EXTRA SPECIAL
Biggio as much an Astro today as in Hall of Fame career
LOS ANGELES — You bleed orange and blue?
Craig Biggio lives for the Astros. And he wouldn’t miss this for the world. The Series. His old team walking into Dodger Stadium just four wins away from its first world championship.
Still being so close with the only major league baseball club he’s ever been a part of.
“This is the second time it’s ever happened in the history of the organization,” Biggio said before Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday. “To be able to enjoy this with them, I’m happy for them. I live through them. I’m excited for them. And we’ll see — hopefully something good can happen.”
At 51, when he could be doing a million
other things, the first true Astros Hall of Famer is still doing the little things that matter in MLB.
When A.J. Hinch’s club walked into the clubhouse before it tried to survive and advance against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, Biggio pulled several Astros in close while Minute Maid Park was still filling up. When New York was silenced and Houston’s baseball team was heading toward the Fall Classic, Biggio watched the clinching celebration near the main stage, then shared a huge smile and warm hug with second baseman Jose Altuve.
Spring through fall
“I’m just excited for our organization and our players and our city,” said Biggio, who recorded 3,060 hits in his 20 seasons with the Astros. “It’s the same thing as when I was playing. I’ve been working here for 30 years. I was a New York kid that has made a home in Houston, Texas, and the city’s been great to me.”
Some old names only show up when the lights get really bright. Biggio has been nearby from spring through fall, and the sight of the 2015 Cooperstown inductee standing as close as possible to the batting cage during the ’17 World Series has been as common as shortstop Carlos Correa laughing with Altuve.
“This organization, it’s all he knows,” Hinch said. “He lives in Houston. He’s been a part of every process. The interview process for me as a manager, he was involved in. He’s seen different ownership groups come through, different GMs come through. He’s been a constant that the Houston Astros fans have been able to lean on. And having him be a participant in all this is really priceless.”
Biggio has been very visible and hands-on during the playoffs. This is special for him, too.
At 3:05 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday, the seven-time AllStar was leaning against the batting cage — looking cool in sunglasses, a jacket and jeans — while the Astros were just beginning to warm up. Within minutes, Biggio held private conversations with catcher Brian McCann and outfielder Josh Reddick, then moved on to everyone from Astros owner Jim Crane and general manager Jeff Luhnow to David Ross, who retired as a 2016 world champion with the Cubs.
“For us to have our legends come back and touch what we’re doing here is huge,” Hinch said. “It’s one of the things that I’m really proud of, to reconnect the past with what we’re doing right now. So Enos Cabell is around quite a bit. Nolan Ryan is around quite a bit. Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio both inducted into the Hall of Fame during my time here — I’m very proud of that.”
A Los Angeles media zoo surrounded both sides of the Astros’ safe place. Helicopters and planes hovered overhead, dragging local TV and insurance banners, while 1970s soft rock sang out of huge speakers.
By 3:50, shadows were covering the outfield, and most of the Astros were gone, returning to their clubhouse one more time before Rich Hill’s first pitch. The few still hitting weren’t taking the field in Game 2. But Biggio still stood behind the cage, then followed Altuve into a side room before Hank Aaron said he’d pay to watch the Astros’ current great play.
Energizes Altuve
After Aaron praised Altuve, the should-be AL MVP made a point to thank Biggio for his constant dedication.
“Craig, coming down to the field every single day and talking to me,” said Altuve, as he accepted the 2017 AL Hank Aaron award. “When I don’t feel really good, he comes to me, makes me feel way better, and he brings me back the energy that I need to play.”
Anyone can just show up, shake a few new hands and then quietly blend in. To have a 101win team listen to and respect you 10 years after your last game, even a Hall of Famer has to put in the time.
“You can’t just walk in there once or twice a year thinking that you’re going to be able to have a relationship,” Biggio said. “Coming in every day and being around these guys, it takes a little bit of time to develop their trust. And if you develop people’s trust, they’ll open up and talk to you.
“The game changes. People change. And so for me, I’ve been loyal and dedicated to one city, one organization, and that’s what I said in my Hall of Fame speech. To be able to give it back to an organization and give it back to a fan base … that’s what it’s about.”
Biggio smiled, walked across the dirt and disappeared down a hallway.
Game 2 of the World Series was about to begin. He had to get back to his Astros.