Huff rights himself by hitting to left

BALTIMORE - Senior adviser Don Zimmer told Aubrey Huff a little story before Thursday's game. Told him about a player who signed a big-money deal with the Yankees a few years back, felt like he had to do too much, tried to hit home runs on every swing.

Huff listened, and learned. And then he went out and had his first multihit game since opening night in Japan.

Though getting a single and a run-scoring double was good, what was better was that he hit both balls to left-center, something he had gotten away from in his first three weeks as a player with a three-year, $14.5-million contract.

"Last year when I was going good I hit the ball to left-center and leftfield, and I think the first couple weeks of the season I was trying to do too much and trying to yank everything, and see how far I could hit it to right, and that's not my swing," Huff said.

"For the most part, my swing is the middle of the field, left-center to right-center, and I've been getting away from that. I just tried it in BP today; all my work was to left."

AS THE ROTATION TURNS: Manager Lou Piniella isn't happy with the starting pitching, and he plans to keep tinkering with what he has.

With the Rays off Monday, he plans basically to move Victor Zambrano up one spot in the order next week, which will keep him on a normal five-day schedule and put him behind Paul Abbott in the rotation.

"Abbott and Zambrano have been our two best pitchers and we want to get them back to back, which we haven't been able to do yet," Piniella said. "We're going to see if we can start bunching our better pitchers together."

Abbott will open the series at Fenway Park on Tuesday, Zambrano will pitch Wednesday and Damian Moss or Doug Waechter will pitch Thursday. The other is likely to face Oakland at home Friday.

ELIA UPDATE: Hitting coach Lee Elia was resting at home in Odessa after surgery Thursday morning to removed his gall bladder. "He's in good spirits," Piniella said. "He's happy - relieved - that they found what was causing the pain."

Elia is hoping to rejoin the team during the April 30-May 2 homestand and make the ensuing road trip to Texas and Anaheim.

In the interim, minor-league hitting coordinator Steve Henderson will join the team today in Chicago. "He'll be a good addition for us," Piniella said. "They teach the same thing, and Steve was with us most of the spring."

Henderson was with the Double-A team in Montgomery, Ala., where after Wednesday's uninspired day-game effort, he conducted a 45-minute postgame batting practice session.

According to the Montgomery Advertiser, each player got one swing, and if he didn't get what would be considered a hit, he had to run the bases before his next turn.

ROMANO A RED: The Rays had been hoping to get Tampa native Jason Romano through waivers to keep him at Triple A but lost the gamble when he was claimed by the Reds.

The Rays acquired Romano from the Dodgers hoping he could add infield depth, but after one start at second base he told Piniella he was more comfortable in the outfield. Eight days later, he was designated for assignment so the Rays could add a 12th pitcher.

SOCIAL HOUR: Piniella is serious about baseball, and he doesn't want his players playing games. He became visibly annoyed Thursday when he heard a group of Rays playing dominoes in violation of a team rule that all such games should end by the time the team bus arrives, usually around 21/2 to 23/4 hours before first pitch.

"If they want to play they should join a social club," he said.

MISCELLANY: Managing general partner Vince Naimoli, seated just behind the Rays dugout, was struck by Javy Lopez's bat during the second inning but was not injured. Sitting with Naimoli was Gen. Pete Schoomaker, chief of staff of the U.S. Army. ... In his first eight games at Triple-A Durham, Bubba Trammell has four home runs and 14 RBIs. ... Lopez's hitting streak ended at 16 games.