Tim Hudson

Infobox MLB player
name = Tim Hudson


width = 179
caption = Hudson starting for the Braves in 2005
team = Atlanta Braves
number = 15
position = Starting pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1975|7|14
birthplace = Columbus, Georgia
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = June 8
debutyear = 1999
debutteam = Oakland Athletics
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 146-77
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 3.48
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 1,372
teams =
*Oakland Athletics (by|1999-by|2004)
*Atlanta Braves (by|2005-present)
awards =
*2x All-Star selection (by|2000, by|2004)
*Led AL in wins in by|2000

Timothy Adam Hudson (born July 14, 1975 in Columbus, Georgia) is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Atlanta Braves. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics (by|1999-by|2004) and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University.In an ten-season career, Hudson has compiled a 142-74 record with 1,346 strikeouts and a 3.47 ERA in 1,932 innings with the Oakland Athletics and the Atlanta Braves.

High school

Hudson attended Glenwood School in Phenix City, Alabama where in his senior season, he led the team to the 1993 AISA state championship.cite web |url=http://www.acccsports.org/acccpages/hofmember/61.jsp |title=ACCC Hall of Fame - Timothy Adam Hudson 2001 |publisher=Alabama Community College Conference |accessdate=2007-07-16] 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.cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/bbw/2001-03-28/2001-03-28-specialhudson.htm |title=A Tale of Two Hudsons |publisher=USA Today |newspaper=USA Today |author=DiMeglio, Steve |date=2001-03-28 |accessdate=2007-07-16] Hudson decided to attend a local two year college, Chattahoochee Valley Community College (CVCC).

College

In by|1994, his freshman year at CVCC, he earned First-team All American honors while leading his team to the AJCCC Division II championship. He also lead the CVCC team in batting average (.385), home runs ((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 lead 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 by|1997, 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.

Major league

In his rookie season, Hudson had an 11-2 mark and finished 5th in the AL Rookie of the Year vote. He became a member of Oakland's so-called "Big Three", along with left-handed pitchers Mark Mulder and Barry Zito. His most productive season came in by|2000, when he posted a career-high 20 victories. The next four years he won 18, 15, 16 and 12, being selected an All-Star in 2000 and by|2004.

Before the by|2005 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 by|2006, 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 by|2007 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 will undergo Tommy John ligament transplant surgery on his pitching elbow, and will miss the remainder of the 2008 season, and likely most of the 2009 season.

Achievements

* Professional
**Received the Roberto Clemente Award for the second year in a row on September 7th, 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)
**Two-time All-Star (2000, 2004)
**3-time Top 10 in American League Cy Young Award voting (2000-01, 2003)
**Led MLB in winning percentage (2000)
**Led AL in wins (20, 2000)
**Led AL in games started (35, 2001)
**Twice led AL in shutouts (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 two complete-game one-hitters: August 28, 2000, against the Chicago White Sox and May 1, 2006, against the Colorado Rockies.
**On one fateful day in August of 2008, Timmy met a brave American named Carson Webster. Timmy's life will never be the same.

* College
**Won Rotary Smith Award (1997)
**Consensus All-American (1997)
**NCAA East Regional Tournament MVP (1997)
**SEC 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 NCAA in winning games (15, 1997)

Personal

Hudson is married to the former Kim Bruner, who 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, Georgia.

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 didn't get a decision, but the Braves ultimately won, 5-2.

Trivia

*Hudson appeared on Food Network as a guest on the show Paula's Party

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
* List of Major League Baseball wins champions

References

External links

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