![]() He went 5-1 with a 1.70 ERA in his next six starts and finished the campaign with an 11-2 mark and 3.23 ERA. Featuring a good sinker, split-fingered fastball, slider, and changeup, Hudson quickly established his MLB bona fides after that opening outing. Tim Hudson, even as a rookie, quickly became the best starting pitcher for the Athletics. Tim Hudson’s First Three Seasons in Oakland (1999-2001) Although it was an effort that yielded a no-decision (5 IP, 3 ER in an interleague game at San Diego), Hudson struck out 11 Padres in that debut. He made his Major League Baseball debut with the A’s on June 8, 1999. Hudson, in just his second full professional season, got off to a great start, going 7-0 with a 1.75 ERA between the Texas League (Midland, Texas) and the Pacific Coast League (Vancouver, British Columbia). Thanks to his superb senior year at Auburn, Hudson was selected in the 6th round of the 1997 player draft by the Oakland Athletics, who decided to develop the two-way star as a pitcher, despite his size. ( Hudson was elected to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 and, today, is a member of Auburn’s coaching staff). Thanks to that stellar campaign, Hudson helped the Tigers to the 1997 College World Series. 396 BA, 18 HR, and 95 RBI as an outfielder. As a senior, he was an All-American and SEC Player of the Year, thanks to a 15-2 record (2.97 ERA, 165 strikeouts) along with a. Kiley Christian Cruse/Omaha World-HeraldĪfter two stellar seasons at a two-year college (Chattahoochee Valley Community College), he transferred to Auburn University, where he became a noticed star performer. As such, he was not drafted by any Major League team nor was he offered a college scholarship. Hudson was a star at Glenwood School in Phenix City, AL but, at just 6’0″ and 160 pounds, he was considered too small to be a legitimate pitching prospect. He grew up in a small town called Salem, Alabama: the town’s most recently recorded population was 6,428. Columbus is a mid-sized city in the central-western part of the state, right across the Chattahoochie River from Alabama. Timothy Adam Hudson was born on July 14, 1975, in Columbus, Georgia. (cover photo: WSB) Tim Hudson: Early Career Member of 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants.4 times in the top 6 of Cy Young voting (runner-up in 2000).Career: 120 ERA+, 56.5 WAR ( Wins Above Replacement).Cooperstown Cred: Tim Hudson (SP)Ģnd year on the ballot in 2022 (received 5.2% of the vote in 2021) With borderline candidates, a player’s case can become more compelling with the context of the passing years. ![]() ![]() ![]() His case is strong enough that he deserves a multi-year examination. If you’re a Hall of Fame voter who has room to spare on your ballot, I’d encourage you to strongly consider giving a checkmark to Hudson. With Mark Buehrle the only other starter with a strong resume to make his ballot debut in 2021 and no strong candidates debuting in 2022 or 2023, a year from now Hudson and Buehrle could be a part of a lonesome trio of starters who are remotely worthy of consideration for Cooperstown, the third being Andy Pettitte. If Hudson is able to get over 5% of the vote to retain his eligibility again, he’ll be one of the top three starting pitcher candidates in 2023, given that Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling will have finished their ten years of eligibility. Although it’s highly unlikely that Hudson will ever get close to the 75% voting support that is required for a plaque in baseball’s shrine in Cooperstown, New York, the 6’1″, 175-pound right-hander has a Hall of Fame case that, on the first glance, is quite reasonable. Earlier this year, in his first turn on the ballot, Hudson got 5.2% of the vote, barely above the 5% minimum required to appear on future ballots. Tim Hudson, who won 222 games in his 17 years pitching Major League Baseball, is on the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) Hall of Fame ballot for the second time this month. ![]()
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