Huff stays positive, determined to contribute

SAN FRANCISCO -- Aubrey Huff took light batting practice and played catch before Tuesday's game against the Dodgers and said his sprained knee is almost recovered to the point where he can begin running again.

Huff injured his right knee during the postgame celebration for Matt Cain's June 13 perfect game, with the injury coming after Huff's disabled-list stint from April 25 to May 7 with an anxiety disorder.

"It's almost hilarious for me right now," Huff said. "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong."

Huff's misfortunes off the field have come as the Giants have played themselves near the top of the division and Wild Card standings, and he said it has been tough to be a spectator to the team's success, not a participant.

"Personally, it's been a nightmare," Huff said. "But you have to roll with the punches; it's part of the game. I'm just trying to stay positive."

The 35-year-old Huff, who is in the final year of a two-year, $22 million contract, said retirement has not been an option so far. As far as his potential contributions once he returns, Huff compared himself to Edgar Renteria, who battled through several DL stints while with the Giants in 2010 only to come back as the starting shortstop in the team's world championship run and was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.

"I've never been a quitter," Huff said. "I always try to finish what I start. I don't want to raise my kids with them thinking it's OK to quit. You never know. You get into the playoffs, it's late in the season, there could be a big at-bat, and if you're ready to go you could get a bit hit in the end."

Huff injured his knee when he tumbled while jumping over the dugout railing on the final out of Cain's perfect game.

"You're in the thrill of the moment," Huff said. "You feel like a kid in a situation like that. After the game, I was thinking that at worst, I just bruised my knee. It turned out to be a little worse than that. Thank goodness I didn't tear anything."