Giants, Huff complete two-year deal

Nov. 23, 2010

GIANTS PAGEGIANTS VIDEO GIANTS' STATEMENT ON HUFF SIGNING
Mychael Urban
CSNBayArea.com

SANFRANCISCO -- In a move that ensures continuity of clubhouse cohesionand returns to the 2010 World Series champions their most consistentand productive everyday player, the Giants on Tuesday announced thattheyve signed first basemanoutfielderclass clown Aubrey Huff to atwo-year contract.Huff, who turns 34 on Dec. 20, batted .290(165-for-569) with 35 doubles, 26 home runs and 86 RBIs in 157 gamesfor the Giants, who signed him to a one-year deal worth a reported 3million before last season.Huffs deal, a source told CSNBayArea.com, features an average salary of 10 million and includes a club option for 2013.Coming back has alwaysbeen my first choice, said Huff, who will appear at a 2 p.m. (PT)press conference at AT&T Park on Tuesday. The Giants were the onlyteam that called me last offseason, and to do what we were able to do its such a great group of guysmakes it a pretty easy decision tocome back.A day after it wasannounced that Huff had finished seventh in the National League MVPvoting, San Franciscos team leader in nearly every offensive category-- including batting average, home runs, RBIs, hits, walks (83),on-base percentage (.385) and slugging percentage (.502) -- the Giantsconfirmed that hell remain a member of the club through the end of the2012 season.Were extremely excitedto be able to re-sign Aubrey, said Giants general manager BrianSabean. He was an integral part in the teams success last season, notonly with his outstanding play in the field, but also providing a greatclubhouse presence. Huff ranked 10th in theNL in on-base percentage plus slugging (OPS) with an .891 mark, and hewas fifth in the league with 28 go-ahead RBIs and seventh with 14game-winning RBIs.In his first careerpostseason in 2010, Huff batted .268 (15-for-56) with one home run andeight RBIs in 15 games to help the Giants win their first World Seriesin San Francisco history and first overall since 1954. Huff provided a keytwo-out game-tying single in the 9th inning in the Giants 3-2 victoryover the Braves at Turner Field in Game 3 of the Division Series, thengave the Giants a 2-0 lead in Game 4 of the World Series at Texas,hitting a two-run home run off Tommy Hunter. Huff had ended the 2010regular season having played in 1,479 games without reaching thepostseason, which at that time was the third-longest postseasondrought. Huffs defensiveversatility was an important factor in the Giants success in 2010 as heplayed errorless defense in both left (24 starts) and right field (33starts), and committed just three errors all season, all of which cameat first base (97 starts).