Craig

Biggio

We don’t see Biggio being any better of an option than Chris Burke, but if the team is committed to playing him somewhere, second base might make more sense than left field. A final decision will be made after the Astros’ offseason shopping.

Biggio left last night’s game in the fifth inning with a bruised calf where he was hit by a pitch.

Brian Hunter replaced him in center field. Biggio should return to the lineup today.

After starting the outfielder every game for the past month, manager Jimy Williams decided Biggio needed a rest. Biggio should be back in the lineup this evening against the Pirates.

Jason Lane, who only had three at-bats in August coming in, got the start, going 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Morgan Ensberg was on base four times while Wily Taveras and Orlando Palmeiro each added three hits with Palmeiro also driving in three runs. The four hits tonight give Biggio 112 hits on the season, and 2751 for his career. He’ll need to hang around through 2007 to reach the 3,000 career hits milestone, but given that he’s still hitting for some power (49 extra-base hits this season) that likely won’t be a problem.

Biggio missed Thursday’s game after having two teeth pulled earlier in the day.

Chris Burke started at second base. Biggio will likely be ready to go tomorrow.

The homers into the left-field bleachers at Petco were just his third and fourth on the road this season. He was hitting .200/.275/.290 in 155 at-bats away from Minute Maid Park.

Biggio probably shouldn’t be in the lineup at all in road games against right-handers, but this is better than batting him second. Biggio has been awful outside of Minute Maid Park for a second straight year in 2006. He’s currently hitting just .194/.265/.317 in 186 at-bats in road games.