Friday, February 24, 2006
Mailbag: Is Hudson ready for 2006?
02/06/2006
Do you think Tim Hudson will perform up to his capability this year? I was disappointed with his performance last year, except for in Game 4 of the National League Division Series.-- Jonathan C., Harrisburg, Pa.
There were a couple of other games that were just as impressive. The one that definitely comes to mind was April 18, when he tossed nine scoreless innings against Roger Clemens and gave Ryan Langerhans the opportunity to end things with a 12th-inning home run.
It was the most exciting game I saw last year until the 18-inning Game 4 thriller, when Hudson's sterling seven-inning effort was ruined by Kyle Farnsworth's inability to secure a five-run lead.
I don't think it's completely unfair to label Hudson's first season with the Braves disappointing. At the same time, you have to wonder how nice it would be to be so good that going 14-9 with a 3.52 ERA leads some to think the season was a disappointment.
Yet that simply goes with the territory in regards to elite athletes. The fact is he didn't pitch like the guy who entered last year with the third-best all-time winning percentage among pitchers with at least 100 decisions.
Instead, he simply showed glimpses of his greatness. But more importantly he displayed a fighting spirit that would lead anyone to want to take him and his 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame into a tavern filled with the fiercest barroom brawlers.
Whether it's been time to rise to the occasion like he did in the playoffs or at Auburn University where he didn't even become a regular starting pitcher until his senior year, Hudson has always come out fighting and, more times than not, emerged victorious.
If Hudson is able to avoid the oblique injuries that have hindered him at some point during each of the past three seasons, there's certainly reason to believe he could bounce back and enjoy a 20-win season.
My reasoning for not labeling last year a disappointment for Hudson is that he proved he is a warrior and at the same time one of the best teammates a player can hope to have.
So yeah, if I had to guess, Hudson will indeed bounce back this year and prove why the Braves signed him to be their long-term ace through at least the 2009 season.
Who will platoon in left field with Langerhans?-- Patricia H., Lawrenceville, Ga.
That remains to be determined. It might be Matt Diaz, a right-handed slugger who has had plenty of success against left-handed pitchers. The darkhorse contender is Brian Jordan, who would have to prove he's healthy and capable of being productive during Spring Training.
With left-handed hitters Brian McCann, Langerhans and Adam LaRoche all in position to fill out the batting order at the bottom of the lineup, there seems to be a need to find right-handed replacements to platoon or at least be available to negate the strength of a left-handed relief specialist in the late innings.
Using Langerhans in a platoon role would cause the Braves to put an outstanding defensive player on the bench when the opponent starts a left-handed pitcher. At the same time, it would prevent Langerhans from further proving he can hit southpaws. He produced a .293 (17-for-58) batting average in limited opportunities against them last year.
Do you think the beginning of the Braves' 2006 schedule will prove to be extremely difficult? -- Scott C., Jackson, Tenn.
There's no doubt that the first portion of the schedule will provide many challenges. The Braves play just 11 of their first 35 games at Turner Field.
In addition, there are going to be a number of quick turnarounds. They play a night game in Los Angeles on April 5 and then are scheduled to play a 1:05 p.m. PT game the next day in San Francisco.
The series against the Giants ends with a 4:05 p.m. ET game on April 9. The next day back in Atlanta, the Braves will open the home portion of their schedule with a 7:05 p.m. ET against the Phillies.
Let's just say their might be quite a demand on coffee during those first two weeks of the season.
Edgar Renteria had a disappointing season last year. How optimistic are you that he will play like he did during his last season with St. Louis? -- Zach R., Bend, Ore.
After meeting Renteria and seeing he has great character and still is in great shape, I'm apt to believe he still has plenty of good years in front of him. He's just 30 years old, and it really seems like Boston simply wasn't a good fit for him.
When the Braves played the Red Sox in late May last year, Renteria was struggling. But all I heard that weekend from those surrounding me was that he would soon break out of his funk.
Those words primarily came from Atlanta-Journal Constitution writer David O'Brien, who covered Renteria in Florida and Braves third base coach Fredi Gonzalez, who coached Renteria in the Marlins' Minor League system.
Obviously they were speaking with some optimism about a guy they genuinely like. But at the same time, they were saying it because they know he's a special player.
There have obviously been some great athletes that have seen their careers quickly decline. But at 30 years old, and after just one bad season in which he did produce 70 RBIs, Renteria isn't likely heading down that path.
I know we have Roger McDowell now, but what do you think about Greg Maddux coming back to Atlanta as the pitching coach soon (or ever)?-- Caleb L. St. Louis, Mo.
First, let's just say it would be nice to see a guy like McDowell have a chance to be a pitching coach for as long as he wants or at least until a better opportunity arises.
My first impressions of him have been very favorable and the pitchers truly seem to look forward to the chance to work with a personable coach who has firsthand knowledge of the everyday ups and downs a big league pitcher encounters.
As for Maddux, he loves the game and might know more about pitching than anybody ever has. Yet, I don't see any reason he'd give up the chance to golf everyday just to come back and collect a pitching coach's salary, even if he were offered something like $500,000 per year.
The last time his salary dipped that low was back in 1990. Since then, his combined annual salaries total more than $124 million.
Besides, there's already one great Maddux serving in that role. Based on what he's done in Milwaukee the past few years, I'm of the belief that Greg's brother, Mike, is the currently the game's best pitching coach.
