Tim Hudson
Encyclopedia
Timothy Adam Hudson is a starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who plays for the Atlanta Braves
. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics
(–) and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University
. In a 13-season career, Hudson has compiled a 181–97 win-loss record with 1,699 strikeout
s and a 3.40 ERA
in 2,503.1 innings with the Oakland Athletics
and the Atlanta Braves
. Also, he has never had a season where he has suffered more losses than wins.
where in his senior season, he led the team to the 1993 AISA state championship. He finished his high school career with a 12–1 record and a 1.78 ERA. Despite his record, Hudson was considered undersized by scouts at 6'0 tall and 160 pounds and was not drafted nor was he offered a scholarship to a major college. Hudson decided to attend a local two year college, Chattahoochee Valley Community College
(CVCC).
(.385), home run
s (9), RBI
(42), wins
(10–2), strikeouts (76), and was second on the team with a 2.76 ERA. As a sophomore, he was named Second-team All American and set a school and conference record with 117 strikeouts which also led the nation. As a hitter, Hudson batted .345 with 5 home runs, and 29 RBI. His sophomore season ERA of 1.95 was the team and conference best.
Hudson played two seasons as a collegiate player at Auburn University
where he is still at or near the top of many school records. In , he played all 65 games for the Tigers while both pitching and playing outfield
. That season, he hit .396 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI. As a pitcher, he finished 15–2 with a 2.97 ERA to earn SEC Player of the Year and consensus All-American honors. He was drafted by Oakland in the 6th round of the 1997 amateur draft.
vote. He became a member of Oakland's so-called "Big Three", along with left-handed pitchers Mark Mulder
and Barry Zito
. In 2000, he posted a career-high 20 victories. The next four years he won 18, 15, 16 and 12, and was an All-Star in 2000 and 2004.
Before the season, Hudson was traded to the Atlanta Braves
in exchange for Charles Thomas
, Dan Meyer
and Juan Cruz
. On August 6, 2005, Hudson won his 100th career game, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals
8–1.
In January , Hudson was named to the Team USA roster for the 2006 World Baseball Classic
.
His second season with the Braves was disappointing. He posted career-highs in losses (12) and ERA (4.86) in 2006. He returned to his earlier form in however, finishing with a 16–10 record and a 3.33 ERA. He was in the midst of a 9-game winning streak, the second of his career, at one point in the season. Hudson struck out a career-high 12 batters on April 25 against the Florida Marlins
.
Hudson is one of only 7 ballplayers who pitched in the NL in 2007 who won at least 12 games in each year from 2004–07, the others being Carlos Zambrano
, Greg Maddux
, Roy Oswalt
, Jason Marquis
, Derek Lowe
, and Jeff Suppan
.
On August 2, 2008, Hudson revealed that he would undergo Tommy John
ligament transplant surgery on his pitching elbow, and missed the remainder of the 2008 season. He started the season on the 60-day DL, and did not play prior to the All Star break. On July 2, 2009, he threw a 90-pitch bullpen session and Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox
said: 'He’s ready to go. ... He’s really come along. He’s got major-league stuff right now, his normal stuff." But Cox added that the Braves would not rush the timetable on Hudson’s return, which was scheduled for mid- to late-August. Hudson’s first minor-league rehab start was tentatively scheduled for July 19 at Class A Myrtle Beach.http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/07/02/tim_hudson_braves.html
After completing several minor league rehab sessions, Hudson returned to the Atlanta Braves starting pitching rotation on September 1, 2009. He gave up only two runs and earned his first win of the 2009 season.
On November 12, 2009, Hudson signed a $28 million, three-year extension with the Braves with a 9 million option for a fourth year. On August 28, 2010 against the Florida Marlins
, Hudson set a career high in strikeouts with 13.
On October 5, 2010, Hudson was awarded the 2010 NL Comeback Player of the Year award.
On June 20, 2011, in Atlanta, Hudson hit his second career home run
, a two-run home run which provided the only scoring of the game in a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
. On the same day he got his 1,600 strikeout
in the top of the fifth inning against J.P. Arencibia. On July 15, 2011, Hudson was the winning pitcher in the Braves' 10,000th win in franchise history.
.
On April 29, 2007, both Hudson's grandmother and St.Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Josh Hancock
, his college teammate at Auburn, died. He drew his grandmother's initials on the pitcher's mound before his next start, and wore them on his spikes. He also sewed Hancock's initials (JH) on his jersey. He pitched 8 innings, giving up 2 earned runs against the Philadelphia Phillies. He did not get a decision, but the Braves ultimately won, 5–2.
