I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think that the Huff coming back ship has sailed and that we need to move past waiting for him to come around.
When every team passed on him in the off season following the 2009 season this is what was expected. The fact that the Giants got 2010 out of him at this point seems like a miracle and I think that at this point maybe we can hope that his struggles are just bi-annual and that he will bounce back again next year.
The numbers don't paint a pretty picture. His walks are down to the lowest rate since his age 24 season with the Devil Rays. His strikeouts are up to the highest level since that same age 24 season. His power output is at the lowest point of his career.
Looking at a monthly basis and the bad news is just compounded. He has had just 1 month where he was better than league average posting a 115 wRC+ in June but still put up just a .291/ .327/ .466 line which is pretty middle of the pack for a first baseman. The rest of the months have been a parade of not living up to expectations with wRC+ of 57, 72 and 47.
So what about after all those times he was supposed to be back? Well that hasn't been the case. The turning point that everyone wanted (even I wanted it to be true) the 3 home run game has been a blip and not the start of a new trend. In the 43 games after the explosion he has hit .250/ .299/ .313, in the 43 games before he hit .215/ .278/ .361.
Yuck.
As much as we all love what Aubrey Huff did for the team last year, he just doesn't have it this season and with Brandon Belt a much better option (even with his strike out problem) it is time to relegate Huff to a spot starter and pinch hitter duties.
*I hope that this blows up in my face as the biggest reverse jinx ever, even if by writing this I am probably negating all of that.
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