Aubrey Huff showing that his reputation for poor defense is undeserved

Huff showing defensive reputation undeserved

Aubrey Huff and his assortment of gloves were kept busy throughout the weekend. Huff started in right field Sunday in the Giants' 4-3 loss to the Mets. It was his second straight game in right after playing left field Thursday and starting at first base Friday.

Huff said he doesn't care where he plays as long as his name is in the lineup. He sees it as a way to prolong his career.

"I like to keep it interesting," Huff joked, before adding that he always played multiple positions growing up. "I get kind of bored playing the same position. That's just the way I'm wired."

Huff came up to the big leagues as a third baseman in 2000 but often was a designated hitter during the first 10 seasons of his career.

"I've always had that DH label, but the guys who write that never played the game," Huff said. "Every new team I come to has me do extra work in spring training because teams believe what they read.

"I've kind of got a chip on my shoulder with the defensive reputation I've gotten."

With the additions of Buster Posey and Pat Burrell, Huff has been on the move for much of the season, starting 48 games at first base, 21 in right field and 18 in left. He has not made an error in the outfield, where he has provided his share of diving catches, including one Saturday night.

"If you can play the infield, you can play outfield. In the outfield, you just read fly balls, it's not that hard," Huff said. "I don't have a cannon, and I'm not going to throw a lot of guys out. I'm not going to track down the balls a lot of guys would, but I'll make the routine play."

Posey had some of his ugliest swings of the season in his first two at-bats but dumped an inside fastball softly into right in the sixth inning to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games. Posey is the third Giants rookie in the San Francisco era to record two separate double-digit hit streaks in one season, joining Orlando Cepeda (1958) and Chili Davis (1982).

(foxsports.com)