what is everyones opinion on Aubery Huff?

[Chicago RedSox]

I picked him up off the FA list a few days ago. I havn't started him yet, but if he starts hitting he'll be a welcome replacement for my current 1b Morneau.
Everyone talks about his 2nd half stats, but when I looked them up I didn't see a huge difference from first half to second the past few years.....

[Trot Nixon]

Aubrey Huff is the biggest 2nd half player ever, look at the numbers.

I hope your right, the Carlos Lee for Huff deal over the offseason isn't looking so hot right now...

[sfbaseballfan]

It's a gamble but I think he will put up better numbers in the second half. He's already hit the waivers twice in one of my leagues. I claimed him the second time. Probably could have waited to he cleared though.

[sfbaseballfan]

Maybe he is starting to turn it around today. A 3-run HR. Hopefully many more to follow.

[DGroundhog]

Best thing about his 3 run blast is that it was on a monday, and I actually had him in the line-up. Really I only play him mondays and thursdays to reach games played limits.

I grabbed him when he cleared waivers. I've owned him previous years, and he's been a staple of many of my line-ups. I expect so much more out of him. Hopefully this is a start.

[bigh0rt]

Aubrey Huff is the biggest 2nd half player ever, look at the numbers.

You know, I see this argument over and over and over again, and I begin to wonder... these guys saying "Look at the numbers!"; do they look at the numbers? I'm not entirely sure they do. Because Huff's second half production doesn't exactly blow me away, really. I mean, let's look here...

2004:
Huff K'd 8 more times (41) in 68 less at bats (266), despite batting .331 after a .269 first half. He matched his first half RBI total (52), walked 12 less times (22) in the second half than the first. Essentially, after his .191 April, he was a .280-.300 hitter for the rest of the year, with the exception of an incredible .385 August.

2003:
Huff bat .320 after the break after finishing up the first half at .303. Again this stat was a bit misleading, as Huff went back to his .280-.300 self after a .250 April and .277 May. He drove in 7 more runs (57) in the second half than first, in 70 less at bats. That's a pretty nice statistic. However, his HR output was equal in each half (17), and his gap power diminished severely (31 doubles in the first half to 16 in the second). He had 20 less hits in 80 less at bats, but only raised his OPS .050 points from one half to the next. Not really enough to back up these claims of his second half dominance that seem to be running rampant.

Before 2003, you can't really compare stats from half to half. In 2002, Huff played in only 37 games before the break, as opposed to 76 after. Hard to weigh those totals against one another. His 2001 numbers are hardly different from one another, posting a near-identical OBP from half to half.

The bottom line is, Huff simply isn't batting as well as he has in year's past. You can go on and on about how he's bound to turn around due to his "second half greatness history", but be prepared for the possibility of him batting .250 all year. Other than a 3 run homer today, he's shown next to no signs of improvement at the plate, at all. He's been terrible in each month, and even with his AVG being up to .275 for June, his OBP isn't up at all; he's walking a lot less. Not getting pitches to hit. So, when you see him listed as this giant buy low candidate, be careful of what you're willing to give up for the guy. There's nothing close to a guarantee that he goes .300 from here on out, or even .280 for that matter.

[ravenmad22]

Regardless, Huff is an excellent baseball player in the prime of his career. I don't really buy the first half / second half thing either. But I do buy into the fact that Huff is a professional hitter who will get it going just because he's got the talent.

[G-Man]

my opinion just improved dramatically after his 3-run HR last night! i still like him as a solid buy-low guy who can help fantasy teams in the second half.

[djack909]

He's been on the WW 3 times in one of my leagues. I dropped him a week ago for Duchscherer. When I dropped Duke yesterday for Politte, he was still on WW. I'd rather have Sizemore, Hafner, or others that I see on WW in my leagues.

[El Guapo]

I drank the Huff Kool-Ade and traded for him earlier this year based in part on many of the second half stat claims I read here at the Cafe. While his second half stats have historically improved after April/May, it's nearly July and we still haven't seen much. I'm starting to wonder if I should move him while there is still a second half left in the year to claim to the other managers "he'll have a hot second half." Rumors that he might be traded are keeping my hopes alive more than his second half promise, which at this point, seems a little underwhelming.