Aubrey Huff on comeback trail

Aubrey Huff last wore a jersey in the major leagues as part of the San Francisco Giants in 2012, celebrating with his teammates after sweeping the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. 

Only deep down, Huff wasn't celebrating at all. He was fighting with anxiety and depression every day at 35 years old. 

In a video with Gillette World Sport, Huff opens up about both issues and how now that he's able to hone them much better, he is attempting to come back to the majors at 38 years old. He will be 39 in December. 

"The biggest thing for me is to inspire people, because millions and millions of people live with anxiety and depression throughout their life," says Huff. 

Huff arrived in San Francisco in 2010 and had one of his best seasons of his career. In 157 games played, the powerful lefty hit .290/.385/.506 with 26 home runs and 86 RBI. He finished seventh in National League MVP voting and was a key to the Giants bringing home their first World Series trophy in the San Francisco era. 

The Giants awarded him with a two-year $22 million contract after the season, but he couldn't produce to the same standards. His last season with the club, he only played in 52 regular season games -- losing his job to a 24-year-old Brandon Belt -- and the Giants declined his $10 million option for a third year. 

For Huff, his comeback attempt isn't just to suit up in the bigs again, but get back to the player he was for the Giants in 2010. 

"Not only do I want to come back, I don't want to sit the bench, but have the best season I've ever had in my life." 

One of the biggest reasons Huff believes he can play the way he once did again is the training he's been doing. Instead of traditional weight lifting, Huff has been going through isometric training, meaning he focuses less on weight and more on multiple timed holds and movements. 

This unique way of training is credited to Huff's trainer Jason Huntley at Velocity Sports Performance in San Diego. Huff refers to him as the "Mad Scientist." 

"I believe so deeply, when I go back this year, I'm going to be better than I ever have because I'm doing things that nobody else is doing," Huff said on his training regiment. 

Huntley saw Huff as an out of shape athlete that needed to slowly increase how hard he trains. But, quickly he realized there's much more to the man. 

"There's something more driving Aubrey, this ultimate picture he has to be the greatest version of Aubrey Huff he's ever been in his life," Huntley explains.

Huff wants to go out the way he intended to. Once the 2012 season ended and his option was declined, he felt anxiety and depression won the battle and it was time for him to move on. 

Now, he's moving in a different direction that is completely rejuvenating him. 

"I believe in hard work, I believe in the grind. If you're not facing fears, if you're not grinding it out every day and not really embracing a challenge, then you're dying inside. And to me, that's where I was. 

"After baseball was over, I was dying." 

Now, more healthy mentally and physically, Huff is just waiting for an MLB club to bring the 13-year veteran back to life on the diamond.


(csnbayarea.com)