Giants think they're so big

Neither Jason Schmidt nor Latroy Hawkins hit Craig Biggio with a pitch, despite Schmidt missing the strike zone enough to walk Biggio twice. But, the Astros were shut out on just 3 hits and will have to get the offense back in gear today.

Saturday, August 6:
Craig Biggio has been hit 3 times in the past 2 years on August 6, and one more time back in 1996. Rocky Biddle got him last year, and Aaron Heilman and Pedro Feliciano teamed up to deliver a 2 plunk game on August 6, 2003. Barry Manuel plunked Biggio on August 6, 1996.
Noah Lowry pitches for the Giants today. He has never hit Craig Biggio with a pitch, but he has recorded 3 of his 5 career hit batsmen in his last 2 outings. Maybe he's trying something new, or maybe he's developed a taste for blood, so to speak.

Saturday, August 7:
Brett Tomko pitches Sunday for the Giants. He has never plunked Biggio but has 30 career plunks. Biggio has never been hit by a pitch on August 7.


So far this year, the Astros have won 4 and lost 9 of the games in which Biggio has been hit be a pitch. At 0.308, this years win pct. in plunk games is the lowest since 1991 when they went 0-2. In 10 out of the past 16 seasons, the Astros win percentage in games when Biggio gets hit by a pitch has been better than their overall win percentage. In 1999, they won 8 and lost 3 games when Biggio got hit, making that (0.727) their best season for winning plunk games.
Overall, the Astros are 142-108 (0.568) in the 250 games Biggio has been hit by a pitch and 1386-1249 (0.525) in the seasons he's been hit (1989-2005).