Married ... Played collegiate baseball at Long Beach State University ... Went 9-5 with a 4.47 ERA and 134 strikeouts with the 49ers in 1997 ... Graduated in 1994 from Temple City (Calif.) High School... Lettered in basketball and baseball.
2004
Biddle was second on the team in saves with 11. He lost his closer's role to Chad Cordero on June 8, but he became a starter and went 3-4 with a 6.08 ERA. Biddle's season came to an end in early September because of a torn right labrum.
2003
Biddle went 5-8 with 34 saves and a 4.65 ERA in a team-leading 73 games with the Expos in his first season in the National League ... became a full-time closer for the first time of his career ... ranked fifth in the league in saves,
10 of which came in one-run games ... trailed only Eric Gagné (55), John Smoltz (45), Billy Wagner (44) and Tim Worrell (38) ... converted 34 of 41 save opportunities (83 percent) ... 19 saves came in home games ... had only one career save entering the season ... his 34-save season ranks seventh in Expos history, behind John Wetteland (43 in 1993 and 37 in 1992), Jeff Reardon (41 in 1985 and 35 in 1986),
Ugueth Urbina (41 in 1999 and 34 in 1998) and Mel Rojas (36 in 1996).
2003 Highlights:
- GREAT START: Converted 15 of 16 save opportunities through the end of May...suffered 6 blown saves in 25 chances
thereafter.
- FAST AND FURIOUS: With one scoreless inning June 23 vs. Pittsburgh, became the first Expos since Ugueth Urbina
in 1998 to reach the 20-save plateau before the All-Star break.
- 6 IN A ROW: Earned the save in 6 consecutive Expos' victories between June 11-28....gave up only one run in 6.0
innings worked.
- VOID: Pocketed his 22nd save on June 28 at Toronto, but went more than 3 weeks-including the All-Star break-before
recording another...nabbed his 23rd save on July 23 vs. NYM.
- DUSTY NOTICED: Entered the All-Star break with a 3-4 record, 22 saves and a 3.97 ERA...earned serious consideration
for a spot on the National League All-Star Team, as chosen by Cubs-skipper Dusty Baker and the Commishioner's
Office...after the break, received a hand-written note from Baker telling him that he had pitched well enough to earn a spot
on the team, but roster numbers were not on his side.
- 25-PLATEAU: On July 27 vs. Atlanta, reached 25 saves quicker than an Expos closer since Jeff Reardon recorded No.
25 on July 25, 1985.
- TURNING 30 GRACIOUSLY: With a perfect 9th inning on August 19 at Los Angeles, became the 10th closer in Expos
history to reach the 30-save plateau...a resident of the LA area and after pitching collegiately at Long Beach State, was
pitching in first game as a pro at Dodger Stadium....the only Montreal reliever to reach 30 saves quicker was Jeff
Reardon in '85...Reardon nabbed his 30th save on August 13 at Chicago (NL) in the club's 112th game...Rocky pocketed
his 30th in Montreal's 126th contest of '03.
- JUST 7 BLOWN SAVES: Suffered 7 blown saves, 5 of which took place outside of Montreal (4 on the road, one in Puerto
Rico)...4 of 6 unearned runs allowed came in blown saves...blown save on June 5 in Puerto Rico vs. Anaheim came via
a strikeout-wild pitch that should have resulted in final out of the game...a botched double-play grounder on July 5 at
Atlanta resulted in 4th blown save...others: May 7 vs. San Diego, June 18 at Pittsburgh, July 11 vs. Florida, August 20
at Los Angeles and August 29 at Florida.
- HOME BOY: Went 4-2 with 16 saves (in 18 opportunities) and a 3.41 ERA (11 ER/105.1 IP) at Olympic Stadium in
2003...was 1-1 with 3 saves (in 4 opportunities) and a 5.54 ERA (8 ER/105.1 IP) at Hiram Bithorn Stadium...in all, 19 of
34 saves came in the Expos' 2 home venues.
- SEASON END: Worked a 1-2-3 9th inning to nab the save in the Expos' season finale on September 28 at Great
American Ball Park in Cincinnati...successfully converted final 3 save opportunities of the 2003 season.
