Craig Biggio, who spent 20 years with the Houston Astros, was finally voted into the baseball Hall of Fame today after having to inexplicably wait for 3 years. That is more a knock on the format of the vote, but also has to do with what many people tend to talk about when looking at 1990s and 2000s baseball, which is the use of PEDs. Biggio was never once linked to PEDs, and despite reaching the career milestones that in the past had meant automatic admittance, he was forced to wait longer than he ever should have. For now that can be ignored but cannot be forgotten that someone as deserving as him was forced to wait for two more years than he ever should have. Because he did not play in a huge market like a Derek Jeter, and did not play on as many great teams as he did.
The Astros teams of 2004 and 2005 were arguably the best in team history, and would never had made it as far as they did in the postseason without number 7 on the field. With his trademark hustle, and team first attitude, Biggio was a fan favorite from the beginning when he was a young catcher trying to find his place in the MLB. After four years behind the plate, he switched to second base where he established himself as one of the best second basemen, both offensively and defensively, in the league. During those years at second base, Biggio won four Silver Slugger awards(1994, 1995, 1997, 1998), while also becoming one of the most versatile players at the plate. From 1992-1998, Biggio hit 112 home runs, 259 doubles, and had 247 stolen bases. Those are absolutely unbelievable numbers when you think about it. For his career Biggio finished with 668 doubles, good for fifth all time and most among right handed hitters. Biggio also hit 291 home runs, third among second basemen all time, 53 of which were of the lead off variety, most in the National League all time, to add to his impressive career numbers. The most important achievement was reaching the 3000 hit plateau, as he finished with 3060 and reached the mark in his 20th and final season. Biggio was one of the best defensive second basemen in MLB history as well, finishing his career with a .984 fielding percentage and only committing 156 errors in 15 seasons playing the position where he also won 4 straight Gold Glove awards from 1994-1997. All of those numbers, as well as leading multiple teams on playoff runs that are largely ignored by the general public because they did not end in World Series berths, should have garnered enough recognition to have made it into the Hall of Fame in his first time on the ballot.
Now consider all of the things he did off of the field. His work through various charities throughout Houston, including the Sunshine Kids which focuses on helping children affected by cancer, is well known and has been quite successful. What isn’t as well known throughout the country is the fact that Biggio, only a few years following retirement, dedicated himself to baseball in a new way, this time as a coach. In my freshman year of high school in 2009, he became an assistant coach for the freshman baseball team at Saint Thomas High School in Houston, Texas, where his son Conor was a freshman at the time. Just a year later, he became the head coach for the varsity program at the same school, and immediately made a positive impact, though not rewarded with a state championship his first season at the helm. In the next two years, now joined by his younger son Cavan, Craig was able to spend time with his kids, while also continuing to be around the game that he had grown to love over his illustrious career. Those two years were two of the most successful in school history, with both ending in state championships. Having given back to the game that had been so good to him over the years, Biggio was now ready to give the game of rest and enjoy watching his sons progress. The last individual accolade that needed acquiring was the vote announced today, and now that it is official, it is not only a huge win for Craig and his family, but also for the city of Houston, which had grown to adore him over his career. Biggio’s road to Cooperstown is now complete, and those that had the privelege of watching him play could not be more proud of his achievement. A career that began in New York and was continued over more than 20 years in Houston where he still lives and contributes to the Astros’ organization today has finally gotten the admiration from the BBWAA that he deserves.
On a side note, Biggio joined three other players in being voted into the Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Pedro Martinez, who had the 6th highest winning percentage in MLB history, Randy Johnson, who is arguably the greatest left handed pitcher of all time, as well as John Smoltz, who was a great starter as well as a great closer at different times in his career. This is one of the largest classes of all time, and I think I speak for any kid that grew up watching baseball in the late 1990s and early 2000s when I say that these are four of the best players of that time, and a few of the most exciting players of that time as well.