Trade bait Huff roughs up Royals
St. Petersburg, Fla. ? Aubrey Huff can’t wait until Sunday afternoon.
Huff homered and drove in four runs, and Casey Fossum took a shutout into the eighth inning, leading the Tampa Bay Devil Rays past the Kansas City Royals, 6-3, Friday night.
Huff has become a focal point in trade talks involving the Devil Rays before Sunday’s deadline for non-waiver deals. Latest speculation includes Huff ending up with Boston, which recently placed outfielder Trot Nixon on the disabled list and could be exploring potential deals for left fielder Manny Ramirez.
“If something happens, you can’t really worry about it or think about it,” Huff said. “I guess when you get traded, it’s a compliment. Somebody wants you.”
Kansas City manager Buddy Bell, right, yells at home-plate umpire Bill Miller after Royals batter David DeJesus struck out against Tampa Bay's Casey Fossum. The Royals fell to the Devil Rays, 6-3, Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
“It could be Boston tonight … it could be somebody else the next night. You can’t pay attention to it. Last year at this time, there were rumors with me, too, and I’m still here. You never know.”
It’s believed that if a deal involving Huff, or closer Danys Baez, is completed, it could take place today.
Scouts from several teams – including the New York Mets, Atlanta, Texas and the Chicago White Sox – have been at Tropicana Field. The Red Sox completed a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
Fossum (6-8) held the Royals scoreless until David DeJesus – his last batter of the game – hit a one-out RBI double in the eighth. The left-hander ended up allowing two runs and six hits in 71â3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.
“I’m going out there and putting the ball exactly where I want it,” Fossum said. “I’m not giving in to hitters in certain fastball counts. I’m just going right after the hitters.”
The Devil Rays are 10-5 since the All-Star break; Fossum and Scott Kazmir are 6-1.
The victory moved Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella (1,490-1,391) within one win of tying Hall of Famer Clark Griffith for 18th place on the career list.