Huff Daddy

In an attempt to follow last winter's routine, which led to one of his finest seasons, Aubrey Huff has done just about everything the exact same way - which means he's pretty much done nothing.

Huff didn't undergo another sports hernia surgery or create more satellite controversy, but otherwise, it's been a carbon copy.

"I haven't really done much," he said yesterday during a phone conversation. "I'm trying to follow last year's program. I pretended that I had surgery and I'm laying low. I'm stretching and doing cardio right now. That's all I did last year and that's what I'm doing now."

Huff plans on starting his weight training with some light lifting around Feb. 1, just like last year. And he won't pick up a bat until he gets to spring training, just like last year.

"I feel great. I feel refreshed," he said. "Actually, I'm getting antsy. I'm ready to get down there."

In the meantime, Huff has been preoccupied with purchasing 35 acres of land in Evergreen, Colo., where he'll build his dream house.

"My wife and I always go out there at some point and go winter vacationing. It's just gorgeous out there," he said.

Huff found the time to once again appear on the Tampa-based "Bubba the Love Sponge" radio show, but the content was much more acceptable to the Orioles' brass. And this time, he didn't create an uproar in Baltimore by slamming the city.

Not everything should be duplicated, even after you've been named Most Valuable Oriole.

"They signed a new Sirius radio deal and you can't cuss anymore, so I couldn't get in trouble on that one," he said, laughing. "They're all clean now."

I'll have more from Huff in my next entry, including his thoughts on the Orioles' $140 million pursuit of free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira and his strong desire to be the starter.

(masn.com)