Thank you Craig Biggio - Houston Icon
I could sit here and talk about a whole lot of negative things in the sports world; however, I have come to the realization that we do not praise those who do things the right way enough. We do not recognize those that come to the park every day and give 110% both on the practice field and in the game. Houston has been blessed with several players of that ilk over the past twenty years. Players like Nolan Ryan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Earl Campbell, Jeff Bagwell, even Yao Ming, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman to name a few current players. There is one however that as far as I am concerned deserves to be at the top of that list. Craig Biggio. He spent 20 years in Houston, several times passing up free agency to stay here and play for less than what he could have gotten back in New York, or Chicago, or somewhere else. He was a class act on and off the field and deserves to be mentioned as a first ballot hall of fame candidate. Just look at his numbers, and when you figure that he started his first season in August of that year, he lost almost 50 games to the strike in 1994 and another 60 to a knee injury that would have had most people out for a full year, his numbers are very good. Then if you take a look at how many times and different categories he was in the top 10 in the league you see how consistent a player he really was. Now then when you figure the most important numbers based upon his playing 155 games a year for a full 20 years, his numbers would be quite different. I mean, we are looking at him missing almost one and a half seasons due to call ups, injuries and work stoppages. Can you imagine what his numbers would have been if he had remained consistent through that extra season and a half? We are talking about 2000, runs scored 3300+ Hits, 310+ Home Runs, 700+ doubles, 450+Stolen Bases, 300+ Times hit by the pitch. Now where would he rank in the all-time categories with those numbers? I'll tell you.
Hits - he would be in the to 10 with the likes of
9. Paul Molitor+ 3319 R
10. Eddie Collins+* 3315 L
11. Willie Mays+ 3283 R
Runs Scored Top 8
7. Willie Mays+ 2062 R
8. Cap Anson+ 1996 R
9. Stan Musial+* 1949 L
Doubles top THREE
2. Pete Rose# 746 B
3. Stan Musial+* 725 L
4. Ty Cobb+* 724 L
5. Craig Biggio (41) 668 R
Total Bases Top 12
12. Dave Winfield+ 5221 R
13. Cal Ripken+ 5168 R
14. Tris Speaker+* 5101 L
Stole Bases top 50
47. Ed Delahanty+ 455 R
Ron LeFlore 455 R
49. Curt Welch 453 R
50. Steve Sax 444 R
and Extra Base Hits Top 15
13. Jimmie Foxx+ 1117 R
Ted Williams+* 1117 L
15. Ken Griffey* (37) 1103 L
All of this and he was a very quiet but very active member of the community, and has been a solid citizen off the field. Craig Biggio is one of a rare breed that does things the right way, and his hard work, determination and dedication will be missed. Congratulations on a great career, best of luck in all you do from now on.
Posted by bweldon @ 10/03/07 02:43 PM | Print | Comments (0)
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