Aubrey Huff no longer available......

[smitchell24]

According to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles and Aubrey Huff are close to an agreement on a three-year deal worth more than $18 million.
The report says Huff will get most of his playing time in left field, which means he'd take away more at-bats from Jay Payton than from Kevin Millar. That's going to downgrade the defense quite a bit, and there's no guarantee Millar will be much better of a hitter than Payton. Still, regardless of where he plays, Huff will improve the offense. Against righties, the O's could go with a lineup of: 2B Brian Roberts, 3B Melvin Mora, RF Nick Markakis, SS Miguel Tejada, LF Huff, C Ramon Hernandez, DH Jay Gibbons, 1B Millar and CF Corey Patterson. Payton will probably start over Patterson against lefties. Craig Wilson would still be mighty useful as a platoon

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/HeadLines.aspx?sport=MLB
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6317476

[dt35456884]

We never pursued him so this shouldn't be a big disappointment to anyone. This is another bad contract anyway (surprise, surprise).

Huff as an everyday LF? That's a frightening thought.

[Biff Mayhem]

The Orioles are spending more money so they can finish in 3rd again?

[smitchell24]

I am no MLB salary analyst, but does $6 mil per, make Huff grossly overpaid??? 3 years seems a reasonable time frame for a 30 year old hitter who's #'s appear solid the last few years:

SEASON TEAM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
2002 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 113 454 67 142 25 0 23 59 236 37 55 4 1 .364 .520 .313
2003 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 162 636 91 198 47 3 34 107 353 53 80 2 3 .367 .555 .311
2004 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 157 600 92 178 27 2 29 104 296 56 74 5 1 .360 .493 .297
2005 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 154 575 70 150 26 2 22 92 246 49 88 8 7 .321 .428 .261
2006 Houston Astros 68 224 31 56 10 1 13 38 107 26 39 0 0 .341 .478 .250
2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 63 230 26 65 15 1 8 28 106 24 25 0 0 .348 .461 .283

[bulgerke]

The Orioles are spending more money so they can finish in 3rd again?

If they're lucky they will finish third.

[tigerbomb13]

6 million a year is really peanuts in today's marketplace. I can't see it moving the O's up in the standings, but I don't see anything wrong with the contract.

[tiger337]

6 million per year is not overpaying for Huff. Making him your every day left fielder is not smart though. It would be a better deal if he was going to be a 1B/DH.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Well, guess that ends the talk of trading Thames ??
Actually, if he can play some first base, would not mind keeping him around another year.

[Shaggy Ry]

Yeah, I was hoping Baltimore would get desperate and overpay for Thames. Given the marketplace Huff id probably worth the money he signed for, though Baltimore isn't going anywhere any time soon. Boston and NYY will battle atop the division, Toronto is probably better than them as well, and if the D-Rays ever get their stuff together and deal one of Baldelli or Upton for a solid #2(or #1B) pitcher, TB could be better then them as soon as this season and especially going forward.

[eastside billee]

I would've liked Huff here. I'd take him over Casey.

[zachcadillac]

I would've liked Huff here. I'd take him over Casey.

So would I, but the difference is marginal and with Casey we have only a one-year commitment.

[zachcadillac]

We never pursued him so this shouldn't be a big disappointment to anyone. This is another bad contract anyway (surprise, surprise).

Huff as an everyday LF? That's a frightening thought.

I don't think it's a bad contract in terms of value. It's a bad contract because the Orioles will not contend, with Huff or without him.

[DaYooperASBDT]

I thought Huff would get 3 years, and I guess it didn't make much sense to lock him up for 3 years here.

[monkeytargets37]

On the flip side, once the trading deadline rolls around, Huff could become a hot commodity and the Orioles might get some decent prospects should they choose to deal him to a contender...

[cruzer1]

On the flip side, once the trading deadline rolls around, Huff could become a hot commodity and the Orioles might get some decent prospects should they choose to deal him to a contender...
This is a correct observation, but I doubt it's how the Orioles are approaching it.

[DaYooperASBDT]

This is a correct observation, but I doubt it's how the Orioles are approaching it.

Any smart moves like that would require the O's general manager to possess a clue ..... :smoker:

[chasfh]

This is a correct observation, but I doubt it's how the Orioles are approaching it.

That's not how they'll approach it now, of course -- no one picks up a multi-year FA in the off-season with the intention of dealing him to contenders midseason -- but he could serve that purpose at the end of next July.

I don't think 3/20 is unreasonable for Huff in today's marketplace, if they intend to make him an everyday player. I don't see Huff slotted into any depth charts yet, but I could see him pushing out the aging declining Melvin Mora at 3rd, for instance.

Also, it's not yet a fait accompli that Huff is in career decline. He'll be only 30 next year, and it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he could put up 2002-04 numbers again.

I think it's a decent risk for the Orioles. Sure, this won't help them win the division, but with the Yankees and Red Sox and even Blue Jays in the division, what would? Plus, they do have to appear interesting and appear to be trying for their fan base.

