The date was Januray 2004. It was Chuck LaMar announcing they signed Aubrey Huff to the first contract of its kind where they locked up a player who came up through their system to a three year deal worth $14.5 million over three years. Now fast forward three years and with baseball’s escalating pay scale, how did Aubrey Huff enter the free market and only get a modest pay raise of $20 million for three years?
You can look at this two ways. Either the Orioles just signed the most expensive utility player to date, or given his track record of several successful seasons with the bat, alot of teams come next year will be kicking themselves for the opportunity they passed up. I tend to think he will have a successful three year run and again will be faced with his name being floated in trade rumors. He will handle it better this time around and won’t get tagged with a player with a bad attitude or not being the best teammate.
Like dude, have to disagree with ya on this one. I believe his options/offers were limited for a reason. Not a good team guy and look for his numbers to decline.
Down wit dat.
I think…or rather hope..Huff will be a good addition to the O’s. He’s never going to win a gold glove, but his bat is his bread and butter. He’s got good numbers at Camden, whether that’s the park or some of the O’s pitching is debatable. For 3 years and 20 million, I think it’s a solid move. A move that gives the Orioles an actually solid batting order.