MILWAUKEE (AP) -Craig Biggio says he’s more than ready to reach 3,000 hits. To do it in Milwaukee, he’ll need to have a very productive game on Tuesday.
The 41-year-old Biggio was not in the lineup on Monday night and was also scheduled to take Wednesday off in the Houston Astros’ three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers. He is four hits shy of becoming the 27th player with 3,000 or more.
“I just want it to happen, no matter when or where,” he said. “Obviously, I’d love for it to happen in Houston, I think the fans in Houston deserve it, but we’ve got to win some games, so we’ll see what happens.”
The Astros are finishing a nine-game road trip in Milwaukee before returning to Houston for 11 games heading into the All-Star break.
Manager Phil Garner said Biggio would be available to pinch hit on Monday night and Wednesday.
Garner managed another player who reached the feat – Robin Yount in 1992 with Milwaukee. He said the two players have a similar mental makeup.
“They both played hard. The one thing about Robin, he ran hard to first base just like Biggio has his entire career,” Garner said.
Garner said he remembered back in 1992 that then-rookie Dave Nilsson failed to run out a ground ball to the pitcher. Garner gave Nilsson a stern lecture the next day.
That night, Yount hit a weak grounder to the mound.
“Robin tapped the ball back to the pitcher, sprinted across first base, and I looked down the bench at Dave,” Garner said. “If a Hall of Famer does it, certainly he could do it.”
Biggio said he remembers Yount from when he broke into the league in 1988. He didn’t get to see much of him play, because the Brewers were in the AL until 1998.
“But I’ve heard the stories,” said Biggio, who said he looks up to all the players in the elite club he hopes to join soon.
“The whole list is just a bunch of classy guys who played the game the right way. We’re still not there yet, but for me, I just feel like they played the game the right way and I’m doing my part to play the game the same way they played it.”
Biggio, a career .282 hitter who is batting .238 this season with five homers and 26 RBIs, also said he’s honored that 3,000 hits has been considered one of the criteria for previous Hall of Fame players.
“As an active player it’s the ultimate compliment you get when someone mentions your name and Hall of Fame or Cooperstown in the same breath,” he said. “Hopefully the writers will feel that way whenever it is when my time is up, but it’s a nice compliment you receive.”
Biggio’s latest hit – No. 2996 – was a tiebreaking RBI double in the 10th inning on Sunday night to help the Astros to a 12-9 victory over the Texas Rangers.
“I am excited about it because the fans are excited and I’m just enjoying it,” Biggio said of the pursuit.
But what if Biggio goes 3-for-3 to start Tuesday’s game and has another plate appearance? Would Garner, who said the milestone march hasn’t been a distraction at all, pull him to make sure he sets the record back in Houston?
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” said Garner.
Add A Comment