Goodbye #7
Astros Give Biggio Big Sendoff: Twenty-Year Houston Favorite Ends Career On High Note
By Alyson Footer/MLB.com
HOUSTON -- As Sunday's game at Minute Maid Park progressed into the later innings, Craig Biggio undoubtedly felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.
After all, it's not easy to juggle three tasks at once -- concentrate on the pitch being thrown, drown out the adoring cheers of 43,823 well-wishers and face the cold reality that the next few minutes represent the very final moments of a wonderful career that has sadly come to a close.
That the Astros beat the Braves, 3-0, was a mere footnote to a much larger story, one surrounding a franchise icon who ended his stellar 20-year career on Sunday.
The day was one big love fest, and it was spectacular. Traditional baseball rules largely went out the window as the largest crowd in Minute Maid Park history witnessed a perfect ending to a disappointing season and the Astros paid tribute to one of Houston's favorite sons.
As Biggio strode to the plate in the seventh frame to face the Braves' Ron Mahay, he was fully immersed in a balancing act more challenging than any he's faced in his career.
"You're standing in the on-deck circle, looking down at your shoes and just going, 'This is your last at-bat, ever,'" Biggio said.
He took a few extra moments before stepping into the box, but upon hearing the cheers cascading from all parts of Minute Maid Park, Biggio backed away from the plate one more time, tipped his helmet to the fans and stepped back in.
Mahay took several steps off the mound in order to give Biggio a little bit more time. Again, Biggio stepped out, waved to the crowd and finally dug in for the last at-bat of his career.
Biggio, who doubled in his first at-bat, grounded to third base. Chipper Jones slowly and deliberately fielded the ball and threw to first, and he later admitted he took his time with hopes that Biggio would beat out the ground ball and end his career with a hit in his final big league at-bat.
That was not to be.
"I'm too old and slow to get there," Biggio grinned.
"Nobody wants to be the guy in that situation," Jones said. "I figured I'd just kind of catch it, take my time and just flip it over there. Hopefully, he'd outrun it. It beat him by a half-step."
Biggio then walked to the dugout to what seemed like the 100th standing ovation of the day, hugged his sons, Conor and Cavan, high-fived his teammates and jumped back out for a curtain call.
Biggio then jogged to his normal spot at second base, but that was for symbolic purposes only. Soon, Cody Ransom emerged from the dugout and ran to short, and Burke was moved to second base. At that time, the crowd exploded again.
"They expressed their feelings; I showed mine," Biggio said. "It's been an unbelievable relationship over a long period of time. To have this many people here the last three games, considering where we are at in the standings and the way the season's gone -- they know I love them. They love me back, and they showed it.
"It was one of those special moments today. I'm going to miss it. This is all I really know. But the fans have made it worthwhile. That's what the game's about."
As he exited the field, Biggio shook hands with the umpires, hugged each teammate and coach as well as his skipper, Cecil Cooper, and waved to the crowd. The ovation lasted several minutes, and when it was over, Biggio walked to the dugout and headed to the clubhouse for the final time.
The entire game carried special meaning as Cooper managed the game a little differently than he would on a typical day. Instead of making position changes in the dugout, Cooper waited until the veteran players were already on the field, so they could give one last salute to the fans.
"I guess you could say it was choreographed," Cooper said. "It was done the appropriate way. I have respect for those veteran players that we had a chance to take out of the game. Some of them will be a part of this franchise for a while. I thought it would be fitting to do something like that."
But as the players trotted off the field, they stopped at second base to bid adieu to their soon-to-be-retired teammate on his special day.
"That was all their idea," Cooper said. "I thought it was wonderful. I'm just proud I was here to be a part of it."
J.R. Towles replaced Brad Ausmus in the fifth, and Ausmus walked over to Biggio, gave him a hug and waved to the crowd as he retreated to the dugout.
The rest of the players followed suit. Mark Loretta threw his hat to the crowd as he stepped off the field, replaced at short by Chris Burke. Lance Berkman also tossed his cap into the stands after hugging Biggio and leaving the game in favor of Mike Lamb.
Carlos Lee jogged in from his post in left field, gave Biggio a big bear hug, and waved to the crowd in his final appearance of the 2007 season.
"With Bidge retiring after 20 years and a Hall of Fame career, there was added sentimentality," Ausmus said. "Even me, who has generally robotic emotions, got a little lump in my throat when I was going off the field, and Bidge came over and gave me a hug. I enjoyed it. It's one of those moments that I'll remember."
