At this point of their careers, Burke offers more to the Astros than Biggio. Burke gots much better range, twice as better arm, and believe or not he gets on base more. When on base, he can also steal bases which is always plus. Biggio is having a horrible spring and he has yet to draw a walk. I think Biggio should step aside and give Burke a spot.
How do you know Burke gets on base more than Biggio? Minor league stats *rarely* equate to Major League stats. You don't replace a Hall of Famer in spring. If he's hitting at the Mendoza line and going Willie Mays ca.1973 in the field come May, then you start making tough decisions.
I just don't understand why people put so much stock in Spring Training Stats ... ESPECIALLY for a veteran like Bidge
I don't think people are completely down on Biggio's offense. I think it is more that some people think Burke's advantage defensively outwieghs Biggio's offense. I haven't seen Biggio at second in two years so I don't know where he is defensively. I personally want a platoon situation because I think Biggio can still be a great ball player for 100 games (80 2nd, 20 OF) a year. I just don't want him to weardown.
Burke should come off the bench for a season... the Astros aren't going to be a good defensive team (never really have been), and I'd rather have Biggio's bat in the lineup, he proved last year that he still has some gas in the tank. Also, the Astros could be starting 3 other rookies in Taveras/Astacio/Scott which is pushing the envelope even though they are all really talented.
Burke may or may not be the better option at 2nd base next year than Biggio. But there's no question he should start. I'm annoyed the Astros are even thinking about Biggio starting at 2nd. Burke is no longer that young, and he tore up AAA hitting last year. So there's no point in sending him back. For the sake of the future, I'd much rather see Burke taking his lumps at the major league level next year than having Biggio there for his last year. In terms of ability, Biggio's hitting last year was pretty average for a corner OF. But for a 2nd baseman, it would be quite excellent. It would be a stretch to say Burke can hit like Biggio. But he's certainly much better as a defensive player.
I think Biggio will be the starter at 2nd to open the season and Burke will probably be sent down because he wouldn't play much up here. Yes, Burke's numbers this spring beat Biggio hands down, but you're not going to setup a platoon situation to start the season just because a rookie had a better spring than the club legend, especially when you consider that Biggio is probably no worse than an average ML 2nd baseman at this point in his career. In my mind, Biggio is probably a better 2nd baseman right now than Bagwell is a 1st basemen, both in terms of offense and defense, but they continue to run Bags out there. What happens to Bags if all three of our young outfielders are playing great when Berkman comes back? I know the odds of that are slim, but I'd like to see the issue forced.
On the postgame show today, Burke was like "I am showing what I have all on the field, and I think the club will make the right decision". He sounded like he never wanted to go back to AAA. In his mind he deserves the the starting job at 2b.
He does deserve the job but he probley won't because McLane and Garner love Biggio. Remeber, Gerry quit because of Drayton being so cheap and he wanted to pick up Biggio's option but Gerry didn't. Gerry sees that Biggio is washed up and his home runs numbers are inflated considering a lot of them were cheap one to the first row of crawford boxes. He needs to step aside kinda like Barry Larkin, Cal Ripkin, and Tony Gwynn did. I love Biggio but I think Burke is better right now.
Hmmm, I must have missed that article explaining why Hunsicker quit. Would you happen to have a link?
wait a second. biggio had a productive season last year. he's not a drain on this team at the plate....you can make an argument he was as a defensive OF'er...but not as a middle infielder. cheap HR's?? come on, man. if it flies out of the park, it's a HR. using a park to your advantage is a good thing...particularly when you're a leadoff hitter smacking HR's. how in the world are you convinced that Burke is better than Biggio? have you seen Burke play, yet?? or are you just looking at box scores in spring training games and extrapolating from there??
good post, Biggio needs more rest at this stage of his career. He really wore down at the end last year.
Uninformed. Barry Larkin did no such thing. My memory is fuzzy as to the details as well, but Larkin was injured much of that time and coming out of spring one year he wanted the starting job back. Too busy to dig up a link, so I'm just as guilty I suppose... The last two years, Biggio was in the top ten in RS for leadoff hitters. How is that not productive?
Regardless of how well Burke is playing if I had my choice of which of our rookies to start I'd put Luke Scott and Willie Taveras before him, simply because we are in more need of outfielders (and a power hitter) then we are of a second baseman. There is just no way that we are going to have 4 rookies as everyday players... it would eventually backfire. If 2 of the 3 that look like they'll make it pan out, we should consider ourselves lucky.
I've seen him a lot in the minors. MadMax, you are going to love Burke's play if he ever gets adjusted to MLB pitching. The Astros need to get him some at bats for this to happen, but I don't see him starting over Biggio until he proves he can hit in the regular season. This is a paradox that can be solved with some creative managing.
Burke went 4-5 with a homer, 4 RBI and a SB today. I'd love to give him a shot, but I don't think I want to see Biggio back in left.
I think he has no future in the outfield because we have better outfielders in Lane, Berkman, Scott, and Taveras. Remeber, Burke has hit at every level so why not the big leagues. He broke all of Todd Helton's hitting records at Tennessee and Billy Beane loves him. If Beane like him, you know he is real good.
