The difference is the rings. Jeter won four championships in his first five years, while Biggio won nothing.

Actually, I maybe should have posted these numbers (since the stats you posted were through 98).

Biggio: .130 AVG, 3 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .333 OBA in 7 games.

Yeah, that is very close. But, that’s just regular season offensive numbers, as you know. Plus, just because someone did it elsewhere doesn’t make it likely to happen in New York. Would his legacy been different if he performed that way in New York? Definitely. But, I wouldn’t assume that Biggio would do the same in New York as he did in Houston. Jeter performing as he has in New York is a rare feat, not so much an easily attainable thing.

Postseason offensive numbers:

Jeter: .307 AVG, 81 R, 16 HR, 47 RBI, .379 OBA in 115 games.

Biggio: .234 AVG, 23 R, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .297 OBA in 40 games.

Biggio isn’t in the same ballpark offensively. Nobody is going to mistake Thomas for one of the great defenders of his generation, but Biggio’s defense isn’t going to make up 38 runs a year for a decade. Would Biggio’s defense make up the 6 RCAA difference between him and Manny for the decade? Absolutely, but there are a lot of guys above him offensively that either played a respectable defense themselves (Walker, Griffey) or were so far above him (Edgar, Thomas) that he couldn’t compensate with fielding.

But, note that James said “player” and not “batter” – which is the same as the A-Rod/Papi MVP debate, no?

Apparently James forgot about Frank Thomas and his 705 RCAA for the 90s.

James on Biggio, four years ago:

“Craig Biggio is the best player in major league baseball today. If you compare Craig Biggio very carefully to Ken Griffey Jr. in almost any season, you will find that Biggio has contributed more to his team than Griffey has. … (A)part from home runs, (Biggio) did everything better than Griffey (in 1998).”

http://tinyurl.com/h4qj8

Think Biggio’s career/legacy would have been different if he was drafted and signed by the Yankees? How about Jeter?
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Definately. Compare and contrast coverage of the Yankees record setting 1998 vs. the Mariners record setting 2001.

Playing in a major media market helps immensely. Not to take anything away from either player’s accomplishments, that’s just the way it is.

that’s a great compliment to Jeter by the way. Didn’t Bill James call Biggio the 2nd best player of the 90′s, behind only Bonds?