Orlando Hudson
Encyclopedia
Orlando Thill Hudson (born December 12, 1977) is an American professional baseball
second baseman
with the San Diego Padres
of Major League Baseball
.
. He attended Darlington High School, where he was a three-sport standout in baseball, football
, and basketball
. In baseball, he was the Player of the Year and an All-State selection.
Hudson was the quarterback
of Darlington High School's first-ever football team, and also served as the teams punter.
After high school, Hudson went on to play baseball at Spartanburg Methodist College
.
in the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft
. He began his professional career with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays
in the rookie leagues in 1998, hitting .298. He continued through the minors with the Hagerstown Suns
(1999), Dunedin Blue Jays
(2000), Tennessee Smokies
(2000–01) and Syracuse Sky Chiefs (2001–02). In 2001 he was a Southern League
All-Star and a Baseball America
1st team Minor League All-Star at second base.
He made his major league debut on July 24, 2002 for the Blue Jays against the Baltimore Orioles
. He was hitless in four at-bats in that game. Hudson recorded his first Major League hit in the second inning on July 26 against the Minnesota Twins
when he slapped an RBI single to center field off pitcher Joe Mays
. His first home run was hit on August 5 against Baltimore's Rodrigo López. He played for the Blue Jays from 2002 to 2005.
Hudson is renowned for his fielding prowess, known for making spectacular lunging catches and diving stabs at grounders. His defensive talents were recognized in , when he won his first American League
Gold Glove Award
while with the Toronto Blue Jays.
along with pitcher
Miguel Batista
for third baseman
Troy Glaus
and shortstop
prospect Sergio Santos
.
In the season, his first full season with Arizona, Hudson set career-highs in batting average
with a .287, in home run
s with 15, in RBI
with 67, and runs
scored with 87.
After the 2006 season, Hudson became the recipient of his second career Gold Glove Award, as announced on November 3. Hudson became only the sixth infielder in major league history to win a Gold Glove award in both the American and National Leagues. He was also honored with a Fielding Bible Award
as the best fielding second baseman in MLB.
Hudson was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2007
, and won his third Gold Glove that season.
Hudson missed the last month of the season, with a dislocated left wrist
he suffered against the Atlanta Braves
and became a free agent at the end of the season.
, reportedly worth $3.4 million (with an additional $4.6 million more in performance bonuses).
On Monday April 13, 2009, Hudson became the 8th Dodger to hit for the cycle, in the 2009 home opener against the San Francisco Giants
before a record crowd of 57,099. Hudson was the second Los Angeles Dodger to accomplish this, since Wes Parker
in 1970, and the only Los Angeles Dodger to do it at Dodger Stadium
. Hudson singled in the first inning, hit a home run in the third inning, doubled in the fourth inning and tripled in the sixth inning. All of Hudson's hits came off of Randy Johnson
except for his triple, which was off middle reliever Merkin Valdez
.
He was selected to his second all-star game and won his fourth Gold Glove Award at the conclusion of the season.
. He became the Twins second baseman
, replacing Nick Punto
and Alexi Casilla
.
worth $4 million.
Through 2011, he had the second-highest career range factor
per game of all active major league second basemen, behind Ian Kinsler
.
without a job. Guy with 48 home runs and 81 RBIs and can’t get a job. Pretty much sums it up right there, no? You’ve got some guys who miss a year who can come back and get $5, $6 million, and a guy like Jermaine Dye can’t get a job. A guy like Gary Sheffield
, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, can’t get a job.".
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
with the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Early life and high school career
Hudson was born on December 12, 1977 in Darlington, South CarolinaDarlington, South Carolina
Darlington is a city in and the county seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a center for tobacco farming. The population was 6,720 at the 2000 census and is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. He attended Darlington High School, where he was a three-sport standout in baseball, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. In baseball, he was the Player of the Year and an All-State selection.
Hudson was the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
of Darlington High School's first-ever football team, and also served as the teams punter.
After high school, Hudson went on to play baseball at Spartanburg Methodist College
Spartanburg Methodist College
Spartanburg Methodist College is a private, two-year institution of higher learning, or junior college, located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It is the only independent, regionally-accredited, residential two-year college in South Carolina....
.
Toronto Blue Jays
Hudson was drafted in the 43rd round by the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft
1997 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1997...
. He began his professional career with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays
Medicine Hat Blue Jays
The Medicine Hat Blue Jays were the Toronto Blue Jays rookie-level affiliate in the Pioneer League beginning in 1978 and remained with their parent club for 25 seasons. They played their home games at Athletic Park. Over the years, the club generally struggled on the field and with attendance, but...
in the rookie leagues in 1998, hitting .298. He continued through the minors with the Hagerstown Suns
Hagerstown Suns
The Hagerstown Suns are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. They play in Municipal Stadium, which was opened in 1930 and seats 4,600 fans....
