Bidge.. still close to signing a deal...

You know the news is slow on your team when you go to the team homepage and 2 of the last 6 headlines are basically the same thing.  Yes, Biggio is still close to a deal with the Astros.  We know that!  Give us some news.  But from the article I read this :

The issue is money. Biggio will be receiving a raise from his $4 million salary of 2006. How much of a raise appears to be a sticking point.

A raise?  Are you serious?  Now I'm a huge Biggio fan and the thought of him possibly playing for a team(no matter how small of a chance it is) turns my stomach...  but a raise?  What is this, an appreciation raise for past service and for being a cornerstone of the organization for the best part of 20 years?  He definitely doesn't deserve a raise based on performance.  Biggio had one of his worst offensive seasons of his career last season...  Of his 15 seasons that he's played more than 140 games, here's how his stats last season added up(with 1st being his best season in that category and last being his worst season in that category). 

Then you take into consideration that Biggio is more than likely not going to play 140+ games next season.  Look for Biggio to get less starts once he hits the big 3K in hits.  Next season will be sort of a out with the old, in with the new at 2nd base, bringing in Chris Burke to get more starts while Biggio(while still getting more starts than Burke) gets more off days.  Biggio is one of my favorite players ever...  but he's getting old...  His defense isn't what it used to be and his arm is very weak... even for a second basemen.  His home run totals are still good(21 last season) but he's also benefiting from the Crawford Boxes in left field while at home.  I just don't see how based on his performance that he could even realistically expect to get a raise... I don't know what the Astros are offering, but I can only assume it's at least 4 million.  I never would have imagined it would have taken his long to get Biggio signed again.