The Pecan Park Eagle

Craig Biggio

It’s way too early to make any big calls on a comparison of Craig Biggio and Jose Altuve as the potentially greatest second baseman in Astros franchise history, but the speculation aspect is still a lot fun when we look at the kind of offensive year that Altuve is having in his fourth season (2011-14) as the club’s keystone man. Little in physical stature only, Jose Altuve is hitting a hot, league-leading  .344. His 116  hits and 37 stolen bases also led the AL in all games through 7/01/14. By comparison, Craig Biggio had yet to even sniff the .300 plus territory by his fourth season and only had played a handful of games at second base, playing mostly as a highly regarded young catcher and a once-in-a-while experimental outfielder.

The little box table comparisons say a lot, even if the numbers through 2014 can speak nothing but early statistical probability about the long term wind of young Altuve’s actual ability to keep playing at the level he as reached today by the middle of his fourth season. Check out the following box tables and note. At mid-season 2014, Jose Altuve even leads Craig Biggio in his cherished doubles and hit-by-the pitcher (HBP) categories.

Tabular Comparisons of Craig Biggio and Jose Altuve through July 1, 2014 of the latter’s fourth MLB season:

Jose Altuve

The truth still rests down the line. Too bad some of us will have to live well into ancient human antiquity to hear the arguments twenty years from now over “who was the greatest second baseman in Houston MLB franchise history?”

Who’s your pick, if you have one? Hall of Famer Craig Biggio? Or little Jose Altuve? And we also need to remember – Who’s to say the Astros won’t trade Altuve before he even has a chance to establish himself here long enough as the greatest second baseman in Houston franchise history?