Aubrey

Huff

Huff left last night’s game with back spasms after grounding into a double-play, and may not be able to play today. “My last hard step, if felt like somebody shot me or stabbed me in the back,” Huff said. He said trainer Ken Crenshaw told him it was a back spasm “so that’s good. I’m day-to-day. ... I’ll take some groovy medicine here and see what happens. I’m going to try to sleep on my back.” If he is unable to play today, he will likely be back for the Rays on Monday or Tuesday, so don’t fret if you own him in fantasy pools.

For fantasy purposes, Huff will qualify at 1B, 3B and DH going into next year, so whether he actually plays any of those positions for Tampa next year is likely a moot point. Given his production, Huff is a valuable fantasy commodity wherever he plays.

Because what the Rays really need is for both Easley and Marlon Anderson to become regulars. If Huff goes to right, Ben Grieve would probably be the regular DH. However, since he’s off to a slow start, it’s also possible that he could be benched.

His left knee has been bothering him for a few days and yesterday he was hit in the right pinky finger by a Wil Ledezma pitch. Huff, who wants to bat .300 (he’s at .299), needs one more home run to hit 30 for the season.

He may have to sit out another game or two until the injury settles down. Huff had his consecutive games played streak stopped at 398 this past Sunday.

Due to a back ailment Huff has missed Tampa’s last three games.

Huff would look great in the middle of the Pittsburgh lineup, but he’d probably cost Kip Wells and prospects and the team would only have him for two years. It’s very unlikely that a deal will be worked out.

According to the Baltimore Sun, the Rays are interested in B.J. Ryan. He doesn’t make much sense for them -- he’s just one year away from free agency and the Rays would have to give him a closer’s salary to keep him beyond 2005. To make a Huff deal work, the Rays would have to get a top-notch young starter and a quality young infielder. The Orioles have Erik Bedard to offer. Mike Fontenot isn’t the promising infielder, though.

Huff already owns the team records for extra-base hits (78) and total bases (323). He’s three home runs and four RBI short of those team records, and is currently hitting .312, two points higher than Fred McGriff’s 1999 mark.

This is probably just a minor problem. Expect Huff to DH on Tuesday.