Aubrey Huff has "earned consideration" for a new contract, Brian Sabean told Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link). However, Sabean added that the Giants won't discuss Huff's potential future in San Francisco until after the season.
The 33-year-old has been one of baseball's best bargains, hitting .294/.380/.548 with 17 home runs while earning $3MM on a one-year contract. With Pablo Sandoval posting a career-low .710 OPS so far, Huff has assumed the role of the team's top middle-of-the-order bat. Still, Sabean says the team won't negotiate contract extensions for any player during the season, Huff included, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
Sabean also told Schulman that, although the Giants' GM has explored possible deals with 20 teams, Huff is unlikely to be a trade chip this year. As Schulman tweets, the Giants would like Huff to return in 2011, so they'd be reluctant to move him to another club even if they slipped out of playoff contention before the trade deadline.
He’s had a nice year, but how much is he really going to get on the open market?
I say he probably won’t get much more than a one or two year deal. While he’s been very good this year, there will be many 1st baseman on the free agent market and he will be turning 34 this offseason. He could appeal to many teams though as a outfielder given the low market for outfielders this offseason. I think he could re-sign for a one year deal for 5-7 million with a team option for the next.
Sabean you tool get us another bat before the trade deadline fourteen years of giant pain under you.
This is the first time in… HOW MANY YEARS… that Huff hasn’t been furiously rumored to be moved during the season?
Pablo’s “career low” OBP?
It’s only his second full year. We are already discussing career numbers?
Posturing. If Sabean can get anything decent for Huff, he’ll be gone because he is 33 and does not fit into the Giants’ long range plans. The Giants can win it all in 2-3 years, they’ll have the best pitching in baseball by then and the talent from below will have matured. Molina was the first piece, next will be Huff, Renteria, Rowand, and possibly Sanchez. Getting something in return like they did for Bengie is the key.
leave it to sabean to not sign huff to an extention. what are we gonna do wait for bowker or ishikawa next year? i dont think an extention would even cost that much for how good of a player huff is