Congratulations, Craig Biggio - #7!!!

[nolanryan5714]

3,000 has arrived. You are one of the finest baseball players ever!

Somewhere in this thread, it would be fun to run down all of Bidge's records. There are so many obscure ones, I can't do it alone!

I'll start with the one mentioned in my sig line currently:

9th MLB player in history to hit #3,000 with one team.

He also is the all-time right-handed doubles hitter in MLB history.

27th player all-time to make it to 3,000 hits.

[Seattle1]

9th MLB player in history to hit #3,000 with one team.

To me, that is one of the greatest things you can say about him. I love it when a player spends his entire career on the same team.

[nolanryan5714]

That is sooo correct, Seattle1.

I also LOVED the way Craig carried Bagwell out onto the field!!! Just priceless!

[nolanryan5714]

People outside of my neighborhood all over the place are shooting off their July 4th fireworks right now - wonder why?

[nolanryan5714]

Holy Toledo!!!!!

5 for 6!!!!!





Magical.

[Dirt Dog]

Watching it on FSN...

Bidge kept that 11th inning rally by beating out that throw. Great hustle as usual.

The walk-off grand slam (his 11th career slam) by Carlos Lee was a great way to end the night.

[Knick9]

Any chance of Biggio playing next year? I'm not real sure. He can still get that bat on the ball by the looks of it. I think of Biggio as a classy guy. I guarantee you he's in the HOF. Congrats.

(Go Biggio)

[SouthernBelle]

This is why it sucks to live out of market. I had to hear about it via email, and didn't get to see it on TV (FSN here is only capable of showing Orioles and Phillies ).

Too bad more players don't stay with a team their entire career--teams might inspire more fan loyalty, rather than seeing it wax and wane depending on the roster.

Of course, the only way to accomplish that would be abolish player agents and establish a real work world salary set-up like the rest of us mere mortals have, and we know THAT will never happen!

[PopTop]

Absolutely amazing! In so many ways, it validates the approximate 46 years I've spent following the club as a fan, as selfish as that may sound. Just an absolute joy to have been around and seen him do this throughout his career for the 'Stros. As kids growing up in the Houston area, we always wondered if we would ever have an 'all-time great' on our club. And now, we do

Here's a little something I wrote up back in late May for the Astros Daily site. Not sure it will all fit into one post, so might have to split it up.



Biggio - Milestones & Memories

28 May 2007 - - - I knew very little about Craig Alan Biggio when the Houston Astros selected him in the first round of the 1987 draft, the 22nd overall pick. I don’t even recall much about his debut a little more than a year later, other than when I first saw him live and in person at the venerable old Astrodome, the #4 on the back of his jersey didn’t look right and his slight frame and boyish looks appeared out of place for anyone wearing a mask and shin guards behind the plate.

Nowadays I can’t imagine watching the Astros without seeing Bidge, still looking young but sporting #7 on his jersey. No single play or game really stands out in my mind when I first think of him. No stolen base, of which he’s had more than 400, none of the 280+ home runs he’s hit, the more than 600 doubles nor the 280+ times he’s been hit by a pitch is logged in my crusty old noggin as definitive Biggio.

Instead the most endearing vision conjured up is a dirty uniform and filthy batting helmet.

He’s been called a gamer, and that’s certainly true. But more than that, he is the game of baseball to me, an all-out, full-tilt-boogie, bust-his-ass on every play performer who embodies a welcome throwback to eras gone by, and a true role model both on and off the field.

Other players who have donned a Houston jersey over the years were born with more God-given talent and ability. Players like Jeff Bagwell, Jimmy Wynn, Nolan Ryan, Cesar Cedeño and Joe Morgan, one of my favorites of all-time, come to mind very quickly. But as great as those players were, it’s still Biggio that I consider to be the greatest Astro of them all.

It’s been an absolute honor and privilege to have seen him play his entire career, and do so all with Houston. Years from now, long after you and I are gone from this wonderful life, I only hope some fan can at least appreciate a little bit of what he’s meant not only to the franchise, but to the fans and to the entire Bayou City region that he has represented.

Thank you, Craig. This old man and this old fan is one lucky son of a gun to have been around at the same time you were.

June 26, 1988, Astrodome, Debut Game
Started at catcher for Houston, batting eighth, with Jim Deshaies the Astros pitcher in a 6-0 Houston win over the Giants. Bidge was 0-2 with a walk, flying out to center against SF starter Mike LaCoss in his first AB in the second inning. Bidge also had the first stolen base of his career base in the fourth (Bockus/Manwaring) and scored the first run of his career later that inning when he was forced home when Billy Hatcher was hit by a pitch, a bit of irony there.

