Craig Biggio

Understand, first of all, that I am a Cleveland Indian fan.  Nothing shakes that, even when ownership doesn't sign star players, because owners are cheap.  Nothing changes that, even when ownership fires the best manager Cleveland had since the 40s--Mike Hargrove.  Nothing changes that, even when ... etc.

Right now, our ownership does seem to be trying to put together a winner, even though we don't spend the money that Detroit does, let alone Los Angeles (either team) or New York or Boston.

Where was I?  Oh, yeah.  Craig Biggio.

I am definitely a fan.

Here are some of the things I love about Biggio:

• Spent his whole career with one team, even though
• That team wasn't in a large market
• That team was consistently unremarkable
• Free Agency gave him opportunities to go elsewhere ("Several times, Craig had opportunities to go elsewhere, and he chose to stay in Houston," said former Astros owner Drayton McLane)
• Doubles.  Probably my favorite hit in baseball.  Biggio was prolific at this, the most hustle-oriented hit in baseball.
• Scrappy hustler
• Team player
• Blue-collar type of player

I could probably go on with that list, but let's skip ahead to some numbers.  After all, this is baseball.

• Led the league in games played 3 times
• Led the league in plate appearances 5 times, having more than 700 in 9 different seasons, peaking at 749 in 1999.  You might say, "So what, he led the league in plate appearances".  That, and his tendency to play every game in which his team got on the field, speaks volumes to his dependability and consistency--qualities real men still respect.
• Led the league in runs twice, including 1997, when he had 146.  Had 100+ runs scored 8 times. 
• Led the league in doubles 3 times, including the two times when he topped 50.  Also, had 40+ doubles 7 times.
• Led the league in HBP 5 times, having 20+ six times, topping it all off in 1997 with 34.  Not impressed?  You try being beaned by major league pitching 34 times in one summer.  Let me know how you survive.  By the way, he was beaned 3 times by fireballer Kerry Wood.  
• Gold glove winner at 2B from 1994 to 1997
• Played more games at 2B than anyone else in the league for 7 consecutive years
• 5th all time in Doubles.  He beat people like Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, George Brett, ... well, everybody but Tris Speaker (22 seasons), Pete Rose (24 seasons), Stan Musial (22 seasons), and Ty Cobb (24 seasons).  By the way, Biggio played 20 seasons.  NOBODY else in the top ten of doubles on the all time list played as few
• 2nd all time in HBP.  Did you hear that?  More HBPs than anybody who ever played the game, except for Hughie Jennings.  Hughie - 287, Biggio - 285.  Hughie played from 1891 to 1918.  Eighteen years of... not the fastest pitches.

Oh, I missed one.  Craig also led the league in SB once, with 39, in 1994.

Some are referring to Biggio as "a compiler", which is fine.  Most of the people in the Hall of Fame played long careers.  None but four of those, though, hit more doubles than Craig Biggio.  

Congratulations on your entry to the Hall of Fame, Mr Biggio.  I'm a fan.