(1999), Dunedin Blue Jays
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. They play in the Florida State League, and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club...
(2000), Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
(2000–01) and Syracuse Sky Chiefs (2001–02). In 2001 he was a Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
All-Star and a Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
1st team Minor League All-Star at second base.
He made his major league debut on July 24, 2002 for the Blue Jays against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. He was hitless in four at-bats in that game. Hudson recorded his first Major League hit in the second inning on July 26 against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
when he slapped an RBI single to center field off pitcher Joe Mays
Joe Mays
Joeseph Emerson Mays is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.Mays is a 1994 graduate of Southeast High School in Bradenton, Florida. He also attended Manatee Community College in Bradenton. He and his wife, Melinda , have two children.Mays began his major league career with the...
. His first home run was hit on August 5 against Baltimore's Rodrigo López. He played for the Blue Jays from 2002 to 2005.
Hudson is renowned for his fielding prowess, known for making spectacular lunging catches and diving stabs at grounders. His defensive talents were recognized in , when he won his first American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
while with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Arizona Diamondbacks
In , Hudson was traded to the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
along with pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Miguel Batista
Miguel Batista
Miguel Descartes Batista Jerez is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, St...
for third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Troy Glaus
Troy Glaus
Troy Edward Glaus is a Major League Baseball first baseman and third baseman who is currently a free agent. Previously, Glaus played with the Anaheim Angels , Arizona Diamondbacks , Toronto Blue Jays , St. Louis Cardinals , and the Atlanta Braves . Glaus lettered in baseball while attending UCLA...
and shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
prospect Sergio Santos
Sergio Santos
Sergio Jose Santos is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.-Draft and career as a shortstop:...
.
In the season, his first full season with Arizona, Hudson set career-highs in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with a .287, in home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s with 15, in RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
with 67, and runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
scored with 87.
After the 2006 season, Hudson became the recipient of his second career Gold Glove Award, as announced on November 3. Hudson became only the sixth infielder in major league history to win a Gold Glove award in both the American and National Leagues. He was also honored with a Fielding Bible Award
Fielding Bible Award
A Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in Major League Baseball based on statistical analysis. John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions conduct the annual selection process...
as the best fielding second baseman in MLB.
Hudson was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2007
2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 78th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 2007, at AT&T Park, the home of the NL's San Francisco Giants...
, and won his third Gold Glove that season.
Hudson missed the last month of the season, with a dislocated left wrist
Wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...
he suffered against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and became a free agent at the end of the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On February 21, , Hudson signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, reportedly worth $3.4 million (with an additional $4.6 million more in performance bonuses).
On Monday April 13, 2009, Hudson became the 8th Dodger to hit for the cycle, in the 2009 home opener against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
before a record crowd of 57,099. Hudson was the second Los Angeles Dodger to accomplish this, since Wes Parker
Wes Parker
Maurice Wesley Parker III is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from to...
in 1970, and the only Los Angeles Dodger to do it at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
. Hudson singled in the first inning, hit a home run in the third inning, doubled in the fourth inning and tripled in the sixth inning. All of Hudson's hits came off of Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
except for his triple, which was off middle reliever Merkin Valdez
Merkin Valdéz
Merkin R. Valdéz Mola is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Valdez graduated from Escuela Rural Palenque High School in his native Dominican Republic.-Atlanta Braves:...
.
He was selected to his second all-star game and won his fourth Gold Glove Award at the conclusion of the season.
Minnesota Twins
On February 4, 2010, Hudson signed a 1 year, $5 Million deal with the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He became the Twins second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, replacing Nick Punto
Nick Punto
Nicholas Paul Punto is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, and center field. Punto is a switch hitter and throws right-handed....
and Alexi Casilla
Alexi Casilla
Alexi Casilla Lora is a Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Minnesota Twins.-Professional career:...
.
San Diego Padres
On December 20, 2010, Hudson signed a 2 year contract with the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
worth $4 million.
Through 2011, he had the second-highest career range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
per game of all active major league second basemen, behind Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
.
Controversy
On April 13, 2010, Hudson hinted that there is racism toward blacks in free agency. He said, "You see guys like Jermaine DyeJermaine Dye
Jermaine Trevell Dye is a retired American Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter. Dye played with the Atlanta Braves , Kansas City Royals , Oakland Athletics , and the Chicago White Sox . Dye won the World Series MVP with the White Sox in 2005...
without a job. Guy with 48 home runs and 81 RBIs and can’t get a job. Pretty much sums it up right there, no? You’ve got some guys who miss a year who can come back and get $5, $6 million, and a guy like Jermaine Dye can’t get a job. A guy like Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, can’t get a job.".