Sunday, September 30, 2007

The Record Stands

Three year ago it seemed like a sure thing. Even in March of this year, it seemed like Craig Biggio couldn't possibly avoid getting hit by six pitches even if he took his elbow pad off and actually started getting out of the way of inside fastballs. Well, like the sportscasters like to say, that's why they play the games - to see who gets hit by pitches.

Hughie Jennings record of 287 plunks may have just withstood the best - or at least most excessively documented - assault it will ever face. It's entirely possible that his record will stand forever, with Craig Biggio's 285 just below it. Jennings got hit 287 times in an age before helmets, and with a pitchers mound closer than the current 60 feet 6 inches, but pitchers may not have thrown quite as hard then. And, while he played before modern painkillers, it was probably more socially acceptable make full use of the popular painkillers of the day (like whiskey). Only 18 players have made it even half way to 287 plunks. Only 7 have passed 200, only 4 have passed 250 and only 2 have reached 285.

So, while we might be disappointed that we didn't get to see someone break the 104 year old record for getting hit by pitches, it's tough to be disappointed by the career of Craig Biggio. 3,060 hits, 668 doubles, 1844 runs scored, 414 steals, 291 homers, 20 seasons for one team. The stats speak for themselves, but they don't exactly tell the story of what Biggio has meant to Houston's fans - for that you might have to look at the attendance line in the box score for those last three games at Minute Maid Park, or take a look at that banner that was hanging in left center field with several thousand notes from fans thanking Craig Biggio for his career. But hey, you probably know all this.

Sometimes, when we watch baseball, we get that feeling that we might see something particularly amazing. We turn on the game, because we think something special might happen that night - and it could, on any night, and we love to hope to see those things even though we know they hardly ever happen. But they do happen sometimes, and most of all we really don't want to miss seeing it. Most of the time we think of those special things as single game records - have you ever seen a pitcher strike out the side in the 2nd inning and started doing the math in your head, counting the number of outs that aren't strikeouts as the game went along until they reached 8 and you know that's not going to be another 20 strikeout game? Maybe that's just me. But you pay special attention when a pitcher gets through a few innings without giving up a hit, or you realize someone has hit a homer, triple and double in the game and is coming up again. We also love streaks, and runs toward single season records - if it's someone on your favorite team you don't want to miss a single game on the way to what you think might be one of those special moments. And sometimes you go into a season thinking this is the year for your team - and you don't want to miss the game that could be the key moment for the season when they finally win it all.

But it's a little harder to spot when the amazing thing is just one guy playing 20 years for the same team. You never feel like you're missing something when you know the guy was there playing yesterday and he'll be their playing again tomorrow if you turn on the game. Then suddenly he's running up on 3,000 hits and announcing his retirement, and there's some weirdo on the internet who's all excited about the prospect of him getting hit by a record number of pitches. And then you look at it that way, you realize you got to see Craig Biggio play - and even if you sat and watched him go 0-4, you saw something particularly amazing, even if you didn't know it at the time.

Thanks for the years of stats, Craig Biggio. Messing around with them the way I have for the past three years probably hasn't entertained me quite as much as you have entertained Houston fans for the past 20 years, but it's been fun. Hopefully I brought a little bit more entertainment to those who had already enjoyed your career, and maybe I helped wake up a few folks from the rest of the country who didn't know what they were missing. I will miss waiting and wondering when you'll next get hit by a pitch. And, while I've considered hanging around until I reach 1000 posts on this site, I'll leave it at this. I have no future plans for another website, but if I think of something, I doubt it will be quite as much fun as this, and I never would have been able to keep this site going this long if Biggio hadn't been the player and the person he is.

Oh, and don't worry about those folks in Chesterfield County... it may look bad, but Cletus will take care of it I'm sure. It's just there way:
(photo by Cletus J. "Bubba" Huckabee Jr.)
It seems the pressure of the plunk chase got the better of some, but hopefully everyone else has survived with their sanity intact.


Thanks again for reading, everybody.

19 Comments:

At 10/01/2007 12:05:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for all of your blogs over the last few years, for I have enjoyed reading them. You are right: we were very blessed as Astros fans to have one of the greatest players, and more importantly: an outstanding man representing our team and our city for the last 20 years. It's been a lot of fun! Astros games won't be the same without B-G-O!