[DaYooperASBDT]

I think this was one of Baltimore better signs, especially comparing to some of the has-beens they have given huge coin to in past years.

[monkeytargets37]

The Orioles probably should have looked to invest a bit more in some starting pitching.... right now, their rotations looks like this:

(in parenthesis is 2006 ERA and career ERA)

SP1 Bedard (3.76/4.08)
SP2 Benson (4.82/4.34)
SP3 Cabrera (4.74/4.75)
SP4 R. Lopez (5.90/4.83)
SP5 Jar Wright (4.49/5.07)

What good is that refurbished bullpen gonna be if your starters cant get a lead and maintain it?

[Corky]

I don't think 3/20 is unreasonable for Huff in today's marketplace, if they intend to make him an everyday player. I don't see Huff slotted into any depth charts yet, but I could see him pushing out the aging declining Melvin Mora at 3rd, for instance.

Isn't Huff all-world bad at third?

[tiger paw paw]

glad he's gone...sick of hearing about how we need him over Inge...

[DaYooperASBDT]

Isn't Huff all-world bad at third?

Yes. I doubt he'll ever sniff third base ever again.

[zachcadillac]

glad he's gone...sick of hearing about how we need him over Inge...

I don't remember anyone here saying that, but I don't read every thread.

[chasfh]

Isn't Huff all-world bad at third?

I will grant you that Aubrey is not good, but I think "All-world bad" is probably a little strong. This past year Huff actually played a creditable third. Among 3Bs with at least 90 games played, his fielding percentage was 5th of 25 players at .977, even though his range was 22nd at 2.41. Mora was only arguably better (14th in FP at .959, 14th in range at 2.57).

More to the point, Huff hit .267/.344/.469 with +5 RCAP for third basemen at age 30, while Mora hit .274/.342/.391 with +2 RCAP at age 34. The odds favor Huff hitting better than Mora, so I think we'll see the Orioles put Huff at third in favor of Mora, possibly a lot.

My guess is that the O's will use Huff all over the place, spelling guys in order to get his bat in the lineup all the time. If I had to guess his most likely positions, in order, I guess he'd play 1B the most, then 3B, then DH, with maybe a spot start in the outfield. Just a guess.

[Casimir]

I think 3/$20 would've been fine for Huff as our 1B/DH. It wouldn't have made sense to match that now with Casey/Shelton/Thames log jamming that spot, but had the Tigers not signed Casey or had they been able to peddle off Thames and/or Shelton for something of a decent return, I'd have been fine with Huff at that contract.

However, I'm not sure its a smart deal for the O's given they seem to have him slotted for LF and they don't seem to have much of a chance for the playoffs with or without him.

[Corky]

I will grant you that Aubrey is not good, but I think "All-world bad" is probably a little strong. This past year Huff actually played a creditable third. Among 3Bs with at least 90 games played, his fielding percentage was 5th of 25 players at .977, even though his range was 22nd at 2.41. Mora was only arguably better (14th in FP at .959, 14th in range at 2.57).

More to the point, Huff hit .267/.344/.469 with +5 RCAP for third basemen at age 30, while Mora hit .274/.342/.391 with +2 RCAP at age 34. The odds favor Huff hitting better than Mora, so I think we'll see the Orioles put Huff at third in favor of Mora, possibly a lot.

My guess is that the O's will use Huff all over the place, spelling guys in order to get his bat in the lineup all the time. If I had to guess his most likely positions, in order, I guess he'd play 1B the most, then 3B, then DH, with maybe a spot start in the outfield. Just a guess.


Potential warping of stats here Chuck. :paranoid: :wink:

His fielding percentage may be due to not having any tough chances due to lack of range. Like how McGwire seemingly always led the league in FP at first each year although he was like a shrub out there. He may have good soft hands but be stiff. The easy chances are generally much higher percentage positive than the tough chances (would love it if there was a stat on this). How did his chances per game compare with Inge or Beltre? (watching almost every game he played the last two years I came to appreciate how good he is in the field) If RCAP is that important we could have put Monroe at second last year and been better. :ermm: :wink: Seriously though, I think he will end up at DH or first only periodically appearing at third, definitely less than he will be in the outfield.

[Casimir]

Seriously though, I think he will end up at DH or first only periodically appearing at third, definitely less than he will be in the outfield.

Well, they could always put Huff @ 1B and use Millar in LF. :cool:

[Corky]

Well, they could always put Huff @ 1B and use Millar in LF. :cool:

I wonder if Millar might be done.

[Casimir]

I wonder if Millar might be done.

Didn't the O's resign him this offseason?

[DaYooperASBDT]

Looking at the O's current roster, it appears the lineup may shake down like this:

DH - Possibly a platoon of Jay Gibbons and Millar, if he is available.

1B - Looks like Huff slides into that spot.

3B - Probably still Mora

RF - Markakis

CF - Patterson

LF - Payton