Orlando Hudson

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Orlando Hudson

| image = Orlando Hudson by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| caption = Hudson in 2017

| position = Second baseman

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1977|12|12}}

| birth_place = Darlington, South Carolina, U.S.

| bats = Switch

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = July 24

| debutyear = 2002

| debutteam = Toronto Blue Jays

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 3

|finalyear=2012

|finalteam=Chicago White Sox

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .273

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 93

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 542

| teams =

Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2002}}–{{mlby|2005}})
Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2006}}–{{mlby|2008}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2009}})
Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2010}})
San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2011}}–{{mlby|2012}})
Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2012}})

|awards=

2× All-Star (2007, 2009)
4× Gold Glove Award (2005–2007, 2009)

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

}}

Orlando Thill Hudson (born December 12, 1977) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball from 2002 to 2012 with the Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. Hudson was known for his fielding abilities, and for making spectacular lunging catches and diving stabs at grounders. His defensive talents were recognized in {{mlby|2005}}, when he won his first American League Gold Glove Award while with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Early life

Hudson was born on December 12, 1977, in Darlington, South Carolina. He attended Darlington High School, where he was a three-sport standout in baseball, football, and basketball. In baseball, he was the Player of the Year and an All-State selection.

Hudson was the quarterback of Darlington High School's first-ever football team, and also served as the team's punter.

After high school, Hudson went on to play baseball at Spartanburg Methodist College.

Professional career

=Toronto Blue Jays=

Hudson was drafted 4th in the 33rd round by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft. He began his professional career with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in the rookie leagues in 1998, hitting .298. He continued through the minors with the Hagerstown Suns (1999), Dunedin Blue Jays (2000), Tennessee Smokies (2000–01) and Syracuse Sky Chiefs (2001–02). In 2001, he was a Southern League All-Star and a Baseball America 1st team Minor League All-Star at second base.

He made his major league debut on July 24, 2002, for the Blue Jays against the Baltimore Orioles. He was hitless in four at-bats in that game. Hudson recorded his first Major League hit in the second inning on July 26 against the Minnesota Twins when he slapped an RBI single to center field off pitcher Joe Mays. His first home run was hit on August 5 against Baltimore's Rodrigo López. He played for the Blue Jays from 2002 to 2005.

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

File:Orlando Hudson.jpg on August 28, {{mlby|2007}}.]]

File:Orlando Hudson on June 26, 2012.jpg

In {{mlby|2005}}, Hudson was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks along with pitcher Miguel Batista for third baseman Troy Glaus and shortstop prospect Sergio Santos.

In the {{mlby|2006}} season, his first full season with Arizona, Hudson set career-highs in batting average with a .287, in home runs with 15, in RBI with 67, and runs scored with 87.

After the 2006 season, Hudson became the recipient of his second career Gold Glove Award, as announced on November 3. Hudson became only the sixth infielder in major league history to win a Gold Glove award in both the American and National Leagues.{{cite web |url=http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20061103&content_id=1731852&vkey=pr_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610120511/http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20061103&content_id=1731852&vkey=pr_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 10, 2011 |title=Orlando Hudson earns second career Rawlings Gold Glove Award|date=November 3, 2006 |work=MLB.com |access-date=December 23, 2009}} He was also honored with a Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding second baseman in MLB.{{cite web|title=The 2006 Fielding Bible Awards|url=http://www.billjamesonline.net/fieldingbible/the-2006-winners.asp|publisher=The Fielding Bible|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110080140/http://www.billjamesonline.net/fieldingbible/the-2006-winners.asp|archive-date=November 10, 2010|access-date=November 18, 2010|url-status=dead}}

Hudson was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2007, and won his third Gold Glove that season. He also raised his batting average from his previous career-high of .287 set the year before to a .294 clip.

In 2008 Hudson raised his average for the third straight year with a career-best .305 batting average. Hudson missed the last month of the {{mlby|2008}} season, with a dislocated left wrist he suffered against the Atlanta Braves{{cite web |url=http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080810&content_id=3286304&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080812111149/http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080810&content_id=3286304&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2008|title=Hudson done for season after surgery|last=Ritter|first=Mike|date=August 10, 2008 |work=MLB.com |access-date=December 23, 2009}} and became a free agent at the end of the season.