Hudson is called 'Huddy' by his fellow Atlanta Braves teammates. He is considered to be one of the funnier guys on the team, alongside former Auburn teammate and current Braves back-up catcher
, David Ross.
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
in 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...
who plays for 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....
. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(–) and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
. In a 13-season career, Hudson has compiled a 181–97 win-loss record with 1,699 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 3.40 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 2,503.1 innings with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
and 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....
. Also, he has never had a season where he has suffered more losses than wins.
High school
Hudson attended Glenwood School in Phenix City, AlabamaPhenix City, Alabama
Phenix City is a city and the county seat in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smiths Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area...
where in his senior season, he led the team to the 1993 AISA state championship. He finished his high school career with a 12–1 record and a 1.78 ERA. Despite his record, Hudson was considered undersized by scouts at 6'0 tall and 160 pounds and was not drafted nor was he offered a scholarship to a major college. Hudson decided to attend a local two year college, Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Chattahoochee Valley Community College is a community college in Phenix City, Alabama, United States. It serves residents of Russell County and parts of Bullock, Lee, Macon, and Barbour Counties, as well as the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area...
(CVCC).
College
In , his freshman year at CVCC, he earned First-team All American honors while leading his team to the AJCCC Division II championship. He also led the CVCC team in batting averageBatting 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 :...
(.385), 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 (9), 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...
(42), wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
(10–2), strikeouts (76), and was second on the team with a 2.76 ERA. As a sophomore, he was named Second-team All American and set a school and conference record with 117 strikeouts which also led the nation. As a hitter, Hudson batted .345 with 5 home runs, and 29 RBI. His sophomore season ERA of 1.95 was the team and conference best.
Hudson played two seasons as a collegiate player at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
where he is still at or near the top of many school records. In , he played all 65 games for the Tigers while both pitching and playing outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
. That season, he hit .396 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI. As a pitcher, he finished 15–2 with a 2.97 ERA to earn SEC Player of the Year and consensus All-American honors. He was drafted by Oakland in the 6th round of the 1997 amateur draft.
Major leagues
In his rookie season, Hudson had an 11–2 mark and finished 5th in the AL Rookie of the YearMLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
vote. He became a member of Oakland's so-called "Big Three", along with left-handed pitchers Mark Mulder
Mark Mulder
Mark Alan Mulder is a retired left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Oakland Athletics:...
and Barry Zito
Barry Zito
Barry Zito is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. He previously played seven seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he won the 2002 American League Cy Young Award and made three All-Star teams....
. In 2000, he posted a career-high 20 victories. The next four years he won 18, 15, 16 and 12, and was an All-Star in 2000 and 2004.
Before the season, Hudson was traded to 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....
in exchange for Charles Thomas
Charles Thomas (baseball)
Charles Wesley Thomas is a left fielder in Major League Baseball. He last played in the Milwaukee Brewers organization with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. Previously, Thomas played with the Atlanta Braves , and Oakland Athletics...
, Dan Meyer
Dan Meyer (pitcher)
Daniel Livingston Meyer is a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher, who is currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization....
and Juan Cruz
Juan Cruz (baseball)
Juan Carlos Cruz is a Major League Baseball pitcher.-Career:Cruz was signed for the Chicago Cubs by scout Jose Serra. He began his pro career with the Cubs' Rookie Level team, the Mesa Cubs, where he went 2-4 with a 6.10 earned run average and 36 strikeouts in only 41.1 innings pitched...
. On August 6, 2005, Hudson won his 100th career game, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
8–1.
In January , Hudson was named to the Team USA roster for the 2006 World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
.
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
.
Hudson is one of only 7 ballplayers who pitched in the NL in 2007 who won at least 12 games in each year from 2004–07, the others being Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Alberto Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Zambrano, who stands 6' 5" and weighs 260 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001...
, Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
, Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
, Jason Marquis
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....
, Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
, and Jeff Suppan
Jeff Suppan
Jeffrey Scot Suppan , is a Major League Baseball pitcher, who is currently a free agent.-Baseball career:Suppan was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 1993 amateur draft, and rapidly ascended to the Majors making his debut at the age of 20...
.
On August 2, 2008, Hudson revealed that he would undergo Tommy John
Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history...
ligament transplant surgery on his pitching elbow, and missed the remainder of the 2008 season. He started the season on the 60-day DL, and did not play prior to the All Star break. On July 2, 2009, he threw a 90-pitch bullpen session and Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox
Bobby Cox
Robert Joseph "Bobby" Cox is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. He first led the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He later rejoined the Braves in 1985 as a general manager...
said: 'He’s ready to go. ... He’s really come along. He’s got major-league stuff right now, his normal stuff." But Cox added that the Braves would not rush the timetable on Hudson’s return, which was scheduled for mid- to late-August. Hudson’s first minor-league rehab start was tentatively scheduled for July 19 at Class A Myrtle Beach.http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/07/02/tim_hudson_braves.html
After completing several minor league rehab sessions, Hudson returned to the Atlanta Braves starting pitching rotation on September 1, 2009. He gave up only two runs and earned his first win of the 2009 season.
