In an interview today with San Francisco Chronicle writer Henry Schulman, Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff admitted that his poor 2011 season had more to do with being mentally out of shape than physically.
Specifically, the 33-year old Huff said:
“I’m not going to lie to you. I heard it. I read it. It’s warranted. When you had the year I had before, finishing seventh in the league in hitting (.290, 26 HR, 86 RBI in 2010), and then being one of the worst players the next year (.246, 12 HR, 59 RBI), I’ve got to get the blame. I don’t think I was that out of shape. I was just so mentally in the toilet. I just never turned it around. It just kept snowbaling. Things like that happen in baseball.”
Huff told Schulman he has taken up Pilates in order to prove he means business. That’s right. Pilates. An exercise workout used primarily by women.
“I’ve got to go to spring training and prove myself and basically win a job, because I’ve got two young kids (Brandon Belt and Brett Pill) breathing down my neck,” Huff told Schulman.
Pilates.
The Giants are still on the hook for one more year and $11 million dollars of Huff’s two-year contract. If Aaron Rowand (who is still owed $12 million by the Giants in 2012 even though he was waived from the team last fall) showed us anything, it’s that the team won’t stand by idly while players like he or Miguel Tejada stink it up at the plate.
You know that old sports adage about players signing big contracts, then getting lazy? (Yes, I’m talking to you, Titans running back Chris Johnson.)
Huff was doing Pilates three times a week two years ago, when he was bucking for a free agent contract. But after he got paid, ”for some stupid reason I didn’t do it again,” he told Schulman. He then tried to say the shorter offseason (due to the World Series) was to blame.
But things are different now, Huff says.
His body is supposedly “ripped” now. At least that’s what he’s telling anyone who will listen. Huff sent shirtless pictures of himself to Giants manager Bruce Bochy last month to prove it.
Naturally, when I heard this news, I went straight to TMZ.com and started looking for this so-called proof. I’m sorry to report that I haven’t been able to find any pictures of this new “Aubrey Buff” fellow. (The shirtless Huff you see above is from 2009.)
I did stumble upon this video though…
If the Pilates doesn’t work, Aubrey, you can always try the Shake Weight workout and send Bochy the videos to prove you’re working out.
Better yet, just resurrect the thong.
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