Biggio provided one more unforgettable snapshot after the game. He ran a victory lap of sorts around the entire circumference of the field, waving to fans and shaking hands, saying goodbye one last time.
"Emotions are an amazing thing," Biggio said. "As we get older, we cry all the time. There's nothing wrong with it. It's a good emotion.
"When you sit and think about it and all these people are standing up, going crazy, you're thinking, this is pretty special. These people are here to say goodbye to you, and it's a great feeling. When I told the fans that I want to thank you for accepting me in the state of Texas for 20 years, I sincerely mean it. I am a very lucky man."
Astros Bid Tearful Farewell to Biggio
By CHRIS DUNCAN
Sunday, September 30, 2007 4:42 PM EDTPrint this storyHOUSTON - Craig Biggio got one more hit, one more run and a few more standing ovations before calling it a career on Sunday. The retiring Biggio doubled in his first at-bat and scored in the first inning of his final game as the Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 3-0 before a record crowd at Minute Maid Park.
Biggio, 41, who played his entire 20-season career in Houston, became the 27th player to reach 3,000 hits on June 28 and announced his retirement a month later. He will leave as the franchise's all-time leader in games, at-bats, hits, doubles and total bases.
He finished with 3,060 career hits and will finish 20th on the all-time list, just behind Cap Anson (3,081). Of the 19 players ahead of him, only Pete Rose is not in the Hall of Fame.
Chipper Jones, who came into the game trailing Matt Holliday by one point in the batting race, went 0-for-3 to fall to .337.
Houston Astros' Craig Biggio acknowledges the fans before the game against the Atlanta Braves in his last baseball game Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007, in Houston. Biggio is retiring after a 20-year career with the Astros. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)The weekend series with Atlanta was a three-day tribute for Biggio, with fans packing the park for one last glimpse at the franchise's most beloved all-time player. His final game drew 43,235, the largest crowd in the park's 7-year history.
"The respect for the fans and the appreciation I have for them, it's hard to really put into words," Biggio said before the game. "It's a tremendous feeling."
Biggio tipped his beat-up helmet to another standing ovation in the first inning before doubling off the left-field scoreboard off Atlanta starter Buddy Carlyle (8-7). Biggio finished his career with 668 doubles, fifth all-time and the most by a right-handed hitter.
He scored on Carlos Lee's single, his 1,843rd career run. The Astros took a 3-0 lead in the first and Biggio batted again in the second and grounded out.
Biggio flew out to center in the fifth and grounded out to Jones in the seventh. He trotted out to second base for the last time to start the eighth inning and manager Cecil Cooper replaced him with Cody Ransom.
Biggio fought off tears as he tipped his black cap to the fans and trotted off the field. The Astros all came out of the dugout to meet him and Biggio embraced each one. He doffed his cap to the Braves dugout and savored another minute of cheers before disappearing into the dugout for the last time.
Hunter Pence added an RBI double in the Astros' 3-run first and Houston rookie Felipe Paulino (2-1), making his third major-league start, allowed only two hits in six shutout innings.
But the day belonged to Biggio.
In the pre-game ceremony, the Astros presented Biggio with a commemorative second base and a letter from baseball commissioner Bud Selig.
"I wish you the best of luck as your playing career comes to an end," the letter concluded, "and I look forward to our paths crossing in the very near future and again, several years from now, in Cooperstown."
The franchise also gave him a check for $3,059 _ a dollar for every career hit _ for Biggio's charity, the Sunshine Kids, which benefits children stricken with cancer.
The Astros and Braves joined fans in a minute-long salute before Biggio took the microphone from owner Drayton McLane and addressed the crowd.
"People ask me why I play the game the way I do," he said. "It's because you guys expect it."
In the fifth inning, Houston manager Cecil Cooper replaced catcher Brad Ausmus and shortstop Mark Loretta. The veterans both embraced Biggio before leaving the field.
Biggio made a diving stop to retire Pete Orr for the second out. He led off the bottom of the inning and flew out to center.
Lee and Berkman left the game in the sixth inning and also hugged Biggio on their way off the field.
Between innings, Biggio's three children offered brief messages on the scoreboard that had Biggio almost in tears on the bench.
Notes:@ Lee finished with 119 RBIs. ... Jeff Francoeur became only the eighth player in Braves history to start every game. ... The Astros topped 3 million in attendance for the third time in four seasons.
Craig Biggio says goodbye in Houston Astros' 3-0 win over Atlanta Braves
4 hours ago
HOUSTON - Craig Biggio didn't know when the tears would come on Sunday. Turns out all it took was hearing his children's voices.