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
Do you think Tim Hudson will perform up to his capability this year? I was disappointed with his performance last year, except for in Game 4 of the National League Division Series.-- Jonathan C., Harrisburg, Pa.
There were a couple of other games that were just as impressive. The one that definitely comes to mind was April 18, when he tossed nine scoreless innings against Roger Clemens and gave Ryan Langerhans the opportunity to end things with a 12th-inning home run.
It was the most exciting game I saw last year until the 18-inning Game 4 thriller, when Hudson's sterling seven-inning effort was ruined by Kyle Farnsworth's inability to secure a five-run lead.
I don't think it's completely unfair to label Hudson's first season with the Braves disappointing. At the same time, you have to wonder how nice it would be to be so good that going 14-9 with a 3.52 ERA leads some to think the season was a disappointment.
Yet that simply goes with the territory in regards to elite athletes. The fact is he didn't pitch like the guy who entered last year with the third-best all-time winning percentage among pitchers with at least 100 decisions.
Instead, he simply showed glimpses of his greatness. But more importantly he displayed a fighting spirit that would lead anyone to want to take him and his 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame into a tavern filled with the fiercest barroom brawlers.
Whether it's been time to rise to the occasion like he did in the playoffs or at Auburn University where he didn't even become a regular starting pitcher until his senior year, Hudson has always come out fighting and, more times than not, emerged victorious.
If Hudson is able to avoid the oblique injuries that have hindered him at some point during each of the past three seasons, there's certainly reason to believe he could bounce back and enjoy a 20-win season.
My reasoning for not labeling last year a disappointment for Hudson is that he proved he is a warrior and at the same time one of the best teammates a player can hope to have.
So yeah, if I had to guess, Hudson will indeed bounce back this year and prove why the Braves signed him to be their long-term ace through at least the 2009 season.
Who will platoon in left field with Langerhans?-- Patricia H., Lawrenceville, Ga.
That remains to be determined. It might be Matt Diaz, a right-handed slugger who has had plenty of success against left-handed pitchers. The darkhorse contender is Brian Jordan, who would have to prove he's healthy and capable of being productive during Spring Training.
With left-handed hitters Brian McCann, Langerhans and Adam LaRoche all in position to fill out the batting order at the bottom of the lineup, there seems to be a need to find right-handed replacements to platoon or at least be available to negate the strength of a left-handed relief specialist in the late innings.
Using Langerhans in a platoon role would cause the Braves to put an outstanding defensive player on the bench when the opponent starts a left-handed pitcher. At the same time, it would prevent Langerhans from further proving he can hit southpaws. He produced a .293 (17-for-58) batting average in limited opportunities against them last year.
Do you think the beginning of the Braves' 2006 schedule will prove to be extremely difficult? -- Scott C., Jackson, Tenn.
There's no doubt that the first portion of the schedule will provide many challenges. The Braves play just 11 of their first 35 games at Turner Field.
In addition, there are going to be a number of quick turnarounds. They play a night game in Los Angeles on April 5 and then are scheduled to play a 1:05 p.m. PT game the next day in San Francisco.
The series against the Giants ends with a 4:05 p.m. ET game on April 9. The next day back in Atlanta, the Braves will open the home portion of their schedule with a 7:05 p.m. ET against the Phillies.
Let's just say their might be quite a demand on coffee during those first two weeks of the season.
Edgar Renteria had a disappointing season last year. How optimistic are you that he will play like he did during his last season with St. Louis? -- Zach R., Bend, Ore.
After meeting Renteria and seeing he has great character and still is in great shape, I'm apt to believe he still has plenty of good years in front of him. He's just 30 years old, and it really seems like Boston simply wasn't a good fit for him.
When the Braves played the Red Sox in late May last year, Renteria was struggling. But all I heard that weekend from those surrounding me was that he would soon break out of his funk.
Those words primarily came from Atlanta-Journal Constitution writer David O'Brien, who covered Renteria in Florida and Braves third base coach Fredi Gonzalez, who coached Renteria in the Marlins' Minor League system.
Obviously they were speaking with some optimism about a guy they genuinely like. But at the same time, they were saying it because they know he's a special player.
There have obviously been some great athletes that have seen their careers quickly decline. But at 30 years old, and after just one bad season in which he did produce 70 RBIs, Renteria isn't likely heading down that path.
I know we have Roger McDowell now, but what do you think about Greg Maddux coming back to Atlanta as the pitching coach soon (or ever)?-- Caleb L. St. Louis, Mo.
First, let's just say it would be nice to see a guy like McDowell have a chance to be a pitching coach for as long as he wants or at least until a better opportunity arises.
My first impressions of him have been very favorable and the pitchers truly seem to look forward to the chance to work with a personable coach who has firsthand knowledge of the everyday ups and downs a big league pitcher encounters.
As for Maddux, he loves the game and might know more about pitching than anybody ever has. Yet, I don't see any reason he'd give up the chance to golf everyday just to come back and collect a pitching coach's salary, even if he were offered something like $500,000 per year.
The last time his salary dipped that low was back in 1990. Since then, his combined annual salaries total more than $124 million.
Besides, there's already one great Maddux serving in that role. Based on what he's done in Milwaukee the past few years, I'm of the belief that Greg's brother, Mike, is the currently the game's best pitching coach.
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
