Tim Hudson To Sign With SFGiants

Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Numerous tweets about the same topic this afternoon:  the Braves are losing longtime starting pitcher – and all -around Good Guy – Tim Hudson to the San Francisco Giants…terms are said to be 2 years/$23 million. This marks the second time (already!) that the Giants have stepped up for free agent pitching this off-season (Tim Lincecum:  2 years/$35m).

That’s clearly serious coin – and almost certainly well above the rate that the Braves were interested in spending to retain Huddy’s services beyond 2013… particularly given that his last 4 years were compensated at $9 million annually.  However, according to MLBTR:

"“Atlanta’s efforts topped out at one year and a lower salary than the $9MM he made in 2013”"

That line cannot entirely be reconciled with prior public statements about how much Tim has meant to the Braves organization and how they definitely wanted him back.  Other sources indicated that their initial offer was, in fact, raised to that $9 million mark – but this offer of $11.5 million per year must have ended that conversation.

In case you’re curious about the income tax rate differentials (and I was):  Georgia:  6% on income above $7K; California:  10.3% on income above $1 million.  That’s nearly a half-million dollar differential – so the Braves were still at least $2 million short per year… and may not have even offered that second year.

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Hudson was traded to Atlanta from Oakland in the 2004-2005 off-season during a furious week of deals that also included trades with Kansas City (for Jorge Vasquez) and Milwaukee (for Dan Kolb).  The Hudson deal in December 2004 meant giving up outfielder Charles Thomas, pitcher Juan Cruz and pitcher Dan Meyer.  I think we can conclude that Oakland was pretty well fleeced in that trade.

Tim has (had) spent 9 seasons in Atlanta, finishing with a 113-72 record with the Braves and a 3.56 ERA.  During those seasons, he has the 8th most pitching victories in the majors (tied with Jered Weaver), and 4th among those staying with the same club over that period of time.  He has also clearly been Atlanta’s horse – working 1573 innings (17th most in that 2005-2013 time)… despite losing a year to Tommy John surgery. He had still never had a losing record in any year of his major league career.

A native of Columbus, GA (raised in Phenix City, AL), Hudson attended Auburn University in 1996-97 before being drafted by Oakland.  He made himself a fixture in the Atlanta area by his work with wife Kim via the Hudson Family Foundation, chiefly with their work in the Atlanta Pediatric Hospital and Make-a-Wish.  He has almost had a lock on the Roberto Clemente Award’s annual team nomination, both in Oakland and Atlanta.  Shocking that he hasn’t managed an overall win of that award yet.

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So once again: the Braves are outbid or otherwise opted out in competition for their own very useful free agents (David Ross, Michael Bourn, Tim Hudson; Eric O’Flaherty and Brian McCann still to come; Reed Johnson was allowed to walk away over $1.45 million).  So exactly when will that new stadium be ready again?

This one’s gonna hurt.