June 29, 1988, Astrodome, 1st Hit
In his fourth game Biggio finally collects his first hit, a single in the third inning off Orel Hershiser of the Dodgers. LA wins the game, 2-0, as Hershiser out-duels Astros starting pitcher Nolan Ryan, with Biggio’s single one of just two hits off the Dodgers right-hander who was on his way to a remarkable season. Biggio also picks up the second steal of his career in the game.

July 1, 1988, Shea Std, 1st Double
One of the premier doubles hitter in major league history, Biggio’s first two-bagger comes in Game 2 of a twinbill in New York, collecting the hit off Mets starter Rick Aguilera to lead off the third inning and start a 2-run frame for the ‘Stros. Houston wins it in 13 innings, 6-5, to earn a split in the doubleheader.

Aug 22, 1988, Wrigley Field, 1st Home Run
Just a couple of weeks after the very first MLB night game at Wrigley, Biggio hits his first career homer in an evening contest on Chicago’s North Side. The score is 6-6 at the end of 9 innings, and Biggio, who came on in the bottom of the ninth for starting catcher Alex Trevino, leads off the 10th with his first bleacher bomb off none other than Rich Gossage. Not bad, collecting his first hit off Hershiser, his first extra base hit off Aguilera and his first clout off the Goose. Bidge’s blast ignites a 3-run frame and Houston wins it, 9-7.

Apr 22, 1989, Riverfront Std, 1st Hit by Pitch
Believe it or not it wasn’t until the 60th game of his career before Biggio was hit by a pitch. Entering the game as a pinch runner for Alan Ashby in the top of the eighth of a 4-4 tie, Biggio’s only official plate appearance in the contest came with two outs in the top of the 10th. The pitcher was Cincinnati reliever Tim Birtsas and Bidge had the first HBP next to his name in a boxscore. The Reds would end up winning the contest, 5-4, in the bottom of the same frame on a Paul O’Neill single that scored Kal Daniels.

June 17, 1989, Jack Murphy Std, 100th Game
Houston drops a 2-1 decision to the Padres when Jack Clark homers off Danny Darwin in the bottom of the eighth. Biggio is 0-2 with a walk.

July 30, 1989, Astrodome, 100th Hit
His 74th hit of the 1989 season is Biggio’s 100th of his career and part of a 2-3, 3-RBI evening in a 6-2 win over the Giants. Still catching but now hitting leadoff, Bidge got his 99th hit in a 4-run seventh off Mike LaCoss, the pitcher he faced in his very first at bat the year before, and the single plated two. In the eighth, Biggio collected hit #100 off Steve Bedrosian. He also recorded 14 putouts in the game, all strikeouts by Houston pitchers Mike Scott and Danny Darwin.

June 18, 1990, Dodger Stadium, 100th Run
Playing catcher and hitting in the 2-hole behind then-2B Bill Doran, Biggio goes 0-4 in a 5-2 loss to Los Angeles. He comes plateward for the 100th time of his career in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Glenn Wilson.

continued, next post

[PopTop]

Apr 25, 1992, Atlanta-Fulton Co Std, 500th Game
Memorable only because it was game #500 for Biggio who takes an 0-4 collar in the game. Steve Avery tosses a 4-hit, complete game shutout as the Braves top the ‘Stros, 2-0.

May 22 1992, Busch Std., 500th Hit
Fittingly, hit #500 in Biggio’s career is a double in the second inning off St. Louis’ Jose DeLeon. It drives in catcher Eddie Taubensee to give Houston a 3-0 lead in what will be a 3-1 Astros win.

Sep 1, 1992, Astrodome, 100th Double
Homers by Ken Caminiti and Luis Gonzalez, plus the pitching of Brian Williams, Rob Murphy and Doug Jones, help Houston to a 5-3 win over the Phillies in front of just 6,000 and change at the old Eighth Wonder of the World. Biggio goes 2-4 and hustles his way to career double #100 in the eighth against Philadelphia reliever Mike Hartley.

May 7, 1995, Busch Std, 500th Run
After opening the season 0-17, Biggio is starting to heat up at this time. He goes 2-4 in the game and the 500th run of his career comes when he scores the final run of a 5-run fourth inning when Jeff Bagwell doubles him home. Houston fails to hold the 5-1 lead, however, when St. Louis answers with a 5-run frame of their own in the fifth in a 6-5 Cardinals win.

July 1, 1995, Astrodome, 1000th Hit
Hit #1000 for Craig is in the form of a bunt single in the fifth inning off Pirates starter Steve Parris. The game’s a laugher as Houston wins, 11-0.

