2nd to last off-day

Craig Biggio said goodbye to Shea stadium and the Mets yesterday, but he didn't get hit by any retirement plunks, leaving his career total at 7 for Shea Stadium plunks and 78 for career hits there. His final totals against the Mets are 19 plunks and 151 hits. But, the Astros didn't manage to get a win during their trip to New York, losing yesterday, 4-1.

The Astros are off today, but tomorrow they begin a 9 game home-stand. There are only 12 home games and 7 road games left for Craig Biggio to get hit by pitches, and for us to discuss and test any remaining theories on plunkology. Friday and Saturday we'll be running the important test of whether or not Biggio gets hit by pitches more or less often when I'm actually in attendance Minute Maid Park - hopefully Biggio will participate by playing in those games.

By the way, with only 19 games left, it appears that Biggio will fall just short of Ryne Sandberg on the all time list for games played at 2nd Base. Sandberg played 1994 games at 2B, and Biggio currently has 1974. So, Biggio will remain 8th on the all time list in games played at 2nd Base, which is still pretty good when you remember he played over 400 games at catcher and over 300 in the outfield.

Biggio has been hit just once on September 10th - by Leo Estralla of the Brewers in 2003.