Career
The Milwaukee Brewers selected Bass in the second round of the 1977 MLB Draft. His MLB debut came on April 9, 1982. Bass was traded to the Houston Astros from Milwaukee with Frank DiPino and Mike Madden for Don Sutton on August 30, 1982.
He played his final MLB game on October 1, 1995.
Bass had his best year in 1986 for an Astros team that narrowly missed a World Series appearance. Bass was named to the 1986 National League All-Star team, pacing the Astros with a.311 batting average, 20 home runs, 22 steals, and sterling defensive play.
His career year did not have a storybook ending, however. In Game Six of the epic 1986 NLCS, he struck out swinging with men on first and second in the 16th inning, sealing a 7-6 victory for the Mets, allowing them to advance to the 1986 World Series.
On August 3, 1987 versus the San Francisco Giants, Bass became the 15th switch hitter in major league history to hit a home run from each side of the plate in the same game.
In 1989, the Astros right fielder hit two grand slams in a season. The first stunned Cubs closer Mitch Williams, turning a 4–4 tie into an 8–4 Astros victory.