last weekend in San Diego - last chance to see Biggio vs Maddux

Craig Biggio once again did not get hit by a pitch in last nights game, and Jake Peavy effectively shut down the 8 Astros not named Lance Berkman, but Berkman's 3 rbis were enough to give the Astros a 3-1 lead.

Today, Biggio isn't expected to be in the starting lineup, but Justin Germano will be starting for the Padres. He's never faced Biggio before, but he has plunked a career high 5 batters this season.
Jaime Navarro plunked Biggio on August 18, 1996, and Jimmy Anderson plunked Biggio on August 18, 2001 - so if Justin Germano had a chance to plunk Biggio today we'd have a Jaime, Jimmy and Justin who had plunked Biggio on this date.

Tomorrow, the Padres will send Greg Maddux to the mound. Craig Biggio has stepped into the batters box while Maddux was on the pitchers mound 140 times in the regular season, and another 12 times in the playoffs. Biggio has had more hits against Maddux than he has against any other pitcher, and Maddux has given up more hits to Biggio than he has to any other player not named Tony Gwynn. Tony Gwynn had 39 hits off Maddux, and Biggio has 38. It would certainly be interesting if Biggio could tie or pass Tony Gwynn's while playin against Gwynn's team.

Maddux has also hit Biggio with a pitch twice - on July 31, 1993 and June 12, 1994. If he could plunk Biggio one more time he'd break Orel Hershiser's record as the oldest pitcher to plunk Biggio. He'd break Frank Tanana's record as the most experienced pitcher to plunk Biggio (in terms of major league seasons). And, he'd break Salomon Torres' record for longest gap between plunkings of Biggio. Torres threw pitches that plunked Biggio nearly 10 years apart, but Maddux hasn't gone over 13 years since last plunking Biggio.

Also, Maddux would be the first pitcher ever to hit Craig Biggio with a pitch on August 19th.