Aubrey Huff is a baby, and other news

by Travis G on May 11, 2009 8:18 PM EDT in New York Yankees News

The Orioles' first-baseman hit a three-run homer off Joba Chamberlain in yesterday's 5-3 Yankee win. When he rounded the bases, he looked directly at Joba, said something and pumped his fist, then did it again when he touched homeplate.

"He's done it a couple of times to me when he's struck me out," Huff said. "For me, it's just in good fun. I always told the guys that if I get him, I'm going to give him a nice fist pump. For me, it wasn't really showing anybody up. I was just trying to have some fun with it. He does it all the time and I figured, 'You know what, why not?'"

Huff clearly has a personal grudge against Joba, for not one other player has done this in nearly three years that Joba's been around. He should get over it. It's a fist pump, big deal! Has Huff ever seen K-Rod or Papelbon record a K?

- I've been away for a couple weeks (in Japan), where I was only able to follow the Yanks marginally. But my thoughts from afar include:

Tex will start hitting soon. He's not a .287 career hitter for nothing.

Melky will cool off soon. This hot start could merely be another mirage like we saw last April.

Posada going down really, really sucks. The guy is a borderline Hall of Famer. Cervelli and Molina are nice back-ups, but that's all.

The Yanks abysmal hitting with RISP (.244) is bound to improve, especially with the addition of A-Rod and the inevitable hot streak Tex will go on.

Manny: not shocking, but the question now becomes: who didn't juice? (And if there was anyone from Boston that I suspected, it's Ortiz - but I'm expecting that news to come in time).

I'll be posting about a Tokyo Giants game I attended, and how it differs from MLB in terms of the quality, atmosphere and ballpark.

- Chien Ming Wang will make a rehab start tomorrow for Triple-A Scranton.

- Johnny Damon was the AL Player of the Week, hitting .419/.455/1.032 (yes, a 1.487 OPS!). It'll be interesting to see whether the Yanks re-sign him. I'm wary of mid-30's guys in contract years, but there won't be much better on the free agency market. Right now, the Yanks left-fielder in 2010 is Melky Cabrera or Austin Jackson. One's a good 4th OFer, the other's never had a ML at-bat.

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Comments

Ortiz

did you guys remember him on the Twins?
he was a skinny dude and then he just BLEW UP

by Brian5517209 on May 11, 2009 8:22 PM EDT reply actions

Do you remember him??

He was always fat.

I think he was on the roids, but the guy was always a porker, it wasn’t Boston that did that to him.

by FreeBradshaw on May 11, 2009 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions

he was considerably skinnier in Minnesota

by Travis G on May 12, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions

LOL, heads do not keep growing!!!

This would be a fun project. Take players cards from then to now and see the difference in builds, head size, etc.

by GullySully77 on May 12, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions

yikes!!

by potroast on May 12, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Molina is down too

I haven’t seen anything on this site about it and I thought maybe I should make a FanShot about it, but I keep feeling I must have missed the entry. He’s been on the DL since May 8th.

by XLII on May 11, 2009 9:01 PM EDT reply actions

you're right

i’ve been away. Kevin Cash is up in his stead, therefore Cervelli will get most of the PT.

by Travis G on May 11, 2009 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions

No problem with Huff

giving Joba a fist pump or vice versa. To me this is a non-issue. All the talk of retaliation seems to be alot of posturing and bluster. The bottom line is that it’s a gesture, nothing more nothing less.

by FrankDiscussion on May 11, 2009 9:14 PM EDT reply actions

I disagree

The fact that Huff did it all clearly shows that what Joba does bothers him, despite what he says after the fact. So Travis is asking a good question … why does it bother him (& some other MLers as well) so much what Joba does, but not others that do the same thing?

by potroast on May 12, 2009 8:04 AM EDT up reply actions

If you don't want to see the fist pump, then...

don’t give up the bomb.

by garp on May 11, 2009 11:00 PM EDT reply actions

the only problem with your logic is...

