Craig Biggio

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Craig Biggio

Houston Astros — No. 7
Second base
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
June 26, 1988 for the Houston Astros
Selected MLB statistics
(through 2006)
Games     2,709
At Bats     10,359
Runs     1,776
Hits     2,930
Total Bases     4,514
Doubles     637

Craig Alan Biggio [BIDGE-ee-oh] (born December 14, 1965 in Smithtown, NY) is a seven-time All-Star baseball player who has played his entire Major League career with the Houston Astros. On November 10, 2006, The Astros reached a 1-year agreement with Biggio, ensuring his 20th consectuive season with the team.

Through 2006, Biggio leads all active ballplayers in doubles (637) and hit by pitch (282).

Contents

[edit] College career

Biggio was an All-American baseball player at Seton Hall University, where he played with other future Major League Baseball stars Mo Vaughn and John Valentin. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the first round (22nd overall) in 1987.

[edit] Major League career

[edit] Catcher

Biggio was called up as a catcher midway through the 1988 season, having batted .344 in his minor league career, and became the Astros starting catcher. He won the Silver Slugger award in 1989. Biggio was a very speedy runner, and an adept base stealer. Astros' management, in an attempt to keep the rigors of catching from sapping Biggio's speed, tried him in the outfield part-time in 1990, as he had played 18 games there in the minors.

[edit] Second baseman

The Astros finally convinced Biggio to convert to second base in spring training 1992, even though Biggio had made the All-Star team as a catcher in 1991. Biggio made the All-Star team for the second time in 1992, becoming the first player in the history of baseball to be an All-Star at both catcher and second base. It is remarkably rare for a major league catcher to make a successful transition to middle infielder. If a catcher changes positions, it is usually to first base, or occasionally to outfield or third base.

Biggio became known as a reliable, hustling, consistent top of the order hitter, with unusual power for a second baseman. His statistics reflect this, having consistently good marks in hitting, on-base percentage, hit-by-pitch, runs, stolen bases and doubles throughout his career.

Yogi Berra, when asked about Biggio being short for a catcher, said "Short catchers are better, because they don't have to stand up as far."

[edit] Knee injury

His consistency was epitomized by playing 1,800 games without ever being put on the disabled list until August 1, 2000, when he had a season-ending knee injury. In the play that Biggio was injured on, the Florida Marlins' Preston Wilson (who later had a stint as Biggio's teammate) slid into second base, trying to break up a double play, and hit Biggio's planted left leg, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in Biggio's knee. Biggio rebounded with a good season in 2001, but had a lackluster performance in 2002, with only a .253 average, his lowest since entering the league.

[edit] Outfielder

However, he improved slightly for the 2003 season, averaging .264 with 166 hits despite being asked by management to move to center field. In 2004, he put up numbers more typical for his career, batting .281 with 178 hits, including 24 homers. Biggio moved to yet another new position, left field, midway through the 2004 season to accommodate Carlos Beltrán.

[edit] Back to second

In the 2005 season Biggio moved back to second base after Jeff Kent left for the Dodgers. Biggio set a new career high by hitting 26 home-runs and during the season hit his 1000th RBI becoming the second Astro with 1000 RBIs for Houston (the first being Jeff Bagwell). Biggio played in the World Series in 2005 for the first time in his eighteen year career. On May 23, 2006 Biggio became the 23rd player in MLB history with 10,000 at-bats.

[edit] Stats

Career stats through the 2006 season
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SB AVG OBP SLG
2709 10359 1776 2930 637 52 281 1125 1137 410 .283 .367 .436

[edit] Highlights

  • Is the only player in Major League Baseball history with at least 600 doubles, 2,800 hits, 250 homers and 400 steals.
  • Led the majors in runs scored in 1995 and 1997 and in doubles in 1998 and 1999.
  • Became one of the few players in baseball history to not hit into a single double play all season in 1997.
  • Tops the Astros' career list in games played, at-bats, runs scored, hits and doubles.
  • Holds the record for most regular season games played before his first World Series appearance with 2,564.
  • In 1998 became the second player to have 50 stolen bases and 50 doubles in the same season. The only other person to accomplish this is Tris Speaker.

[edit] Hit by pitch

Over his career, Biggio has gained a reputation for being hit by pitches. Some have even gone so far as to proclaim him the "king of hit batsmen."[1] On June 29, 2005, Biggio broke the modern era career hit-by-pitch record, previously held by Don Baylor with 267. He is currently the active leader in this category only trailing Hughie Jennings on the all-time list with 287. As of the end of the 2006 season, Biggio has 282 HBP, and needs 6 more to break the 103 year old record. Despite being hit by a record number of pitches, Biggio has never charged the mound.[2]

[edit] Trivia

  • Biggio is known as a 'killer B', a playful nickname given to Astros players with last names starting with the letter 'B'. The original 1996 killer b's included teammates Jeff Bagwell, Derek Bell, and Sean Berry. More recent members include Lance Berkman, Carlos Beltrán (2004), Brandon Backe, Chris Burke, and Eric Bruntlett.
  • Baseball writer Bill James in the Revised Historical Abstract rated Biggio at the 4th best second baseman of all time and the 35th best player of all time, making a detailed argument that throughout his career, Biggio has been a better player than Ken Griffey, Jr..
  • Biggio is noted for his superstitions. Biggio's chief superstition involves his batting helmet, which he does not change or clean throughout the entire season.

[edit] Awards

[edit] All-Star

  • 1991 (Catcher)
  • 1992 (2nd Base)
  • 1994 (2nd Base)
  • 1995 (2nd Base)
  • 1996 (2nd Base)
  • 1997 (2nd Base)
  • 1998 (2nd Base)

Biggio is the only player to appear in the All-Star game as a catcher and a 2nd baseman.

[edit] Gold Glove

  • 1994: National League Gold Glove (2nd Base)
  • 1995: National League Gold Glove (2nd Base)
  • 1996: National League Gold Glove (2nd Base)
  • 1997: National League Gold Glove (2nd Base)

[edit] Other Awards

  • 1989 NL Silver Slugger Award (C)
  • 1994 Baseball America NL All-Star 2B
  • 1994 NL Silver Slugger Award (2B
  • 1995 NL Silver Slugger Award (2B)
  • 1997 NL Silver Slugger Award (2B)
  • 1997 Branch Rickey Award in recognition of his exceptional community service.
  • 1998 Houston Astros Player of the Year
  • 1998 NL Silver Slugger Award (2B)
  • 1998 Baseball America First-Team Major League All-Star 2B

[edit] Work in the community

Craig Biggio has been a supporter and lead spokesperson for the Sunshine Kids for over a decade and almost the entirety of his playing career. The organization supports children fighting cancer with exciting activities for themselves and their families. Biggio helps the organization by raising awareness of the organization by wearing a small yellow star on his cap for interviews and by holding a celebrity golf tournament in Houston each spring. Biggio hosts a party day at Minute Maid Park for about 100 Sunshine Kids to play baseball with Biggio and some of his teammates. Biggio has received awards from various organizations, including the Hutch Award (2005) and being named one of Sporting News' Good Guys (2004). The Hutch Award is given to a player that shows competitiveness and never gives up. Part of the reason Biggio was given the award was for his multiple position changes, but also because of his work in the community and inspriring other teammates to participate as well. With the 2006 annual golf tournament, Biggio has raised over $2 million for the organization.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Berardino, Mike "Craig Biggio—king of hit batsmen". Baseball Digest, September 2005.
  2. ^ Carpenter, Les "Bruised and Battered, Biggio Nears Record". The Washington Post, June 15, 2005.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/r/a/Craig_Biggio_4602.html"
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