The retiring Biggio doubled and scored in the first inning of his final game as the Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 3-0 before a record crowd at Minute Maid Park.
The 41-year-old Biggio, who played his entire 20-season career in Houston, got standing ovations every time he batted. He fought off his emotions throughout the game, but lost it a few times in the dugout between innings, when personal messages from his three children - 14-year-old Conor, 12-year-old Cavan and eight-year-old Quinn - were played on the giant scoreboard.
"If you're older, you cry all the time and there's nothing wrong with it," he said. "But it's a good emotion. It's a good cry, a healthy cry."
Biggio became the 27th player to reach 3,000 hits on June 28 and announced his retirement a month later. He will leave as the franchise's all-time leader in games, at-bats, hits, doubles and total bases.
He finished with 3,060 career hits and will finish 20th on the all-time list, just behind Cap Anson (3,081). Of the 19 players ahead of him, only Pete Rose is not in the Hall of Fame.
Chipper Jones, who came into the game trailing Matt Holliday by one point in the batting race, went 0-for-3 to fall to .337. Holliday went 1-for-3 in Denver, as the Rockies beat Arizona 4-3 to force a one-game tiebreaker with San Diego on Monday.
Holliday would have to go 0-for-5 or worse for Jones to win the batting title.
The weekend series in Houston, meanwhile, was a three-day tribute for Biggio, with fans packing the park for one last glimpse at the franchise's most beloved all-time player. His final game drew 43,235, the largest crowd in the park's seven-year history.
Even Jeff Bagwell, who shared 15 seasons with Biggio, came to say goodbye.
"This was a special day. You see the way the crowd reacted to him all week and actually, all of his career," said Bagwell, the Astros' all-time leader in home runs and RBIs. "But things have to end. The Biggio-Bagwell era is over. You hope some of the things we established will carry over for a long time."
Biggio tipped his beat-up helmet to another standing ovation in the first inning before doubling off the left-field scoreboard off Atlanta starter Buddy Carlyle (8-7). Biggio finished his career with 668 doubles, fifth all-time and the most by a right-handed hitter.
He scored on Carlos Lee's single, his 1,843rd career run. The Astros took a 3-0 lead in the first.
"I was hoping to get a hit, I was hoping that we won," he said. "I didn't want to strike out on my last at-bat. I had all those things. It was a pretty fast day."
Biggio batted again in the second and grounded out, then flew out in the fifth.
The crowd swelled to another roar as Biggio walked to the plate for his final at-bat in the seventh. He took a deep breath as he dug in, but Atlanta reliever Ron Mahay stepped off the mound as the salute continued.
Biggio tipped his helmet one more time, hit a sharp bouncer to Chipper Jones at third and was out by a step.
"Standing in the on-deck circle, looking down at your shoes thinking, 'This is your last at-bat - ever.' It was rough," he said.
He trotted out to second base for the last time to start the eighth inning and manager Cecil Cooper replaced him with Cody Ransom.
Biggio tipped his black cap to the fans and trotted off the field and the Astros all came out to meet him. Biggio embraced each one, then doffed his cap to the Braves dugout and savoured another minute of cheers before disappearing into the dugout for the last time.
"I'm going to miss it," he said. "When you're sitting here thinking about it and all those people were standing up and going crazy, you're thinking, this is pretty special. These people are here to say goodbye to you. It's a great feeling."
Hunter Pence added an RBI double in the Astros' three-run first and Houston rookie Felipe Paulino (2-1), making his third major-league start, allowed only two hits in six shutout innings.
But the day belonged to Biggio.
In the pre-game ceremony, the Astros presented Biggio with a commemorative second base and a letter from baseball commissioner Bud Selig.
"I wish you the best of luck as your playing career comes to an end," the letter concluded, "and I look forward to our paths crossing in the very near future and again, several years from now, in Cooperstown."
The franchise also gave him a check for US$3,059 - a dollar for every career hit - for Biggio's charity, the Sunshine Kids, which benefits children stricken with cancer.
The Astros and Braves joined fans in a minute-long salute before Biggio took the microphone from owner Drayton McLane and addressed the crowd.
"People ask me why I play the game the way I do," he said. "It's because you guys expect it."
Notes: Lee finished with 119 RBIs. ... Jeff Francoeur became only the eighth player in Braves history to start every game. ... The Astros topped three million in attendance for the third time in four seasons.
