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« Is Cleveland Losing Patience with Fausto Carmona? | Main | Padres Promote Pitching Prospects: Plausible Peavys? »
Return of Tim Hudson Scheduled for August
Tim Hudson, recovering from Tommy John surgery, believe he can rejoin the Atlanta Braves sometime in August, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
"I feel really good about where I'm at right now," Hudson said. "I haven't thrown breaking balls, splits or changeups or anything like that. But how I feel right now, it's hard to think that it's going to take me three months to get ready to pitch in a game."
Hudson could encounter a logjam when he returns, between starters Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Jair Jurrjens, not to mention prospects Tommy Hanson, Kris Medlen and the old standby Tom Glavine.
But the real question is this: just how well would Hudson have to pitch in the season's final month for the Braves to pick up his $12MM option? Hard to imagine anything short of a Greinke would lead the Braves to do so. They have, as an alternative, a $1MM buyout.
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They'll pick up the option unless he comes back doing bad. Losing Anderson and Glavine's salary (among other changes in salary, isee Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francouer getting lower arb.) will free up enough money for the braves to get really the only thing they will be looking for. A power hitting OF on a one year deal with a club option. Thats really all they need as the young guys come up everywhere else.
Posted by: GoldenGlove002 | May 20, 2009 at 08:20 PM
Braves already said they were picking it up.
Posted by: QuadBravesFan | May 20, 2009 at 08:26 PM
I doubt Glavine is much of an impedement to Tim Hudson. I know there will probably be plenty of guys that don't agree with this, but I don't really see Medlen as a starter long term. He's listed as a 5'10 righty, but he's probably closer to 5'6" than 5'10". He just screams late inning reliever to me. That might not be a bad thing either, as gonzo and soriano are both impending free agents.
If the Braves do see Medlen as a starter, I still think it would be in their best interest to pick up the option. With the free agent starting pitching class looking like garbage this winter, you have to think the braves would be able to trade either Hudson or Vazquez for something of some use, or for some more depth on the farm. I'd take either of those guys on a 1 year deal before I shelled out multiple years for Bedard, Harden, or Myers. There's just no such thing as too much starting pitching...if you can't use it all yourself, someone will always give you something for a proven starter.
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 20, 2009 at 08:27 PM
FRIDAY: David O'Brien fills in readers on Tim Hudson's 2010 option:
I asked about Hudson’s option today, and found out it’s not a mutual option, but a club option. Yes, they fully intend to exercise it, barring some unexpected turn of events.
Posted by: QuadBravesFan | May 20, 2009 at 08:29 PM
FRIDAY: David O'Brien fills in readers on Tim Hudson's 2010 option:
I asked about Hudson’s option today, and found out it’s not a mutual option, but a club option. Yes, they fully intend to exercise it, barring some unexpected turn of events.
Posted by: QuadBravesFan | May 20, 2009 at 08:29 PM
What about Kawakami?
Posted by: Twins777 | May 20, 2009 at 08:30 PM
I doubt they'd be able to trade him without picking up some of his contract. They wouldn't really get anything back for him anyway, so they might as well keep him.
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 20, 2009 at 08:33 PM
I doubt they'd be able to trade him without picking up some of his contract. They wouldn't really get anything back for him anyway, so they might as well keep him.
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 20, 2009 at 08:33 PM
Him being Kawakami...
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 20, 2009 at 08:34 PM
"FRIDAY: David O'Brien fills in readers on Tim Hudson's 2010 option:
I asked about Hudson’s option today, and found out it’s not a mutual option, but a club option. Yes, they fully intend to exercise it, barring some unexpected turn of events.
Posted by: QuadBravesFan | May 20, 2009 at 08:29 PM "
Dave O'Brien is a great guy to get info from, seeing as how we have Peavy going tomorrow and Griffey just hit his 10th homer for us. ;)
Posted by: braves2131 | May 20, 2009 at 08:35 PM
Kawakami will have the rest of this year, but if he struggles at the beginning of '10, I wouldn't be surprised to see us eat that contract (or at the very least, stick him in the pen).
Posted by: braves2131 | May 20, 2009 at 08:37 PM
"FRIDAY: David O'Brien fills in readers on Tim Hudson's 2010 option:
I asked about Hudson’s option today, and found out it’s not a mutual option, but a club option. Yes, they fully intend to exercise it, barring some unexpected turn of events.
Posted by: QuadBravesFan | May 20, 2009 at 08:29 PM "
Dave O'Brien is a great guy to get info from, seeing as how we have Peavy going tomorrow and Griffey just hit his 10th homer for us. ;)
Posted by: braves2131 | May 20, 2009 at 08:35 PM
I'd take DOB over Furman Bischer anyday...
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 20, 2009 at 08:37 PM
Yeah, I like DOB myself, but I always take what writers say as fact with a grain of salt.
Posted by: braves2131 | May 20, 2009 at 08:41 PM
It's a mutual option. Hudson thought it was just a club option, but its a mutual option. I remember DOB saying that, and then DOB and Bowman discovered that its mutual. Just check Cot's. And it's way too early to tell if we are going to try to pick up Hudson's option.
Posted by: garriscp | May 20, 2009 at 08:57 PM
$12m is a lot of scratch these days for a pitcher coming of TJ surgery.
I don't care what the club is saying now. I won't believe they will be picking up the option until the pen meets the paper.
Much more realistic - Hudson comes back and has a decent August/September. The Braves decline their option and the sides agree to a new contract. My guess would be a 1/$7m type deal with options based off health/performance.
Posted by: bjsguess | May 20, 2009 at 09:13 PM
12 million is not a lot when you consider what kind of pitcher Hudson is, if healthy he would be able to get 15+ on the FA market. The only way they don't pick it up is if he comes back and struggles with pain and velocity. Tommy John is not as big a deal as it once was. I see Kawakami in the pen, Medlen in AAA, and Hanson in the big leagues next year. so
1. Lowe
2. Jurrjens
3. Vazquez
4. Hudson (could easily be the #2 as well)
5. Hanson
thats a scary rotation
Posted by: bravesfan22193 | May 20, 2009 at 09:19 PM
$12m is a lot of scratch these days for a pitcher coming of TJ surgery.
I don't care what the club is saying now. I won't believe they will be picking up the option until the pen meets the paper.
Much more realistic - Hudson comes back and has a decent August/September. The Braves decline their option and the sides agree to a new contract. My guess would be a 1/$7m type deal with options based off health/performance.
Posted by: bjsguess | May 20, 2009 at 09:13 PM
If he comes back and pitches well, no chance that happens. The FA starters market looks AWFUL this winter. If he pitches poorly, 1/7 could be possible. If he pitches even reasonably well, somebody's going to pay him better than that. I just can't see him leaving millions on the table to re-sign with the Braves, espescially since he'd be one of the most attractive FA options available.
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 20, 2009 at 09:37 PM
Hudson's Contract($12M) and Vazquez's($11.5) are close for 2010. I would hope that the Braves let Hudson make about 8-10 starts in Aug-Sept(and hopefully the post season), and if he is pitching well pick up his option.
Trade Vazquez in the off-season for prospects. Hudson is a better pitcher than Vazquez. Hudson at $12M plus prospects from Vazquez trade is much better than Vazquez($11.5)and no prospects and no Huddy.
GO BRAVOS...
Posted by: ColoradoBravesFan | May 20, 2009 at 09:57 PM
The only problem I have with this whole Hudson scenario is the fact that he isn't the most important impending free agent that the Braves should try to resign. The Brave's bullpen is a MESS after Soriano, with Gonzalez being good at times and then OMFG other times. Those two are free agents to be after this season and I will be shocked if neither one is not resigned (Rafael being my preference). So resign Soriano first, THEN consider picking up Hudson's option OR consider resigning him to a lower deal with incentives included.
