beyond the playing field. It's likely Bagwell will eventually move with his family to San Diego, where Ausmus lives year-round.

Ausmus and Bagwell are inseparable, from their adjacent lockers in the clubhouse to their camaraderie away from the ballpark. It's Ausmus who will feel the biggest void.

"It stinks for me, because he's the guy that I could really bounce things off of," Ausmus said. "He's the guy who I would have a beer with after the game and talk about the game with. The guy I went to eat meals with. Certainly, our friendship doesn't end because he may not ever play again. But I would prefer to have him sitting next to me in the locker room."

Asked how much hope he had that Bagwell would make a return to the field, Ausmus answered, "very little."

"The most important thing is that he can use his right arm again," Ausmus said. "I know he's going to get this surgery to remove the bone spurs. You never know what can happen. You hope after the surgery, a month later, his range of motion is better, he's feeling great and who knows, maybe he can play again. But at this point, it's a quality of life issue. Not a career issue."

Ausmus senses that if this is indeed the end, Bagwell will not struggle with life after baseball, as some players do. Maybe it's because Bagwell has had so much time to contemplate the "what ifs." Maybe it's because he's looking forward to the benefits of a normal family life, which includes his wife, Ericka, and his daughters, five-year-old Bryce and three-year-old Blake.

"For a teammate and an Astros fan, today is a devastating day for us. You're losing one of your all-time best players and a great guy in the clubhouse. Today is a rough day for everybody."

-- Craig Biggio

"I feel like he's pretty comfortable with the fact that this might be, and more than likely is, the end of his career," Ausmus said. "A lot of people have difficulty walking away from the game. I don't think they realize the impact it has on their lives until they leave it.

"I don't think Jeff's going to have that problem. I think he'll be very happy to relax, go to his home in Cabo [San Lucas], play with his daughters, go to dinner with Ericka. He's going to live a normal life, and I think he'll be very comfortable with it."

His teammates aren't so comfortable.

"It's something that you can't prepare for," said Lance Berkman, who will take over at first base. "I always felt like as long as the Astros take the field, that Jeff will be out there. Even as late as a few days ago, you felt like he still had a chance to play. It's not shocking, because you knew there was that possibility. But at the same time, it's strange to know he's not going to be playing this year."

"I hate it," said a blunt Andy Pettitte. "I wish I could have seen him play in his heyday. He's worked so hard. We had high hopes for him to make it. He's going to try to get it taken care of and see where it goes from there. It's a loss for us, a big loss."

One beneficiary of this saga is Willy Taveras, who was certain to be headed for Triple-A had Bagwell played this year. Instead, Taveras will man center field, with Preston Wilson moving to left and Jason Lane anchoring right.

But for those looking for Taveras to be all smiles, look elsewhere.

"I feel bad for Baggy," Taveras said. "I know he wants to play. He's a great guy to have around. I don't want to hurt anybody. I'm not that type of person. We're all teammates here. It would be hard for me, too. I don't work like that."