Sept. 30, 2007, 6:41PM
Biggio goes out in style as Astros win
First inning double marks Biggio's 3,060th and final hit
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Arriving at Minute Maid Park on Sunday, Craig Biggio’s wife and children could not believe the lines that snaked around the stadium to watch the Astros icon play the final game of his 20-year career.
A standing-room-only crowd of 43,823, the largest crowd to watch a game during Minute Maid Park's brief eight-season history, saluted Biggio with every opportunity as he concluded his career with a 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s amazing,” Biggio’s eldest son, Conor, said proudly. “You’d think that you’d want more people at the World Series. But just for one player’s last game, it shows how much the fans love him and everything and how good of fans they are.”
After a moving pregame ceremony in which Astros owner Drayton McLane praised and thanked Biggio for his contributions on and off the field, Biggio helped the Astros take a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Josh Anderson led off the bottom of the first with a single to right. Biggio followed with his signature hit, a double to left field at 1:16 p.m. After Buddy Carlyle intentionally walked Lance Berkman to load the bases, Carlos Lee hit a two-run single to left. Biggio’s last run of his career gave the Astros a 2-0 lead at 1:18 p.m., exactly 11 minutes after Astros rookie righthander Felipe Paulino threw the contest’s first pitch.
Hunter Pence added an RBI double to left-center field, giving the Astros a 3-0 lead. That was enough to earn the victory for Paulino, who held the Braves to two hits and three walks over six scoreless innings.
The rest of the afternoon was essentially about honoring Biggio, who had to step out of the batter’s box in each of his four at-bats while finishing 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored. His teammates also stopped by to embrace him each time they were pulled out of the game.
Veterans Mark Loretta and Brad Ausmus took their positions before the fifth inning, but they were replaced by Chris Burke and J.R. Towles, respectively. Ausmus then went to hug Biggio before heading to the clubhouse. Loretta also made a pilgrimage to Biggio before leaving.
Before the sixth, Lee was replaced by Luke Scott. He jogged back toward Biggio, hugged him and then tossed his cap to the crowd. Then Lance Berkman was replaced at first by Mike Lamb, but not before walking over to Biggio, shaking his hand and hugging him.
Biggio headed to the plate for his final at-bat to lead off the seventh inning at 3:02 p.m. As the crowd stood to give him another ovation, Biggio took his batting helmet off with his right hand and turned to tip it to the crowd and the Braves.
With the crowd still roaring a minute later, he stepped back out of the plate and repeated his previous gesture. Acknowledging the situation, plate umpire Angel Hernandez bought Astros fans some time by cleaning up the already clean plate. Biggio then grounded out to third at 3:04 p.m. for his final out as a major leaguer.
The Astros’ first round pick out of Seton Hall in 1987, Biggio reached the majors in 1988 as a catcher. Twenty seasons, 3,060 hits and three positions later - second, center, left and back to second - Biggio ended his career on Sunday, September 30, 2007.
Cecil Cooper sent Biggio out to the field for the top of the eighth inning to give the fans an opportunity to say goodbye. After Cody Ransom was sent in as a defensive replacement at 3:10, the roar picked up again. After hugging first base umpire Derryl Cousins, Biggio took his cap off with his right hand cupped it over his heart. Then he tipped it again to the fans, the Braves and his family.
His teammates lined outside the farthest steps out of the dugout to greet him, embracing him one by one before allowing him to give yet another tip of the cap to the crowd.
On his way out, Biggio tipped his cap one more time to the fans, who responded just as they had for 20 seasons in the best way they knew how.
BIG-GI-O! BIG-GI-O! BIG-GI-O! BIG-GI-O …
I remember Biggio and Bagwell, and Caminiti back in the dome, many, many years ago. I've grown up loving baseball, loving the Astros because of the efforts and the hearts and passions of these two players. Now, with their incredible careers finally at an end, I hope and pray that Backe and Pence will be the new heart and soul of this team, as Bagwell and Biggio were. I hope they can play this game the right way. I hope they will honor the organization and that the management will respect them and they can have their careers played in one place. I hope we see Bidge and Baggy back in some managerial capacity very soon with this team...after twenty years, they are the face of the Astros. And we will always love them.
To twenty amazing years with an organization that flourished because of your efforts, as well as those of your teammate, Jeff Bagwell. We love you, Biggio; you made this team what it is today. You played the game better than anyone else, with more class and dignity, and still managed to be a leader in the statistics.
The Astros, the game, will never be the same without you.
Au revoir.
B-G-O!!! B-G-O!!! B-G-O!!!