..that huff wasn’t just pumping his fist in excitement- it was an obvious, blatant dig at joba. i have no problem with joba or anyone showing emotion, but when you are clearly mocking another player, not so much.

by NumberSeven on May 12, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't believe in throwing at a batter

Huff got Joba. I think doing it at home after he did it at first was provacative, and we’ll see what happens next week when the O’s come in.
There are occasions when I can understand it, though. A few seasons back the Yanks were in Boston and Manny hit a moon shot off of Scott Proctor, dropped the bat at the plate, raised his hands in the air, as if saying, did everyone admired the majesty of the blow? Actually stood at the plate for 4-5 seconds before he started Cadillacan around the bases.
I felt that Proctor would have been justified in knocking Manny down the next time he saw him, not for the homer, for the “dig me” act after it… and the very next night, no knock down, and Manny took him out again.
When I was a kid I remember guys like Gibson and Drysdale dropping whoever was next in the lineup if they gave up a homer. Didn’t matter, the message was, don’t get comfortable up there. It’s a different game now.

by fredny on May 12, 2009 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

resign Damon, dude.... seriously?

I wish I was independently wealthy so I could watch every Yankee game he has played in and count how many he has cost us. People get stuck on his stat line and think that’s where it’s at. I get so disgusted when I see even the slowest runner getting extra bases on him. They don’t even look anymore. It’s like, oh, I hit to left, go for two… Not too mention Ortiz could score on a sacrifice fly to shallow left. I bet you that has cost the Yankees many runs and games. Too many in my opinion. As it is this season he should DH and rarely offer a day off to an OF. Has no one seen what decent, not even great, pitching and solid defense can do for a teams W-L? I say leave Gardner and Melky in the field, let Damon DH. That gives us an exponentially better OF defense, adds a speedster to the line up and saves Damons fragile frame from wearing down too soon.

by GullySully77 on May 12, 2009 9:55 AM EDT reply actions

dude..

So i guess we should let Matsui or posada sit in bench… while we watch Gardner and Melky strike out and ground out every play.. I agree they make good defensive plays but thats it, I rather have Damon making 1 error and hitting 1hr or Scoring 2 or 3 RBI a night. than someone striking out. That been said.. Nady is coming back soon…that adds more depth to the lineup.. Damon should be signed for one year but not more than 2 years.. he doesnt have much more left in his tank.. He is playing well this year so that he can be resigned and receive more $$. But the Yankees should Trade him for a younger OF that can produce for years to come.

by YANK77 on May 12, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

DUDE...

no effin way, no more Damon please. This guy costs more than he makes up for (defense vs offense) We have monsters in our line up. With Jeter, Damon, Tex, Arod, Cano, and Swish taking up the first 6 spots we can afford to give a lil offense at 7-9 for better defense. Plus Jorge should be back soon so that what, 2 spots dedicated to defense. Plus Melk has shown signs of getting it together.

Why does everyone think you need to have .300, 30, 100 at every position? The World Series winning teams had good bats, good defense and good pitching. But not as much beef as this current line up.

Matsui and Damon are too much alike to have both. Neither can play defense. With Nady coming back, Melk slides back to CF, Gardner back to pinch running and late inning defense and Nady can plug into left. Till then, we need to support our pitching with better defense.

by GullySully77 on May 12, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

oops

replied to wrong post, my bad.

by GullySully77 on May 12, 2009 9:56 AM EDT reply actions

Uh RS nation it's not just our problem anymore......

Ex-player: Red Sox taught steroids use

h t tp://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/102512-ex-player-red-sox-taught-steroids-use?eref=fromSI

I just wish they would expose as many as possible, yes, Yankees included, and wipe it out of the game.

by GullySully77 on May 12, 2009 10:27 AM EDT reply actions

The Yanks are Aubrey Huff's World Series

He’s a journeyman on a non-contending team. He’s killed us since back in his days with the D-Rays. He gets up for us, like Hubble telescope up. He uses his Sanford Accent highlighter on his schedule for when the O’s play the Yanks. He offers his manager days off on games against the other 28 teams so he can be sure to get ABs against us. He rakes like Dale friggin Murphy when he’s at the plate against us. He’s alot like that other former O, Kevin Millar, except he’s from the left side, is less mouthy, and doesn’t get creative with the eye black. The Yankee games are all he’s got. Let the guy go grade-school and pump a fist. Tomorrow he’ll sit against the Mariners.

by Colpo on May 12, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions