Bradley’s Buzz: FoxSports says Hudson to decline his option
Having been on the mend, is Tim Hudson now on the wing? (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Here’s a a bit of a surprise: Citing “major-league sources,” Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reports Tim Hudson will decline his option to re-up with the Braves and will become a free agent instead. From Rosenthal’s story:
“The Braves are likely to exercise their option on Hudson, a decision that must be made within five days of the completion of the World Series. Hudson then would be required to decide within 10 days of the completion of the Series whether he wanted to return to the team on a one-year deal. He almost certainly would command a longer deal and a greater total guarantee on the open market.”
Update: Dave O’Brien spoke to Hudson this morning, and Hudson denied the report, saying he’d even accept a hometown discount to remain a Brave.
Until Rosenthal’s report, we’d all pretty much assumed Hudson, who returned only in September after Tommy John surgery, would be content to take the the one-year extension at $12 million or perhaps settle for even less. (According to O’Brien, the Hudsons have just built their dream house in Auburn, Ala.) Hudson was 2-1 with a 3.61 ERA in seven starts upon his return.
But it would seem difficult for the Braves, who already have five other starting pitchers under contract for next season (not to mention Kris Medlen), to commit to Hudson long-term. Hudson is 34, and the Braves just sunk big money into Derek Lowe, who’s 36, and Kenshin Kawakami, who’s 34. And the focus of this offseason figures to be on a big bat for the outfield, not starting pitching.
If Rosenthal’s report is accurate, that changes things. The Braves could be inclined to let Hudson leave and say, “We’ve got our five guys anyway.” And Rosenthal does say “a last-minute knockout offer from the Braves” could change Hudson’s mind. But it’s hard to see a knockout long-term offer on the table, at least for a 34-year-old who has won more than 14 games only once in a season since becoming a Brave in 2005.
As Hudson told O’Brien: “I’ve said all along that Atlanta was the place I want to be and that I’m willing to give them a hometown discount. I just hope when we start talking, my idea of a hometown discount and their idea of a hometown discount isn’t 5 or 8 million [dollars] apart. That’s the only thing that could put a wrench in the whole thing.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
198 comments Add your comment
Kelly's Johnson
October 14th, 2009
9:29 am
Too much money tied up in the likes of Tim Hudson, Mike Hampton, Derek Lowe, Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones have restricted the GM’s flexibility the past several years and kept the Braves out of the post-season.
DANG
October 14th, 2009
9:30 am
i dont belive ken at all. anyways i’d rather have hudson then lowe any day.
toddh
October 14th, 2009
9:31 am
I hate to hear this, and I never would have expected this. However, when a team’s boneheaded GM accumulates 6 quality starters, you have to imagine a guy like Hudson would rather jump off now rather than wait for Wren to bungle it all up. I’m even more afraid now that Wren as GM is the downfall of the Braves. Now even a guy like Huddy, who said all the right things like playing for a hometown discount, is making clear his distaste for Braves upper management. Hope that somehow we can re-sign Hudson, but I’m pretty sure he’s dead set on leaving.
John Smoltz
October 14th, 2009
9:32 am
Looks like the Braves may need a closer in 2010. Frank, still have my number?
cbgb
October 14th, 2009
9:32 am
I like Hudson but you can’t keep repairing arms (Smoltz). He needs to go and take his salary with him and we need to concentrate on young arms and pitching coaches. Bring Leo back? Somewhere? Does he have a job besides that phony radio gig?
Ozzy
October 14th, 2009
9:33 am
If hudson declines the option, then we just take the $12 million owed to him and use it on a big bat that we really need.
Voss
October 14th, 2009
9:33 am
Welcome to Atlanta Matt Holliday?
This was the only way the Braves could get into the Holliday game.
It’s not a great year for free agent bats, but there are a few out there.
Ted Striker
October 14th, 2009
9:33 am
Me, I’d take the $12 million now and buy Mark Bradley a really nice steak dinner, encouraging him to have an appetizer too.
If Hudson declines the option to find a longer term contract with more guaranteed money, it’s probably his safest move at age 34. By then, a pitcher never knows when something will creak, tweak, get weak, or even leak.
Huddy Muddy
October 14th, 2009
9:35 am
XXVII is right. I was saying this back in July. Lowe is a good guy and all, but he wasn’t as effective as the others. He has the highest salary. He should be easy enough to trade, every other team still hungers for starting pitching. Texas is an excellent target, and Cruz would help fill the power void.
Chief
October 14th, 2009
9:35 am
Ken Rosenthal is NOT a credible source. I actually could care less if Hudson returns or not, but I certainly do not believe much that comes from Resenthal.
Mark Bradley: Does Rosenthal have credibility with you?
BALLPLAYER1179
October 14th, 2009
9:36 am
The Braves won’t get anything for Lowe. The best thing they could do with him is move him back to the closer role, in which he was in when he was with the Red Sox.