 
At 10/01/2007 02:48:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have really appreciated your blogs over the years. You had no ties to the Astros, yet still wanted to expand your interests and decided to track Biggio's pace toward the record. Hope you keep writing! Thanks for all the posts.

Go 'Stros, thanks for the ride - B-G-O.

 
At 10/01/2007 07:29:00 AM, Blogger Kenny said...

Thank you, pbr, thank you.

And thank you for the HBP:BGO shirt. I will wear it with pride always, or until it wears out, in which case I'll try to get another one.

 
At 10/01/2007 09:14:00 AM, Blogger R. said...

I was going to write a parody of Zevon's "Hit Somebody" to fit Biggio's career, but you know what?

PB is testament enough.

Well done.

 
At 10/01/2007 10:18:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks a million for your work on this blog! I've been visting it for the better part of 2 years & loved every blog. Great work!!
Damon

 
At 10/01/2007 10:44:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm a Brewers fan, but Biggio's one of my favorite players and I've very much enjoyed this blog over the years. I'll miss it and miss seeing BGO for a few series every year. Thanks.

 
At 10/01/2007 11:46:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a long time Red Sox fan, I was not really aware of Craig Biggio until you started this blog. I would have missed out on an important part of baseball history if you had not brought Biggio to my attention. Thanks for all the entertainment and education you provided. Now perhaps you can 'get a life!'

 
At 10/01/2007 06:33:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for your blogs about Mr. Astro for the past two years. They were always a joy to read, and this final one was a fitting finale. PBR, you have a special place in the heart of this stat-geek Astros fan.

 
At 10/01/2007 08:31:00 PM, Blogger Richard Willis said...

Thanks for a few years of fun reading.I was one of those people in line at Minute Maid Saturday Night, and while everyone else was chanting B-G-O! I was doing HBP! BGO! HBP! BGO! and drawing a good few strange looks... good times.

This blog shall be missed. Forever bookmarked for the laughs, but missed.

Richard W.
Conroe, TX

 
At 10/02/2007 07:33:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I heard about your site when Biggio was nearing the "modern" record.

Life will be a little less interesting without you and the Bigg around.

Thank you for all your hard work!

 
At 10/02/2007 08:56:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've read the blog, I've bought the tee shirts. Over the past couple of years I must have sent links to this blog 50 times.

Biggio and Bagwell are the two best ballplayers I'm likely ever to see. Thanks for making the Biggio watch even more fun.

 
At 10/04/2007 07:14:00 AM, Blogger Sean said...

Thanks for keeping us updated on the near approach of the plunk record. I've really enjoyed reading for the past few years!

Cheers

 
At 10/05/2007 04:03:00 PM, Blogger Tom said...

It was a good run. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Congrats.

-t

PS I'm probably going to frame that "Plunks vs. Phase of the Moon" post.

 
At 10/05/2007 10:33:00 PM, Blogger S. Lee Whiplash said...

I can't add anything eloquent to the previous comments. But, thank you.

 
At 10/06/2007 11:14:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

thank you PBR. Its been alot of fun reading your blogs. In your own way, you have often made my work day slightly better!

M

 
At 10/11/2007 09:47:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for an awesome blog!

Here's hoping Mr. Biggio gets into that there Hall of Fame on the first ballot!

 
At 10/24/2007 07:33:00 AM, Blogger George the seeker said...

You have a gift for sports writing! Please, please pick another streak, player, team or event and keep twisting the statistics in your unique and entertaining way. Thanks for the laughs.

 
At 11/08/2007 11:03:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello everyone!
I'm looking for something, but I don't have the horsepower or know-how to compile it all myself. I'm looking for a complete highlight reel of every time poor ol' Biggio has been plunked. At one hit a second, the clip would last almost 4 minutes 30 seconds. Stomach churning! Transcendental! Inspirational!

If anyone knows where I would look for such a thing, please drop me a line. I'll check back here occasionally, or you can email me at ethreal_one at yahoo dot com. Thanks everyone for all the fun times! Excellent work, PBR!

 
At 4/02/2008 06:41:00 AM, Blogger Sean said...

I really enjoyed this blog over the years. Perhaps here is one to watch

2B Rickie Weeks was hit by pitches in the ninth and 10th innings Monday in the season-opening victory in Chicago, and he now has been plunked 47 times in 317 major league games

 

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