For the first time in baseball history a player (Craig Biggio) joins the 3000 hit club on the same day that another player (Frank Thomas) joins the 500 home run club.

The Houston Astros' Craig Biggio went 5 for 6 tonight in reaching and passing the 3000 hit mark. The 5 hits are the most a player has ever got in a game while reaching the 3000 hit mark and it was also only the second time in Biggio's career he had 5 hits in a game.

Biggio started his career with the Astros in 1988 as a catcher and has been a rare case of a player playing out his entire career with one team. He's played mostof his career (after his first 4 years mostly at catcher) at second base.

Biggio has been one of the better hitting second basemen in history with his 3002 hits and a career batting average of .282 along with 286 home runs.

He was at his peak during the '90s when he made the all star team 7 times.

Biggio's best season was probably 1997 when he had a career high 143 OPS+ with .309/.415/.501 rate stats along with 22 homers and 47 steals.

Biggio became the 27th player to reach the 3000 hit plateau and being that he did it from mostly weak hitting positions (2B & C) he should be a shoe in for the hall of fame. Every player over 3000 hits is in the hall of fame except for Ricky Henderson and Rafael Palmeiro who have not yet been eligible for election. And of course Pete Rose.

Which eligible (retired for 5 years and not banned) player has the most hits and has not been elected into the hall of fame? Harold Baines at 2,866.

Who'll reach 3000 next? Well if Barry Bonds stays healthy and decides to play in 2008 it would most likely be him. Bonds has 2,896 career hits.

Some other active players to take a look at:

Ivan Rodriguez - 2428 hits - Age 35

Derek Jeter - 2253 hits - Age 33

Alex Rodriguez - 2160 hits - Age 31

Labels: Houston Astros