Don Vito
October 14th, 2009
9:37 am
Good ridenance to bad rubbish, just like Mike Hampton last season. If he doesn’t want to be here then let him go! The Braves will suck anyways with Kinshinn Kowakami pitching anyways, that guy is the biggest waste of ERA–ever!
midnite
October 14th, 2009
9:38 am
Kawakami will make a little over $7.25M in 2010. 2009 was a huge adjustment year for him. He got terrible run support. Why would we have to eat some of his contract to trade him? That is cheap money for a decent, durable starter. Just look at the big time pitchers he went toe to toe with, and won.
Mark Bradley
October 14th, 2009
9:38 am
Yes. I find Ken Rosenthal credible. I wouldn’t have linked to his item otherwise.
Herschel Talker
October 14th, 2009
9:39 am
STL will be jettisoning Matt Holliday after his playoff gaffe. Now we can sign him. Beautiful. See ya, Huddy.
DandyD
October 14th, 2009
9:40 am
Let him go. You got Vazquez, JJ, Hanson, Lowe and KK. Plus Medlen. What’s not to love? But I am surprised along with MB. The guy is homegrown. He has tons of money. Roots and a new crib in AL and he’s still looking for more dough. The avarice found in American society knows no bounds.
David
October 14th, 2009
9:40 am
Ray, if dogs could fly…
Sure, if the Tex trade hadn’t happened the farm system would look better, but it did, and the last two drafts have been lackluster at best.
Rome didn’t place a single player among BA’s top twenty prospects in the Sally League. Myrtle Beach and Mississippi, outside of Heyward and Freeman? Nada, nobody in the top twenty. Sure, guys can slip through the cracks in these rankings (Prado, for example), but, in most cases, your future starter-caliber players show up in these rankings. The Prados of the world are more the exception.
Sonny Clusters
October 14th, 2009
9:40 am
We is going to lose next season now.
PMC
October 14th, 2009
9:42 am
If Roy Clark leaves any way we can get Freddi Gonzalez on the staff somewhere and steal the head scout from the Marlins?
Donley Canary
October 14th, 2009
9:42 am
Past failed trades have robbed the farm system of any depth. We have nothing from the Texiera trade left. Nothing. Look at Texas. We furnished them an All Star shortstop and a great young pitcher. Please build from within and develop the farm system. Spend wisely on mid level free agents and mortagage our future to win 5 meaningless games. We need a power bat for the outfield, resign LaRoche and hope the bullpen performs as well as this year. GO BRAVES!
Peter
October 14th, 2009
9:43 am
Well the bottom line is id Cox was gone this season, Huddy would be here next……He want so win, and that won’t happen under Cox !
Chief
October 14th, 2009
9:43 am
Thank you Mark. Fair enough. I just didn’t his errors in reporting during the off-season last year.
Rasheed Willis
October 14th, 2009
9:43 am
We need to trade for a quality black pitcher like Dave Stewart. Enough of these crackers!
Obama is my Black presidant!!
Gary
October 14th, 2009
9:44 am
Not buying Rosenthal and his “major league sources”. This is nothing more than stirring the pot. Hudson and the Braves brass have long said they would like him back and I have no doubt that happens.
Brian D Hypes
October 14th, 2009
9:46 am
Dude is on the DL, collecting his paycheck all year,now he wants to split.Thanks a lot Huddy.
Brian D Hypes
Kenneth Simpson
October 14th, 2009
9:48 am
The Braves may just be crazy enough to trade for Feliz since they have already given him away one time in the Tex rental. If he turns out to be the ace his is projected to be then the braves can give him away again. Stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joey
October 14th, 2009
9:48 am
Uh, David, didn’t I read this spring that a baseball publication (Baseball Today?) rated the Braves farm system the second best in the majors, behind the Yankees? Doesn’t sound like a decline to me…
Brian
October 14th, 2009
9:48 am
It’s all about the Roosevelts, Baby…
Shawon
October 14th, 2009
9:50 am
We have enough pitchers who can grind us through a long season with a decent record and ERA…the kind of money he wants is called “big-game pitcher money,” and clearly a big-game pitcher he is NOT!!
hoopdog
October 14th, 2009
9:51 am
let him go. he’s obviously been a major disappointment with the braves. and please…smoltz and glavine, keep your traps shut over this move.
bob
October 14th, 2009
9:51 am
Let Huddy walk and use the $12 million to sign the Big Bat we need. Add $3 or $4 million to that and we are players in the Bay/Holliday sweepstakes.
alan
October 14th, 2009
9:53 am
Looks like another BOYCOTT THE BRAVES SEASON again. It’s not about Hudson but they should trade Lowe or KK. Throw Johnson in too, it’s not fun to watch hime bobble balls and strike out. BC keeps making excuses for him, maybe Cox should have went after this season ended and taken Pendelton and probably McDowell with him. Soriano and Gonzalez could leave too, blowing the games they did.
long suffering
October 14th, 2009
9:54 am
I’m going to mis watching ol’ skid mark choke.
Ron Roberts
October 14th, 2009
9:57 am
I’m kind of sick of seeing the Braves foot the bill for these players’ rehabs and returns only to have them bolt for a supposed better paycheck. Some way to say “thanks for paying me and providing me all the resources needed to return” eh?
