Never read a John Lopez article

[Andyzipp]

That is all.  

There should be some public hazard notice when there are 2 articles by him in the same paper.  Both about the same made up topic, but still.

[David in Jackson]

Do you mean the Biggio article?

[pravata]

Quote:
That is all.  

There should be some public hazard notice when there are 2 articles by him in the same paper.  Both about the same made up topic, but still.

His twisted agenda concerning whether or not the Astros will resign Biggio; has he been paying attention to Mclane? finds its' payoff when he gets to accuse Mclane of making the biggest, bitterest, and worst mistake the franchise has ever made, for something that hasn't happened and isnt likely to happen.  

Almost as good is JdeJO [edit] trying to goad Garner into saying "benched" and "Biggio" in the same sentence.  I guess the Bill Brown, Phil Garner tea party tiff didn't amuse these typists sufficiently.

[David in Jackson]

I don't read Lopez enough to have any opinion of him, but the Biggio situation is a looming (or already present) dilemma for the Astros.

[Bench]

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I don't read Lopez enough to have any opinion of him, but the Biggio situation is a looming (or already present) dilemma for the Astros.

I don't see it as "looming." I see it as pretty predictable. It seems to me that next year is Bidge's last year, he'll play a lot more at home than on the road (except when he travels to NY), he'll collect his 3000th hit, take his victory lap, and be on hand for #7 and #5 to be retired together at the 2008 home opener. I would be very surprised if any other course of events unfolded.

[MusicMan]

Quote:
That is all.  

There should be some public hazard notice when there are 2 articles by him in the same paper.  Both about the same made up topic, but still.

I kid you not... I opened today's Rag, saw the sports headlines, saw the writers, and threw it in the trash can.

[Lefty]

Agreed, bench.  Although I think they'll do Bagwell Day next season.

[Frobie]

Quote:
I don't see it as "looming." I see it as pretty predictable. It seems to me that next year is Bidge's last year, he'll play a lot more at home than on the road (except when he travels to NY), he'll collect his 3000th hit, take his victory lap, and be on hand for #7 and #5 to be retired together at the 2008 home opener. I would be very surprised if any other course of events unfolded.

I pretty much agree, but it does bring up some interesting questions.

It looks like as of today Biggio has 2916 hits, so that leaves (pauses to fuss with calculator) 84 to go.  There are 18 games left in the season, so to pull a number out of my ass let?s say he gets 10 hits before 2006 comes to a close.  That leaves 74 (let?s just say 75) to the big 3K.  

How many ABs will it take to get there?  If he hits .250, it?s 300, .225 is 333, and .275 would take 273.  I?d be surprised if he hit less than .225 or higher than .275, but not real surprised.  So figure a best guess of 275-350 at-bats.  Surely doable, but what?s the best way to go about it?

If he plays half-time, be it a home/road platoon or whatever, you?re talking about not reaching the magic number until close to the end of the season.  And that doesn?t include any missed time due to injuries, which are (of course) a real possibility.  (Biggio?s playing basically this whole season as a 40+ 2Bman is nearly historically unprecedented).  And what happens if for whatever reason he DOESN?T get to 3K in 2007?  

So I?m sure Garner and the rest of the people who actually get paid to think about this shit will come up with a reasonable plan without much input from me, but my guess is Biggio plays the majority of home games, most road games in the first half of the season, and still reaches 3K later than we had probably hoped (July/August?).  After that... I dunno, go to Walt Disney World?

[pravata]

Quote:
I don't read Lopez enough to have any opinion of him, but the Biggio situation is a looming (or already present) dilemma for the Astros.

There is no dilemma. Mclane has said on a number of occasions that Biggio will hit #3000 as an Astro.  Case closed.

[No? in Austin]

Biggio can get his at bats as both a reserve left fielder and second baseman.  He doesn't have to get those same at bats as a starter the entire season.  I'm sure they will find a way to cut down his starter role towards the end of next season and make him a reserve in the Bruntlett vein.  Biggio is versatile and that works in his favor to get his ABs needed to reach 3,000 next season.

It doesn't have to be as starter next year.  Not entirely.

[Navin R Johnson]

Time to start batting Biggio leadoff the rest off the season to get him to closer to 3K #?

[No? in Austin]

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Time to start batting Biggio leadoff the rest off the season to get him to closer to 3K #?

I would, but that's just me.  Biggio's road stats look absolutely horrible though, so he needs a ton of ABs to get his knocks if he's not going to perform well on the road.

[Navin R Johnson]

That is my thoughts too Noe.    Lets get him as many ABs/Hits as possible THIS season, when the games barely matter any more.

If we could get him 20 more hits this year, that is maybe 80 less AB's we have to give him next season.

[Andyzipp]

What many others have said, Biggio will be an Astro next year. Drayton will sign him.  He will continue to get 1 year contracts until he retires.

Lopez has invented a "situation" by asking questions and gettin all alarmist about the answer.  Then he wrote a column condemning McLane for potentially screwing up something that Lopez himself has imagined happening.

I'd rather read Leon Hale's stream of consciousness about bees, talking mules and high rise "buildins".

[David in Jackson]

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I don't read Lopez enough to have any opinion of him, but the Biggio situation is a looming (or already present) dilemma for the Astros.

There is no dilemma. Mclane has said on a number of occasions that Biggio will hit #3000 as an Astro.  Case closed.

I agree that's what will happen.  The dilemma is determining Biggio's diminishing role, how he will handle it, and how to balance letting Biggio finish his career as an Astro/get 3,000 hits, with how much this forces the club to sit a more productive player.

[Andyzipp]

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Quote:

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I don't read Lopez enough to have any opinion of him, but the Biggio situation is a looming (or already present) dilemma for the Astros.

There is no dilemma. Mclane has said on a number of occasions that Biggio will hit #3000 as an Astro.  Case closed.

I agree that's what will happen.  The dilemma is determining Biggio's diminishing role, how he will handle it, and how to balance letting Biggio finish his career as an Astro/get 3,000 hits, with how much this forces the club to sit a more productive player.

But that's really only a dilemma for us.  As far as Purp, Garner, and McLane are concerned, he's playing regularly, and this year will be a good blueprint for next year if you're trying to guess Biggio's playing time.  

All the home games, half the road games until he gets to 3000.

[Gizzmonic]

They were righteously indignant about Bagwell getting shown the door, and now they're ready to get rid of Biggio?  Forget pinwheels, the whole damn staff's on a merry-go-round.

[Astroholic]

Not to mention trying to trade Oswalt.  They will never be able to sign him now.  Oh wait.

[Navin R Johnson]

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Not to mention trying to trade Oswalt.  They will never be able to sign him now.  Oh wait.

Dont worry about that Jose De Judas Ortiz will put in a good word for Roy with the mets.