Aug 2, 1995, Busch Std, 1000th Game
Biggio hits third in the order behind Brian Hunter and James Mouton, and goes 0-2 with a walk and a sac fly. Houston rallies to top the Cards, 4-2, with Shane Reynolds picking up the win and Todd Jones getting the save.

Apr 27, 1997, Astrodome, 250th Double
A second inning RBI double off Giants starter Osvaldo Fernandez is the 250th two-bagger of Biggio’s career. It also ties the game after San Fran sluggers Glenallen Hill and Barry Bonds go back-to-back with long balls off Shane Reynolds in the top of the first. Alas, the Giants pull out a 3-2 win in the end.

May 16, 1997, Veterans Std, 100th HR
Biggio ignites a 7-run top of the first with the 100th homer of his career, connecting against Mark Leiter who was chased before he got the second out of the inning. Just to add a little icing to his cake that day, Biggio cracks a 3-run tater to cap a 4-run second inning against Phillies reliever Mike Mimbs to give the ‘Stros an 11-0 lead en route to a 12-7 win.

July 25 1997, Astrodome, 100th Hit by Pitch
In the third inning of Houston’s 5-2 win over the Expos, Biggio is plunked for the 100th time in his career, this errant toss via the right arm of former Astro Jeff Juden.

Apr 11, 1999, Astrodome, 1000th Run
After the Brewers take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a home run by Mark Loretta off Shane Reynolds, Biggio scores the 1000th run of his career in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Bidge doubles off Rafael Roque and comes home on a Jeff Bagwell RBI single, and Houston goes on to a 5-2 win.

May 4, 2001, Olympic Stadium, 2000th Hit
Biggio’s 200th career hit is an infield dribbler off Montreal’s Javier Vazquez that second baseman Jose Vidro can’t make a play on. Houston wins, 8-4.

April 17, 2002, Riverfront Std., 200th Hit by Pitch
The game begins with Biggio taking one for the team leading off the top of the first. Cincinnati’s Jimmy Haynes is the pitcher who hits Biggio, and it opens the door for a 3-run Houston inning on their way to a 7-2 win.

May 28, 2002, Astros Field, 2000th Game
Bidge scores Houston’s only run in a 4-1 loss to Matt Morris and St. Louis. The Astros 2B has two hits, one a double, and steals a base.

Apr 18, 2003, Miller Park, 200th HR
Nursing a 7-5 lead in the top of the eighth against the Brewers, Biggio pops the 200th home run of his career to lead off the inning against Luis Vizcaino, and Morgan Ensberg follows with another jack as Houston goes on to an 11-5 win.

July 10, 2003, Minute Maid Park, 500th Double
Biggio scores twice in the bottom of the first as the Astros send 15 batters to the plate and score nine times in the opening frame on their way to an 11-3 win over the Reds. Bidge’s double in the fourth is #500 for his career and comes off the third Cincinnati reliever in the game, Kent Mercker.

Sep 19, 2003, Busch Std, 1500th Run
The 99th run Biggio scores in the 2003 season is #1500 for his career, just the 60th player to reach that level at the time (Jeff Bagwell will be #61). Fittingly, Bidge accomplishes the feat after reaching base when he is hit by a Matt Morris pitch leading off the game in St. Louis. Also fittingly, Bagwell drives him home with a long clout that spots the Astros a 2-0 lead on their way to an 8-1 triumph.

May 8, 2004, Turner Field, 2500th Hit
Biggio leads off the top of the first with a single off Atlanta’s Horacio Ramirez to collect hit #2500 in his career. Bidge adds two solo homers later in the game, but the Astros fall 5-4 to the Braves in 10 innings.

June 1, 2004, Wrigley Field, 250th Hit by Pitch
Chicago’s Glendon Rusch clangs one of Biggio to start the game, the 250th time Bidge has been hit by a pitch. He comes around to score a batter later when Jeff Bagwell takes Rusch deep. Astros win, 5-3.

July 19, 2005, PNC Park, 2500th Game
Houston sweeps a doubleheader in Pittsburgh, 9-3 and 6-4, with the second game being #2500 in Biggio’s career. Craig goes 2-4, both singles, in Game 2, scoring twice, the first time on a bases-juiced triple by Eric Bruntlett that fuels a 4-run third frame for the ‘Stros.