Posted by: Bravesfan89 | May 20, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Bravesfan89, I think an outfielder and the bullpen are definately the two biggest areas of concern for the braves in the offseason. I think picking up that option is a very good idea though, trading either Vazquez or Hudson should at worst be able to land a quality arm for the pen. The braves can pick up that option, and shouldn't have any problem moving one of those two. It's the same situation the yanks had with Sheff several years ago...he wasn't filling a need, but he had more value than what he was being paid. A one year deal on either of them should be very tradeable.
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 20, 2009 at 10:50 PM
We will just have to agree to disagree with Hudson's value.
1. I am fully aware that coming back from TJ isn't nearly as risky as it has been in the past. I also understand that not everyone that goes through TJ heals up just fine. Plenty of players (especially in the minors) had their careers derailed with this surgery.
2. Hudson will be 34 going in 2010. It's reasonable to assume that his ERA, with a full and successful recovery, would project 3.5 to 4.0. Certainly that would make him a solid starting pitcher, but he would hardly be elite.
3. If the market in the 2009 off-season resembles the market of 2008 there are a couple things that we learned. First, teams that signed guys early in the off-season overspent. I don't think there is anyone who believes that a guy like Dempster would get 4/52 in Feb. Using signings in November and December as comparisons is a really bad idea. Also, premium talent got paid (CC, Tex, etc). Good talent (Abreu, Bradley, Dunn, Burrell) didn't come close to what they were looking for. Hudson, at 34, coming off major surgery is NOT premium talent.
Who knows. The economy could turn around. Owners could start throwing cash at their problems. I just don't see it. If anything the market appears to have contracted even more since the off-season. Budgets will continue to be tight. I just can't envision a scenario where a guy like Hudson instigates a bidding war between clubs that have a need and cash to spend.
Posted by: bjsguess | May 21, 2009 at 01:53 AM
I think that's a really poor comparison. Abreu, Dumm, Burrell, and Bradley have one thing in common...they are all corner outfielders. The market was loaded with them, and it's not exactly as valuable as starting pitching. A look at the starting pitching market will show that the better options later in the offseason still got paid. Derek Lowe managed 4/60, and Ollie managed 3/36 quite late in the process.
The 2008 market was also somewhat of an anomoly. Looking at the talent that was available, It was by far the deepest and most talented group in recent memory. The talent won't be as prevelent in the 2009 market, but teams needs will be just as great. Players, and espescially starter's, are going to get overpaid. Premium talent or not, Hudson is going to be one of the more attractive names out there this winter, and the depth at starting pitching won't be there.
Posted by: 86 Mets | May 21, 2009 at 08:03 AM
$12 million is too much for the Braves to spend on a 4th starter with all the promising young cheap starters they have at Gwinnett. They need that money to upgrade the outfield instead. I would be quite surprised if Hudson's option is picked up regardless of what the team is saying now.
Posted by: Ron Edwards | May 21, 2009 at 08:41 AM
Braves should extend Hudson at 3/30 if he pitches well this august-september-(hopefully october). I think we have forgotten how good this gut has been the past years. You can pencil in 15 wins 125k's and a sub 3.75 era with 185 innings at the very least. As for Kawakami the Braves need to give him to the first team that will take his contract. Next go ahead and lock up JJ for 5/35. Finally ship Redmond Medlen or Morton to CHW for Bobby Jenks. 2010 staff could very realisticly go
1. Jurrjens
2. Hudson
3. Lowe
4. Vazquez
5. Hanson
CL Bobby Jenks
SU Rafeal Soriano
SU Mike Gonzalez
LRP Jorge Campillo/ James Parr
MRP Boone Logan/ Manny Acosta
MRP Eric O'Flahrety
MRP Jeff Bennet/ Jo-Jo reyes
That would cost 60 million roughly, a little high but not ubsurd. I don't think anyone can argue against that being the best staff in Baseball.
Posted by: bravoboy10 | May 21, 2009 at 05:41 PM