TFA has a video of the play. Give the guy a break.

As Bochy noted, the Giants didn't have many options. They had shuffled their lineup to get in some pinch-hitters during the top half of the ninth inning, and Theriot was in transit to Citi Field due to an illness. That left Huff at second base, and it also left the Giants scrambling to make a play.

A little more info might have been useful. Was Theriot called in the seventh or eighth inning, instructed to climb out of hotel room bed, stumble into a taxi while still donning PJs, and head to Citi Field?

The video is pretty funny because even with no second baseman in sight, Ruben Tejada still slides in to break up the double play. Muscle memory on both sides!

Was Theriot called in the seventh or eighth inning, instructed to climb out of hotel room bed, stumble into a taxi while still donning PJs, and head to Citi Field?

Theriot was apparently so sick that they wouldn't let him on the Giants' charter to NY. I guess he had recovered sufficiently to try and make the trip for Saturday's game but didn't make it.

Yeah, doesn't seem like a big deal. Bochy knew what he was getting into putting a career corner player in the middle infielder and sounds like he accepts the unfortunate outcome, can't blame him or Huff for it.

I've always thought that if the Rays needed an emergency second baseman late in a game they should put Shields out there (with orders to stay the hell away from any takeout slides). He fields his position extremely smoothly and makes great throws, he could probably handle the task easily.

If Aubrey Huff is playing 2B you're only ever getting one out in that spot anyway, so don't you just go to first for the sure thing?

Doug Mientkiewicz had a game at second for the 2004 Red Sox. His first chance was a tag and throw DP.

edit: deleted for being a little mean

That's okay. Be meaner next time.

Doug Mientkiewicz had a game at second for the 2004 Red Sox. His first chance was a tag and throw DP.

He had such good range and instincts, I always thought that a team should have given him an honest shot at playing the position.

As Bochy noted, the Giants didn't have many options. They had shuffled their lineup to get in some pinch-hitters during the top half of the ninth inning, and Theriot was in transit to Citi Field due to an illness. That left Huff at second base, and it also left the Giants scrambling to make a play.

The Giants are carrying, what, 12 pitchers?
There's your problem, right there.

edit: deleted for being a little mean

That's OK. I'll be mean.

Huff, you ####### piece of ####. I hope you die in a ####### fire for single-handedly costing us the division in 2009. Die, #####, die.

What were the other options?

Huff seems like he'd be far and away the worst to me -- he's one of the most DH-looking fielders I've seen in the NL in a long time.... and any league worth its salt isn't doing single game qualifiers any more.

Our league learned that when TLR was doing his cutesy "McGwire starting at 2B on the road, then leaving the game after he batted" thing - in a 12 team NL-only league, it was a lot of fun -- unfair, but a lot of fine -- to pencil in McGwire as your 2B.

Surely one of those 12 pitchers could have done a better job, as in Tom N's case for James Shields. As of the beginning of the 9th inning when they sent Huff in, they had only used 3 pitchers, Vogelsong, Dan Otero and Javier Lopez.

How about Sergio "Beardo Junior" Romo? Apparently he played shortstop in high school, when Huff was already in the majors accumulating 1B habits. Sure, lots of major-leaguers played shortstop in high school, but I don't think Aubrey Huff is one of them.

Huff is now on the DL with an anxiety disorder.