- MISCELLANEOUS: Earned 4 holds...finished team-high 58 games...retired 41 of 73 first batters faced (56%)...was
charged with 6 unearned runs...stranded 15 of 22 inherited runners (68%)...opponents swiped 2 bases in 3 attempts while
on the mound...induced 5 double-play grounders...struggled against Atlanta, going 1-2 with 2 saves and a 6.75 ERA (7
ER/9.1 IP)...allowed 24 baserunners (13 hits, 11 walks) in only 9.1 innings against the Braves...has converted 8 straight
saves at Olympic Stadium...Montreal went 50-23 in games in which Rocky pitched.
2002
Biddle started the season on the 15-day disabled list and made a rehabilitation assignment at AAA-Charlotte (4/25-5/2) following shoulder surgery performed on 9/21/01... Was recalled on May 3 after two starts... Was 3-4 with a 4.06 ERA with one save (three chances) and four holds in 44 games... Averaged 7.4 strikeouts (64 SO/77.2 IP) per 9.0 IP while limiting opponents to a .245 average, fourth-lowest on the team... Opponents hit .244 (30-123) as a starter and .246 (42-171) in relief... Made 23 appearances out of the bullpen before his first start on July 13 at Detroit... Was 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA (13 ER/33.2 IP) and 26 strikeouts in seven starts, averaging 7.0 strikeouts per 9.0 IP... Allowed two or fewer earned runs in six of his seven starts... Made five starts in September, going 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA (9 ER/25.1 IP) and 18 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .228 (21-92) average... Posted a 1.69 ERA (3 ER/16.0 IP) over final three starts... Win on September 13 at Yankee Stadium was his first as a starter since September 7, 2001 at Cleveland... Held the Yankees to two unearned runs on three hits over 5.0 IP... After a loss vs Kansas City on September 19 (2 ER/6.0 IP) ended the season with a win vs Boston on 9/25 (1 ER/5.0 IP)... Held right-handed batters to a .205 (32-151) average while lefties hit .287 (41-143)... Matched a career-high with 3.0 IP in relief on 6/30 vs the Cubs...Tossed 8.0 scoreless IP from 5/18-6/12, a span of seven appearances... Did not allow a hit in 5.0 consecutive IP from 6/5-10... Recorded his first major-league save on 6/18 at Philadelphia.
2001
Biddle made 30 appearances (21 starts) in 2001 in his first full major-league season... His seven wins tied for fifth among American League rookies... Was 4-7 with a 5.54 ERA in 21 starts and 3-1 with a 4.20 ERA in nine relief appearances... Went 1-5 with a 4.91 ERA in the first half compared to 6-3 with a 6.29 ERA in the second half... Won his last two starts, both against Cleveland, before missing the rest of the season with inflammation in his right shoulder... Was placed on the 15-day disabled list on 9/21... Underwent surgery on 9/28 at Palos Community Hospital in a procedure performed by Dr. James Boscardin, White Sox senior team physician... Compiled a 3.86 ERA in April and a 2.91 mark with 22 strikeouts in June... ERA was above 5.00 in each of the other four months... Made eight quality starts... Began the season in the bullpen, making two appearances before moving into rotation... Next 18 outings came as a starter... Was sent back to the pen following loss on 7/25 at Cleveland (6 ER/2.1 IP)... Earned win on 9/2 vs Cleveland, overcoming a 6-0 second-inning deficit... According to Elias Sports Bureau, became the fourth starting pitcher in the last 10 years to win a game in which he trailed by six runs or more, joining Colorado's Pedro Astacio (6/27/98), Milwaukee's Cal Eldred (6/4/97) and California's Mike Bielecki (5/16/95)... Matched career best with six strikeouts over 3.0 scoreless IP on 6/9 vs the Cubs before leaving with soreness in his right shoulder... Earned first career win in relief on 8/4 vs Tampa Bay... Posted second win on 7/15 at Milwaukee, ending streak of 14 straight starts without a victory (4/17-7/6).
2000
In 2000, Biddle was rated by Baseball America as the No. 14 Prospect in the White Sox organization... His contract was purchased from AA-Birmingham on 8/10... Made his ML debut that afternoon vs Seattle, allowing six runs on eight hits over 5.1 IP in a losing effort... Earned his first major-league victory on 8/15 at Baltimore, allowing four runs over a career-high 7.0 IP... Gave up 15 runs (11 earned) in 10.1 IP over his next two starts and was optioned to Birmingham on 8/31.
