Hudson close to deal with Giants

[ThomasTomasz]

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants are working to finalize agreement on a $23 million, two-year contract with free-agent right-hander Tim Hudson.

Assistant general manager Bobby Evans says nothing is completed but "we are close." The deal, expected to be reached later Monday, would bring Hudson back to the Bay Area, where he pitched for the Oakland Athletics as a member of the "Big Three" with Mark Mulder and Barry Zito beginning in the late 1990s.

The deal may include a full no-trade clause, which was a central part of the discussion, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

The 38-year-old Hudson went 8-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 21 starts this season for Atlanta. His season was cut short by a broken right ankle that required surgery. The Braves earlier this month declined to make a qualifying offer to Hudson, who won 49 games during the previous three seasons.

"I'm pumped," Giants lefty reliever Jeremy Affeldt said by text message. "Great signing for us. Competitor and innings eater. Knows how to win!"

Hudson was hurt July 24 in New York when the Mets' Eric Young Jr. inadvertently stepped on the back of the pitcher's lower right leg while Hudson covered first base.

San Francisco, which missed the playoffs this year after winning the World Series in 2010 and '12, is seeking another starter to join Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum in a rotation losing Zito and probably also free-agent righty Ryan Vogelsong.

Cain and Bumgarner are signed long-term, while Lincecum received a $35 million, two-year deal last month.

The Giants could also fill their final rotation spot with Bronson Arroyo. Arroyo is also talking with the Twins, among others.

Hudson spent his first six major league seasons with the A's, who selected him in the sixth round of the 1997 amateur draft out of Auburn.

Oakland traded Hudson to the Braves in December 2004 and he pitched nine seasons in Atlanta. The three-time All-Star earned NL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2010 after he returned from elbow ligament replacement surgery to go 17-9 with a 2.83 ERA. He had back surgery for a herniated disk in November 2011.

The Giants had been eager to find an experienced starter to fill in the rotation. Zito just finished a $126 million, seven-year contract and had his $18 million option declined for 2014. Vogelsong's $6.5 million option for 2014 was declined by the club.

Hudson is 205-111 in a 15-year career and was coming off a $36 million, four-year contract.

After snapping a career-worst 10-game winless streak with a 13-4 victory July 6 at Philadelphia, Hudson went 4-0 with a 3.10 ERA in his last four starts.

Hudson will pitch to 2012 NL MVP and batting champion Buster Posey, who is signed through 2021. Right fielder Hunter Pence was given a $90 million, five-year contract before the season ended.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9997202/san-francisco-giants-closing-deal-tim-hudson

 

[NAHSTE]

Happy for him and I wish him all the best. He will be missed, but that is way more than the Braves can or should pay a back end starter.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Happy for him and I wish him all the best. He will be missed, but that is way more than the Braves can or should pay a back end starter.

You guys have the depth not to pay for it. With this deal and the Ruiz one, I feel this is going to be the going rate for a lot of players this off-season, and it's going to leave the middle market teams like Atlanta and Baltimore either going from within, or looking at the scrap heap. I am not expecting a difference maker in FA for Baltimore.

 

[NAHSTE]

You guys have the depth not to pay for it. With this deal and the Ruiz one, I feel this is going to be the going rate for a lot of players this off-season, and it's going to leave the middle market teams like Atlanta and Baltimore either going from within, or looking at the scrap heap. I am not expecting a difference maker in FA for Baltimore.

Yeah, every team got a $25 million dollar boost in revenue sharing thanks to the new national TV deal. Additionally, teams are no longer allowed to spend as much in international free agency or on amateur draftees. So no wonder the windfall is winding up right in the pockets of free agents, or going towards extensions for young players, it's literally the only avenue these teams have to spend this extra money.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Yeah, every team got a $25 million dollar boost in revenue sharing thanks to the new national TV deal. Additionally, teams are no longer allowed to spend as much in international free agency or on amateur draftees. So no wonder the windfall is winding up right in the pockets of free agents, or going towards extensions for young players, it's literally the only avenue these teams have to spend this extra money.

Ours is likely going to an extension for Chris Davis or signing Machado long-term.