July 26, 2005, Minute Maid Park, 250th HR
Having sent two out of the park the night before, and with the Astros struggling to stay turn around their poor start and make the postseason, Biggio homers in the bottom of the first to give the Astros a quick 1-0 lead. It is career home run #250 for Biggio. Mike Lamb’s blast leading off the bottom of the ninth keeps from wasting a fine pitching performance by Roy Oswalt and gives Houston a crucial 2-1 victory over Philadelphia.

Sep 10, 2005, Miller Park, 600th Double
Biggio’s leads a 12-hit attack with three of his own as Houston takes a 7-5 decision from Milwaukee. A 2-run double in the top of the second off Brewers starter Tomo Ohka gives Biggio 600 doubles for his career, making him just the 13th major leaguer to reach that plateau.

Oct 22, 2005, US Cellular Field, 1st World Series Game
After 2564 regular season games, Biggio finally gets to play in his and the franchise’s first World Series contest. A single in the third inning helps Houston score twice and tie the game, 3-3. But the White Sox add two more and hold Houston scoreless for a 5-3 win.

[nolanryan5714]

Incredible post, Willie. Thank you for re-posting that. I must admit, it brought a tear or two to my eyes.


Yeah, to think that guy with lesser talent than some of our favorite Astros icons would become (IMHO) the face of the team. Yeah, yeah, again, I say it in broad daylight with all Nolan fans and haters watching.

Craig Alan Biggio is the face of the Astros. Elevated into a class of his own, even mildly above Jeff Bagwell, he will be known for it.

Those who have truly followed his career, and know about his personal life and community leadership to boot, will understand.


I feel so humbled to be an Astros fan right now.

[KillerBee7]

That was one of the best Astros' games I have ever seen. It was amazing. I haven't been that excited since the '05 playoffs. It was an amazing thing to see my favorite player of all-time achieve such a great honor in baseball and go down in history. Congrats Craig.

[D6+]

Congrats to Craig Biggio on his tremendous accomplishment of reaching 3000 career hits. It's great to see a player remain with the same team throughout his MLB career. Craig Biggio is certainly an exception, not the norm.

In addition to those in Houston and Astros fans everywhere, there are many people on Long Island who root for the Smithtown native. Craig Biggio is a class act all the way. A great representative for the game of baseball!

[ATRAIN]

So was anyone else a little emotional when he got his 3000? I have seen his whole career and seeing him reach that mark with the same team was something that isnt too common these days.

[nolanryan5714]

So was anyone else a little emotional when he got his 3000? I have seen his whole career and seeing him reach that mark with the same team was something that isnt too common these days.

Yep....and to continue the storybook career, he hit a Grand Slammer last night - incidentally, the same day he officially announced his retirement.

Gotta love Biggio.

[SouthernBelle]

I just took a look at tonight's score against San Diego--he's homered again!

The man clearly is going to go out on a high note. Good for him!

But boy, will he be missed for the next, oh, 20 years or so.

[tadlock11]

Anyone going to Saturdays game? He is supposed to catch the first inning or two for Backe. This should be a treat.

[James A]

I think Biggio also holds the career team record for being instrumental in the most Astros managerial careers being torpedoed.

[nolanryan5714]

Anyone going to Saturdays game? He is supposed to catch the first inning or two for Backe. This should be a treat.

Yeah, I was there, watching from Champion's Pavillion. WOW, was it great!!!

I'll never forget that game, for so many reasons. Maybe I'll list 'em sometime.

[SamtheBravesFan]

I think Biggio also holds the career team record for being instrumental in the most Astros managerial careers being torpedoed.

I... think they did a good enough job killing their own careers without Biggio's help. Where do these people come from?

[Long Island Mike]

Everyone: I am new here and from looking over this vast site I noticed this topic on Craig Biggio. He grew up in an adjacent town here on LI-Smithtown. He was a graduate of Smithtown West HS I believe in 1984. I recall he grew up a Mets fan as many back then on LI did but not only did he make it all the way to MLB he played for one team-the Astros-his entire career as we all know here. He definitely is one of the most stand-out players to come from LI in recent years.

One thing I later found out about him was that during a HS baseball game back in 1983 or 1984 he was on the field when a teammate was struck and killed by lightning during a game. I even remember the storms vaguely-they were particularly nasty- and that tragedy stood out in my mind being a weather fan also. I remember that he was very observant and apprehensive concerning lightning storms-rightfully so in my opinion after what happened.

Playing in Houston in the Astrodome and then Minute Maid Park was a good fit for him and being a one-team career player just makes me respect him all that much more. He should be a prime nominee for the Baseball Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.

In closing: Thanks,Craig to a great baseball career! Long Island Mike

[SamtheBravesFan]

It's pretty interesting to see what I wrote two years ago.