The sad thing is, all we ever hear from those in the know is “that’s the way it is in baseball now; it’s a business.” Doesn’t make it right. Unlike the NFL, when a player’s injured and under contract, the MLB teams can’t just drop a guy and his salary, but I think that ought to change if this continuing “trend” keeps up.
I’d have personally preferred having Tim Hudson in the rotation next year, and frankly, I think a $12 million price-tag is MORE than enough, for a guy who missed most of the last two seasons while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Of course, the agent gets his say. His agent would NEVER justify to a common man such as myself where he gets off thinking he should get more – period.
Jeremy
October 14th, 2009
9:58 am
We have to keep Derek Lowe. . . . You have to realize that this was possible his worst ERA year in a long time. He is a reliable, durable, innings eater who is now our #3 starter. I will take a #3 starter who is guaranteed 200 innings and 15 wins with an ERA around 3.75 any day of the week. As a matter of fact, find me a better #3 guy in the NL. . . . . and that is if he is our #3. Vazquez emerged as a monster this year. Lowe could be our 4 which is awesome. Hanson, Jurrjens, Vazey, Lowe, and KK is a rotation that could win the division. (Remember, KK should have had 15 victories. . the guy should sue for lack of run support).
GO GET A BAT AND A REAL LEADOFF MAN!!!! FIGGINS COME ON DOWN!!!!
Brad
October 14th, 2009
9:58 am
We have 5 starters without Huddie…Lowe, Kawakami, Vasquez, Hanson, and Jergens…maybe as good as a starting 5 as you could have…we need offense!!! I love Huddie and all that he stands for, but his departure solves a problem.
Met Hater
October 14th, 2009
9:59 am
New York is a cesspool of rude, foul-smelling, subhuman degenerates with no manners, and the fans of that team are even worse.
If Hudson goes to that [ EXPLETIVE DELETED ], and his wife is okay with it, those two deserve what they get.
(Jeff Francoeur could not be reached for comment.)
jack
October 14th, 2009
10:01 am
I’m really surprised. I can’t imagine Huddy getting $12M as a free agent with anyone else as well as a long term contract coming off of elbow surgery. If this happens there is $12M to spend on a power bat the Braves need badly. The only down side to this is it means they can’t use a starter as trade bait for that power bat.
Chef montuer
October 14th, 2009
10:01 am
Braves should try and sign Smoltz and Glavine and put em in the bullpen.
I should be a GM
Chef montuer
October 14th, 2009
10:01 am
GEAUX SAINTS
Brian
October 14th, 2009
10:04 am
Same site that reported Rafael Furcal coming back to the Braves right?
Spud Webb
October 14th, 2009
10:06 am
Thanks Tim, I love this crap. So the braves still pay him while he’s hurt (see Smoltz) and his thanks is going to be to turn down 12 million for next season???? That’s nice kick in the &ss…
BYE BYE TIM. Good luck.
Uncle Rico
October 14th, 2009
10:07 am
let him go…he’s better than most think, but he ain’t worth $12 million+ at his age & w/that arm.
Give Medlen a shot at the rotation, let Soriano go & spend Huddy’s salary on a bat and/or closer.
Or…and this is a big or – sign Smoltzie to a 1 yr, incentive-laden deal & make him the closer.
then spend the entire $12 mil on some right-handed pop.
Is Jason Bay on Wren’s radar??
Larry
October 14th, 2009
10:09 am
This is actually terrible news. A healthy Hudson is worth 2 Lowes and 4 Kawakamis. Thats right. 2 white guys and 4 chinamen. throw in a frenchman for good measure. thats 7 guys. 7 GUYS.
DLG
October 14th, 2009
10:12 am
Let him move on, not worth the salary he will want. Another spoiled MLB player while Americans suffer for employment.
Poorbrave
October 14th, 2009
10:14 am
Time will tell….. money talks… Hudson walks…….But Hudson said he would give Braves a cut (lower $$$) to stay!
What differance does it make we still have Cox to tend with?
JD
October 14th, 2009
10:14 am
I am amazed at how many players spend an inordinate amount of time on the DL, and then jump ship when that have a chance to show some loyalty to the team. Its all abount the money (greed) than anyhthing else. But I guess $12,000,000 is just chump change to athletes.
realist
October 14th, 2009
10:14 am
Good riddance. He was never the pitcher for the Braves that he was for the Athletics. Only once did he win over 14 games. And now he is 34 and coming off of major reconstructive elbow surgery. I will take Vasquez over hudson any day. The way I see it we aslrready have a starting 5 and now we can use the money we would have spent on Hudson to acquire a really good big bat.
Ross
October 14th, 2009
10:15 am
Good frickin’ riddance! And now LaRoche and Jones, and that bad stretch of steroid users and payroll abusers is a dim memory.
RHR
October 14th, 2009
10:16 am
Will be tough to see Huddy in a Mets uniform but they’ll likely offer him the most. I imagine the mets will be taking in some of that outfield in citi making it a little less pitcher friendly before next season..