MLB: Biggio got most votes in year where no one got into Hall

Former Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio waves to the crowd as part of a ceremony saluting the All-Time 25-Man Roster of the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on September 22, 2012 in Houston, Texas.

(PhatzRadio / AP) — HOUSTON — Craig Biggio thinks he might have been bypassed for the Hall of Fame because he was on the ballot for the first time with several big stars linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

Biggio received the highest vote total in a year that produced no electees to Cooperstown on Wednesday.

Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits, appeared on 68.2 percent of the 569 ballots — 39 votes shy.
Steroids Era stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were also on the ballot for the first time and all fell far short of the required 75 percent. Biggio thinks it’s unfortunate if he was lumped in with others associated with performance-enhancing drugs

“I think it’s kind of unfair, but it’s the reality of the era that we played in,” he said. “Obviously some guys are guilty and others aren’t, and it’s painful for the ones that weren’t.”

He wasn’t completely sure whether feelings about the others played a role in his coming up short.