On November 12, 2009, Hudson signed a $28 million, three-year extension with the Braves with a 9 million option for a fourth year. On August 28, 2010 against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, Hudson set a career high in strikeouts with 13.
On October 5, 2010, Hudson was awarded the 2010 NL Comeback Player of the Year award.
On June 20, 2011, in Atlanta, Hudson hit his second career 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...
, a two-run home run which provided the only scoring of the game in a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto 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 ....
. On the same day he got his 1,600 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
in the top of the fifth inning against J.P. Arencibia. On July 15, 2011, Hudson was the winning pitcher in the Braves' 10,000th win in franchise history.
Scouting report
Hudson can still throw his four seam fastball at 93 mph, but relies mostly on his 88–92 mph two-seamer which has excellent sinking action and gets him a lot of ground ball outs. While Hudson does not have a dominating out pitch, he is effective because he has a variety of above average off speed pitches that he mixes and can throw at any time. Hudson has a sharp 85–88 mph cutter that he can throw away to righties or into lefties for a swinging strike, and also has a sinker.Achievements
- Professional
- 2010 Hutch AwardHutch AwardThe Hutch Award is given annually to an active Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire of Fred Hutchinson...
winner - Received the Roberto Clemente AwardRoberto Clemente AwardThe Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It is named for Hall of Fame...
nomination for the second year in a row on September 7, 2007. The award is given every year to a Major League Baseball player who gives outstanding performances both on the field and in the community. - Major League record for the longest streak of 10 or more wins and 9 or fewer losses in a season (7 straight from 1999–2005)
- 2010 Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award
- Three-time All-Star (2000, 2004, 2010)
- 3-time Top 10 in American League Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
voting (2000–01, 2003) - Led MLBMajor League BaseballMajor 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...
in winning percentage (2000) - Led AL in wins (20, 2000)
- Led AL in games startedGames startedIn baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
(35, 2001) - Twice led AL in shutoutShutoutIn team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s (2003–04) - Twice second in AL in shutouts (2000, 2002)
- 5-time 15-game winner (2000–03, 2007)
- 3-time Athletics' Opening-Day starter (from 2001–04)
- Has had a winning record in each season he's been in the majors (1999–current)
- Pitched three complete-game one-hitters: August 28, 2000, against the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
; May 1, 2006, against the Colorado RockiesColorado RockiesThe Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
; and May 4, 2011 against the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
- 2010 Hutch Award
- College
- Won Rotary Smith AwardRotary Smith AwardThe Rotary Smith Award was created in 1988 to honor the most outstanding college baseball player of the year. The award was founded by the Greater Houston Sports Association. In 1996, the Rotary Club of Houston joined the award committee...
(1997) - Consensus All-American (1997)
- NCAA East Regional Tournament MVPMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
(1997) - SECSoutheastern ConferenceThe Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
Player of the Year (1997) - All-SEC, both pitcher and outfielder (1997)
- ABCA All-South Region, both pitcher and outfielder (1997)
- Letterman (1996–97)
- Led NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
in winning games (15, 1997)
- Won Rotary Smith Award
Personal
Hudson is married to the former Kim Bruner, whom he met while a student at Auburn. The couple has two daughters, Kennedie and Tess, and one son, Kade, and currently live just south of Atlanta in Peachtree City, GeorgiaPeachtree City, Georgia
Peachtree City is a city in Fayette County, Georgia, United States.Census estimates in 2005 indicated a population of 34,524. In 2007, the city announced a plan to formally annex an unincorporated area between Georgia State Route 74 and the border with Coweta County that is commonly referred to as...
.
On April 29, 2007, both Hudson's grandmother and St.Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Josh Hancock
Josh Hancock
Joshua Morgan Hancock was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. Born in Cleveland, Mississippi, he lived in St. Louis during the off-season...
, his college teammate at Auburn, died. He drew his grandmother's initials on the pitcher's mound before his next start, and wore them on his spikes. He also sewed Hancock's initials (JH) on his jersey. He pitched 8 innings, giving up 2 earned runs against the Philadelphia Phillies. He did not get a decision, but the Braves ultimately won, 5–2.
Hudson is called 'Huddy' by his fellow Atlanta Braves teammates. He is considered to be one of the funnier guys on the team, alongside former Auburn teammate and current Braves back-up catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, David Ross.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions