I'm not sure at all that Taveras or Scott will be better major league hitters. Counting on them both sticking with the ML club for the entire year is optimistic. We'll see what time brings.
I don't know. Ask: Meluskey, Ward, Zinter, and a host of others. I hope that's not the case with Burke, but the point is it's an unknown.
Has anyone mentioned that it's quite possible Biggio will move back to left field? I know I've heard the Astros commentators talking about it. They said his playing second base all spring was just to re-acquaint him with playing that position some and there is a good chance he will play left field. Of course, that didn't make much sense to me that he wouldn't be playing in left field to gear up for the regular season. I dunno. I guess it's possible that Biggio could be back out in left field and Burke could be our starting 2nd baseman.
If Scott and Taveras make the club there is no use for Bidge in left field... he's horrible out there anyway. You can get buy with just a decent 2nd basemen, hell we had Kent.
Are you serious? I'll take Biggio for 3 Million for a season over Kent's 17 million for two seasons or $9 Million 2005 option anyday. Why waste the money on kent when you have a proven vetern and a promising prospect... doesn't make sense.
Fu#k the loyalty crap. Trade Bidge to a contender so he can win a ring, and give Burke the nod at 2B. Sure it would be great if he played his whole career as an Astro, but damn..... so many players of this day and age end their careers elsewhere..... Emmitt Smith is the most recent example I can think of. I respect him as a player and what he has done for this organization, but its time to cut ties IMHO.
What contender would want Biggio and/or have anything to trade for him? None. Also, Biggio is still one of the best leadoff hitters in the league, I'd take him over most of the leadoff hitters in the game.
Alan Zinter, played 1B and C. Had a great dinger a couple of summers ago for Houston. He's got a boatload of home runs in the minor leagues--like over 200 IIRC, and he's hit for power and RBI's at every level of the minors, but it just never seemed to take on the ML level. Last I heard he was with the Arizona organization.
Biggio is the cornerstone of this franchise along with bagwell. Biggio will get 3,000 hits in an astros uniform, bagwell will hit his 500th homer in an astros uniform.......bottom line! Burke cant hold biggio's jock, we're talking about a hall of famer here. Biggio is going to hit 20 homers and smack 40 doubles, thats guarunteed! Can burke do that? Certainly not this yr......so start biggio. Burke should be the left fielder, luke scott is going to cool off once he faces real major league pitching and the scouting reports are in on him.
I know, I love Biggio. But he's a big liability on the defensive end, no range and no arm. But, he's our "cornerstone," so I guess we have to play him somewhere; they didn't resign him to $3 million for him to ride the bench. I don't have that big of a problem playing him at 2nd base, I rather see hiim there than in the outfield, but he really needs to rest more, so he doesn't go into another big slump during august and september. Father Time is on his heels. There must be a compromise.
When was the last time Biggio hit a game winning homerun in the post playoffs or in a regular game for that matter?? Kent is better at the plate now the Biggio. Biggio is only here for so he can get his 3k hits and then maybe go the HOF. It is strictly a PR move. Just ask Hunsicker.
as long as biggio is semi-productive there's no point in arguing whether he should start or not because he will, right or wrong. as far as this year i think after the offensive production he had last season he atleast deserves a shot to start at second where i don't think he'll be a liability like in left field. he's not a gold glover anymore but he'll probably be better then kent.
Well, if anyone heard the interview with Gary Gaetti today, you can pretty much lock in Biggio at second base. I say this because he basically said Scott and Tavarez will we be opening day starters. I see no way the Astros will start 3 rookies in one season. It wouldn't suprise me if they sent Burke to AAA to learn to play the outfield.
Are you serious? You didn't even take into consideration the 6 million more payroll you'd be spending on Kent. Kent was/is a horrible fielder, and his extra 10 homers and 40-50RBIs are NOT worth the 9 million it would have cost us to keep him. How in the hell is it just a PR move if last season Biggio was STILL one of the best leadoff hitters in the game? It's not a PR move, Burke isn't ready to come up to the major leagues and go at full stride with the entire burden of being an everyday guy. Hell, he hit 24 homeruns last year, his MOST EVER and people still think he's washed up. I love how everyone who is calling for Burke to start at 2nd are ignoring the fact that we have three other rookies that are going to be on the opening day roster and starting (Astacio will be in AAA untill April 17th, but will make the club)? No club in the HISTORY of baseball has started 4 rookies and done well, NONE. We have a much bigger need in the outfield then we do at second base, especially when you have a vetern guy that can easily hit .290, 20 HRs, 40 2B, 50RBIs AND score 75-100 runs. I think if you ask any team in baseball, they'd love to have those types of numbers from their leadoff man. Burke isn't going to get the job until Biggio plays himself out of the spot. Biggio is a 18 year vetern who has proved every year that he is up for the challenge, and until he doesn't they aren't going to make a move.
No, he's not a "big liability". He's no longer a gold glover, but he's far from a liability. I swear, people act like he's Willie Mays 1973 out in the field, and that's far, far from the truth.
He may not drop a routine fly ball (although he has)...and he does still have enough speed to cover his fair share of ground out there...but the fact that he can't stop a guy from going 1st to 3rd in MMP is a major liability
