I have to admit at first I had a hard time believing Craig Biggio was a dirtbag. After writing about Lenny Dykstra (who I felt was an evident dirtbag) I didn’t know exactly how to approach Biggio.
At first glance I saw Craig Biggio as a clean All-American player. I initially thought who he was off the field was who he was as a player. I was taken back because this was completely different from who Dykstra is. If you were to take Dykstra both on and off the field most would say he carries the typical negative connotation of the dirtbag whereas Biggio does not. How could Biggio possibly be similar to Dykstra? How do two seemingly different players be categorized as dirtbags?
First, I had to remind myself that being a dirtbag isn’t about who a player is off the field it’s about the player he was on the field. In addition, I had to expand my own concept of a dirtbag. This meant looking at my own prejudice towards dirtbags and rejecting those stigmas. If I were to approach this project objectively I’d have to start looking at each players independently, not unvaryingly.
So… How’s Craig Biggio classified as a dirtbag?
Exploring beyond my immediate impression I noticed Biggio was one of the rare players who has played multiple positions (yes, plural) throughout his career.
Here’s a VERY brief overview of his career:
Mid-1988 and 1989 Biggio was a catcher. Though he was a stellar behind the plate; Biggio had wheels and the Astros’ management wanted to use his speed to the fullest. Thus in 1990, he was put in the outfield part-time. In 1992 the Astros finally convinced Biggio to convert to second base. Even though Biggio made his positions transitions look easy, according to craig-biggio.co.tv, “it is remarkably rare for a major league catcher to make a successful transition to middle infielder. If a catcher changes positions, it is usually to first base, or occasionally to outfield or third base.” (4) Biggio would continue to bounce from second base to outfield for the rest of his career with the Astros.
I bet your wondering exactly how many years Biggio played for the Astros, right? Biggio was a part of the Astros organization from 1988 to 2007. Twenty years. He was and is the heart and soul of the Houston Astros. His scrappy, no-nonsense style of play has been an example for future Astros stars like Hunter Pence. Not only did Biggio stay with a team for 20 years, but according to the Bleacher Report, “Biggio is the epitome of a true loyal team player. He twice rejected free agency. He even rejected a deal to his hometown Mets. He would get more money and would be close to home. But Biggio was loyal.” (2)
Okay, okay, so I haven’t really explained what makes Biggio a dirtbag. Besides his reliability, flexibility, selflessness, and passion for the game-- Biggio wasn’t afraid to get plunked by pitches. Yes, you read that right, Biggio developed a strategy to get on base by crowding the plate. He did this consistently for 11 seasons, that he began to gain a reputation for being hit by pitches. He was even dubbed by writer, Mike Berardino as the “king of hit batsmen.” (3)
Yet, despite getting plunked 267 times, Biggio never charged the mount nor had any serious injuries. Why does this make him a dirtbag? He’s a dirtbag because he used the game to his advantage. Biggio clearly stated that he knew “pitchers have to pitch inside and it's going to happen. It's part of the game.” (3) This shows he took basic fundamentals of the game and used it to his advantage. He’s a dirtbag because he’d take a 95 MPH fastball to the cheekbone just to get on base.
Additionally, Biggio can be considered a dirtbag because of his distinctive teamwork and sacrifice. Biggio expressed, “I take a lot in the back or the butt or the arms, stuff like that. They moved all over, but they don't hurt as bad if you score. That's the truth.” (3) This shows how Biggio was willing to take a hit for his team to win. He was a perfect example of the age old saying, “the name on the front is more important than the name on the back.” That’s why everyone from the Astros organization and beyond loved Biggio. He took whatever it would take to benefit his team over himself.
As a result, I discovered Biggio showed a different characteristic of a dirtbag. That’s why I believe I found it semi-difficult to write about him. Dykstra showed the typical scrappy style of a dirtbag (the style I mostly identified as a dirtbag), but Biggio showed loyalty, commitment, and sacrifice. Evident positive characteristics that are just as dirtbag as the typical scrappy style.
Perhaps, Biggio’s style can help all of us understand that a dirtbag can be a positive characterization. There have been many times I’ve called players playing now dirtbags in front of my baseball fanatic family and have gotten strong negative responses. Hopefully, this piece on Biggio has helped shed a light that dirtbags are dirtbags because they posses multiple qualities. Qualities that enhance the game. Qualities that show what the game of baseball is all about. Qualities like loyalty, sacrifice, and teamwork that Biggio used everyday at Enron Field (Minute Maid Park).
(1) http://www.tbhof.org/bio/2004/biobiggio.htm
(2) http://bleacherreport.com/articles/101471-the-epitome-of-an-astro-the-craig-biggio-story
(3) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_7_64/ai_n15378941/
(4) http://craig-biggio.co.tv/
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