HOUSTON — Craig Biggio agreed to a three-year personal services contract with the Houston Astros, similar to deals the team struck with former stars Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens and Jeff Bagwell.

The 42-year-old Biggio retired last season after playing his entire 20-year career in Houston. Last June, he became the 27th player to reach 3,000 hits and retired as the Astros' leader in games, at-bats, hits, doubles and total bases.

"I've already moved on to the next chapter of my life," Biggio said today. "I'm excited to see how the other aspects of the game work."

He'll work as a special assistant to the general manager, helping coach young players as well as assisting the Astros on the business side. He'll split time between the Astros and St. Thomas High School, where he's working as an assistant baseball coach. His oldest son, Conor, plays for the team.

"My mornings are free, and my nights are free, so that works out very nicely for meetings, and it works out for games," Biggio said. "It's going to make the days really long, but I'm excited about that."

The Astros said their deal with Clemens is still intact. Clemens, who denies allegations by his former trainer that he used performance-enhancing drugs, threw batting practice in late January to minor leaguers, including his oldest son, at the team's minicamp at Minute Maid Park.

Bagwell, who played 15 seasons in Houston, retired before last season because of an arthritic right shoulder. He served as an instructor at spring training last year and at the mini-camp, something Biggio said he's interested in doing.

Ryan terminated his contract with the Astros last week, when he became the president of the Texas Rangers.

Owner Drayton McLane said Biggio, like Ryan, will work with the baseball operations staff as well as with young prospects.

"Even if Nolan had stayed with us, we would've had Craig," McLane said. "He'll work with Ed in baseball operations. But because Craig has spent 20-plus years here and he's also our most highly recognized star ever, he will be involved in making business calls to civic groups and other kinds of promotions."

Biggio said he'll also assist the team in the amateur draft and with scouting. He thinks he'll make an easy transition into the role.

"The biggest thing is you just try to take 'I' out of the conversation," he said. "This is the way `I' do it, this is the way 'I' want to go about it. Nobody wants to hear that anymore, so you make suggestions about whatever it is. You talk about the person that you're talking about."