[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdCJ4S38IbM]
Aside from Carl Yastrzemski, the most notable baseball player to come from Long Island is Craig Biggio.
The Kings Park graduate debuted in the big leagues in 1988 with the Houston Astros at age-22. Unlike many players of that generation, Biggio was able to play the duration of his 20-year career with those same Astros up until 2007.
He originally broke into the big leagues as a catcher, but was shifted to second base where he became a Gold Glove defensive player–winning the award from 1994-’97.
Offensively, Biggio may have never compiled the power numbers of A-Rod or Jeff Kent as middle infielders, but he was the model of consistency and the prototypical No. 2 hitter.
He averaged 175 hits, 105 runs, 17 homers, 38 doubles, 24 SB, 67 RBI, .281 AVG, .363 OBP, .796 OPS and (most surprisingly) 16 HBP per season.
His claim to fame is getting hit by 285 pitches in his career, most all-time. Many of those came on borderline inside pitches that he would allow to hit his front elbow.
Due to that, he led the league in HBPs five times, highlighted by 34 in ’97.
Now, keep in mind how inflated the offensive numbers of this era was. Still, Biggio led the league in doubles three times–1994, 1998, 1999. In the latter year, he smacked 56 two-baggers, 13th all-time.
He led the league in runs scored in 1995 and 1997. In the former, he scored 146 runs. Biggio also led the league in ’94 with 39 stolen bases in 43 tries. He peaked at 50 stolen bases in 2000
His best season came in ’97, when he compiled a 143 OPS+. He played all 162 games and led the league with 744 plate appearances. Along with his 146 runs, he smacked 191 hits, 37 doubles, eight triples, 22 homers, 81 RBI, 47 SBs in 57 tries, drew 84 walks, batted .309, .415 OBP, .501 SLG and finished fourth in the MVP voting behind Larry Walker, Mike Piazza and teammate Jeff Bagwell. In terms of WAR, he was actually second behind Walker with a 9.4.
It’s easy to forget Biggio’s name in the discussion of the best players of the Steroid Era, but not only did he play a premium position like second base, but he avoided any sort of connection with PEDs and also invigorated the Houson Astros franchise and led them to their first appearance in the World Series in 2005.
