Double-A manager Bodie wins No. 1,000

HOUSTON -- For Corpus Christi skipper Keith Bodie, the most significant thing about winning career game No. 1,000 as a Minor League manager is that it came with the same organization in which he began his managerial career more than 25 years ago.

Bodie, manager of the Astros' Double-A affiliate, won his benchmark game Friday night when the Hooks beat Frisco -- the Rangers' Double-A affiliate -- in Corpus Christi. He became the third Minor League manager to achieve 1,000 wins this year, pushing his 16-year career record to 1,000-945.

"Honestly, it's much ado about nothing," Bodie said. "I'm kind of taken back from some of the attention surrounding it. I'm flattered by the recognition, but it just means I've been doing this a long time. I'm just glad we got to 1,000 wins before we got to 1,000 losses."

Bodie got his first win with the Astros organization in 1986 as the manager of the team's New York-Penn League affiliate in Auburn, N.Y. He advanced with a group of young Minor Leaguers, managing at Class A Asheville in '87 and Class A Osceola in '88. He finished first all three seasons and has gone on to accumulate seven first-place finishes on his resume.

"It's special for me that I can come back to the Astros and kind of experience that with the Astros," he said.

Among the Astros players Bodie managed earlier in his career were Craig Biggio, Tuffy Rhodes and Mike Simms, each whom made it to the Major Leagues.

"We had a lot of talent in the system in those years, and I was fortunate enough to be mixed with them and it was an exciting time," Bodie said. "I'm looking forward to that returning."

With Houston's Minor League system on the uptick, Bodie is again managing some players who could have promising Major League careers. The Astros' top two prospects -- pitcher Jarred Cosart and first baseman Jonathan Singleton -- are both playing with the Hooks.

Cosart allowed seven hits, two runs and two walks and struck out four batters while picking up a win on Sunday. Singleton went 2-for-3 on Sunday with a three-run homer and four RBIs, and is hitting .301 with five homers and 19 RBIs.

"That was a nice start from Cosart, who's a power arm and an outstanding prospect," Bodie said. "He just needs to pitch. He needs to learn how to command the arsenal he's got. He's got a plus fastball, curveball and changeup, but like every power arm, more times than not, he's a thrower and not a pitcher. He's got to get command of those pitches, and I'm certain he's going to do that."