Is Craig Biggio a Hall of Famer?
As the Longtime Astro Approaches 3,000 Hits, Big Questions Loom
Jun 3, 2007
With the exception of Pete Rose*, every eligible player with 3,000 or more hits has made the Hall of Fame. This tradition will raise a very interesting dilemma for voters when Craig Biggio, who is just 23 hits away from the magic number, becomes eligible for Cooperstown. Has he done enough in his career to warrant admission into baseball's most hallowed halls? Here is a three step analysis to determine whether Biggio is worthy of Hall of Fame Induction.
Step One: Statistics, Honors and Awards
The first step is to look at Biggio's statistics and the honors and awards that he has won as compared to those immortal players already in Cooperstown.
Statistics Weighing Against Admission
- Biggio's .282 lifetime average is the lowest of any member of the 3,000 hit club.
- His career On Base Percentage is .366, which ranks 327th on the all-time list.
- Despite hitting first or second his entire career, Biggio has only topped 200 hits once in his career, which is a sign that his journey to 3,000 has been more about longevity than excellence.
- He never won a batting title, and in fact, he only finished in the top 10 in batting twice in his career.
- He never led the league in hits, base on balls, times on base, RBI, home runs, steals, or On Base Percentage.
- He never won a World Series.
- He never won an MVP award.
Statistics in Favor of Admission
- He will be a member of the 3,000 hit club.
- He has 653 career doubles, which is 7th best in baseball history.
- He has scored 1,806 runs, which ranks 18th in baseball history.
- He has 412 career stolen bases.
- His blend of speed and power was uncommonly good. Biggio topped 20 homers eight times and bested 20 steals nine tiimes (with a high of 50 in 1998).
- He won four Gold Glove Awards.
- He won five Silver Slugger Awards.
Based on the raw statistics and awards, it would seem that Biggio is a borderline Hall of Famer, based largely on his 3,000 hits and his ability to excel in so many different aspects of the game (e.g, he played four positions, had great speed/power numbers, and ranks very high in doubles and runs scored, which are two critical stats for a table-setter.. But the inquiry cannot end there. The better way to judge a player is to compare him to his true contemporaries in tersm of when they played, their defensive position, spot in the batting order and total games and career at-bats.
Biggio's Comparative Worth
Just under 90% of Biggio's plate appearances have come from the top two positions in the batting order. Moreover, although he has played four different positions in his career, Biggio played slightly more than 70% of those starts as a second basemen. Accordingly, for purposes of a true comparative analysis, Biggio must be judged as a second basemen and a table setter.
In terms of era, games played, defensive position and position in the batting order, the four Hall of Famers most comparable to Craig Biggio are: (1) Joe Morgan, (2) Ryne Sandberg, (3) Rod Carew, and (4) Paul Molitor. Here is how Biggio compares to them.
Craig Biggio: .282 BA, 2977 Hits, 653 Doubles, 284 HR, 1142 RBI, 1806 Runs
Joe Morgan: .276 BA, 2517 Hits, 449 Doubles, 268 HR, 1133 RBI, 1650 Runs
Paul Molitor: .306 BA, 3319 Hits, 605 Doubles, 234 HR, 1307 RBI, 1782 Runs
R. Sandberg: .285 BA, 2386 Hits, 403 Doubles, 282 HR, 1061 RBI, 1318 Runs
Rod Carew: .328 BA, 3053 Hits, 445 Doubles, 92 HR, 1015 RBI, 1424 Runs
Even a quick glance at these statistics shows that Biggio is as good as, and perhaps even better than, all four of these Hall of Famers. He is first in doubles and home runs, first in runs scored, second in hits, and second in RBI. Clearly, these comparative statistics indicate a strong thumbs up for Biggio.
Postseason Analysis and the Intangibles
Another factor that Hall of Fame voters consider is the player's postseason record. While the absence of playoff statistics, or a poor record in the playoffs, won't automatically disqualify a player who is already a lock for the Hall of Fame, a good record can tip the scales in favor of a borderline candidate.
In 40 postseason games over nine October series, Biggio has been rather mediocre. He has hit .234, with a .297 OBP, 9 doubles, 2 home runs, 11 RBI and 23 RBI. Not bad, but certainly nothing to write home about it. These stats would seem to work against Biggio, but there are other aspects of hi sgame which, along with his regular season career htting record, push him over the edge and into the Hall of Fame.
Despite a very average postseason record, there are other factors, mostly intangibles, that lean in Craig's favor. He (and Jeff Bagwell) has been a virtual institution in Houston, playing 20 straight seasons for the Astros. He has also been the most flexible defensive player since pete Rose, playing such diverse positions as Catcher, Second Base, Center Field and Left Field. Bigggio has also been the leader and de facto captain of the team for the past decade or more. He has also played in 94% of his team's games.
All of that, when combined with Biggio's statistics, favorable comparison to similarly situated Hall of Famers, and his ebetual membership in the 3,000 Hit Club leads to only once conclusion. Craig Biggio is a Hall of Famer.
________________
Curt Schilling is a future Hall of Famer
Seven Active Pitchers Who Are Future Hall of Famers
The Hall of Fame
* Rafael Palmeiro and Rickey Henderson both have more than 3,000 hits, but neither is eleigible for the Hall of Fame yet.