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

On February 21, {{mlby|2009}}, Hudson signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, reportedly worth $3.4 million (with an additional $4.6 million more in performance bonuses).{{cite web |url=http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090221&content_id=3862316&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224203430/http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090221&content_id=3862316&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 24, 2009 |title=Hudson passes Dodgers physical |last=Gurnick |first=Ken |date=February 21, 2009 |work=MLB.com |access-date=December 23, 2009}}

On Monday April 13, 2009, Hudson became the eighth Dodger to hit for the cycle, in the 2009 home opener against the San Francisco Giants before a record crowd of 57,099. Hudson was the second Los Angeles Dodger to accomplish this, since Wes Parker in 1970, and the only Los Angeles Dodger to do it at Dodger Stadium.{{cite web|author=Rhett Bollinger |url=http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090413&content_id=4252992&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415222943/http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090413&content_id=4252992&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2009 |title=Hudson notches cycle for Dodgers |publisher=Losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com |access-date=October 15, 2011}} Hudson singled in the first inning, hit a home run in the third inning, doubled in the fourth inning and tripled in the sixth inning. All of Hudson's hits came off of Randy Johnson except for his triple, which was off middle reliever Merkin Valdez.{{cite web|url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_04_13_sfnmlb_lanmlb_1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309170422/http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_04_13_sfnmlb_lanmlb_1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |title=Boxscore: San Francisco vs. LA Dodgers – April 13, 2009 |publisher=Sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com |date=April 13, 2009 |access-date=October 15, 2011}}

He was selected to his second All-Star Game and won his fourth Gold Glove Award at the conclusion of the season.

=Minnesota Twins=

On February 4, 2010, Hudson signed a 1-year, $5 million deal with the Minnesota Twins. He became the Twins second baseman, replacing Nick Punto and Alexi Casilla.{{cite web|title=Twins sign Hudson to one-year deal|website=Star Tribune|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins}} In 126 games, Hudson hit .268 with a career-low .710 OPS.

On April 13, 2010, Hudson hinted that there is racism toward blacks in free agency. He said, "You see guys like Jermaine Dye without a job. Guy with 27 home runs and 81 RBIs and can't get a job. Pretty much sums it up right there, no? You've got some guys who miss a year who can come back and get $5, $6 million and a guy like Jermaine Dye can't get a job. A guy like Gary Sheffield, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, can't get a job."{{cite web|last=Passan |first=Jeff |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AuyOHZ55mZGJlrhMauXIFOI5nYcB?slug=jp-dyehudson041210 |title=Hudson hints at racism for blacks in free agency |publisher=Sports.yahoo.com |date=April 13, 2010 |access-date=October 15, 2011}}

=San Diego Padres=

On December 20, 2010, Hudson signed a 2-year contract with the San Diego Padres worth $11.5 million.{{cite web |url=http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101217&content_id=16337306&vkey=news_sd&c_id=sd |title=Orlando Hudson, Padres make two-year contract official |publisher=Sandiego.padres.mlb.com |access-date=October 15, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325034307/http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101217&content_id=16337306&vkey=news_sd&c_id=sd |archive-date=March 25, 2012 }}

On July 21, 2011, Hudson hit his head against the wall when he caught the ball in foul territory. He found himself unconscious after he hit the wall but avoided a disabled list stint. Through 2011, he had the second-highest career range factor per game of all active major league second basemen, behind Ian Kinsler.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/range_factor_per_game_2b_active.shtml |title=Active Leaders & Records for Range Factor/Game as 2B |publisher=Baseball-Reference |access-date=September 29, 2011}}

He was released by the Padres on May 17, 2012.

=Chicago White Sox=

On May 19, 2012, the White Sox agreed to sign Hudson.{{cite web | url=http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/12650571-574/story.html | work=Chicago Sun Times | date=20 May 2012 | title = White sign 2B Orlando Hudson }} Hudson finished 2012 with a career-low .204 batting average.

=2013 retirement=

Hudson retired after receiving no interest from MLB teams for the 2013 season. Hudson had made statements that he was "not ready to retire" and stated during the middle of the season that there were discussions with multiple teams, but no offer came.{{Cite web|url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/orlando-hudson-not-ready-to-retire-but-job-prospects-for-2013-look-bleak/|title = Orlando Hudson not ready to retire, but job prospects for 2013 look bleak|date = October 2012}}

Community involvement

Hudson founded the C.A.T.C.H. Foundation, a 501c3 organization that seeks to provide resources and a support system for youth coping with autism.

Family and retirement

Hudson married Keisa Carr in the 2008 offseason. He has two daughters and one son.{{Cite web |title=Orlando Hudson Stats, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/orlando-hudson-407861 |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}

Hudson currently works for the Diamondbacks as a player development assistant.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-30 |title=Former D-back Orlando Hudson thinks Ketel Marte can be a cornerstone |url=https://arizonasports.com/story/1481548/former-d-back-orlando-hudson-thinks-ketel-marte-can-cornerstone/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=Arizona Sports}}