Orioles Sign Aubrey Huff

The Orioles signed 1B/3B/OF Aubrey Huff to a 3 year deal.

Huff: .267/.344/.469, 25 doubles, 2 triples, 21 homeruns, 66 RBI

Cost: 3 years/$20 million

Grade: B

Huff has been a target of the Orioles for a while now, lately this off-season, and we finally got him. We waited for him to lower his asking price and then did what we had to do to get the deal done. Not that Huff is the greatest player (his defense is suspect and he hasn’t been the same player the last 2 years he was in 2003-04), but he was probably the best available in the free agent market. If he can get back to the production he had a couple years ago it could be a great deal, but even if he doesn’t he’s still a solid .800 OPS hitter. I’d still like to see a everyday left fielder (Jay Payton doesn’t count - in a perfect world he would be the 4th outfielder) signed/traded for/step up (Jon Knott?), but the O’s keep heading in the right direction.