Tim Hudson Signs Extension With Atlanta Braves

In a move that has been rumored for weeks, the Atlanta Braves and Tim Hudson made it official today when the former University of Auburn standout signed a three-year contract extension.

The three-year deal is worth $9 million per season and includes a club option for 2013.

This deal doesn’t come without its risks. Hudson is 34-years-old and is coming off Tommy John surgery. The first two years of this deal will probably be worth it to the Braves, but it’s hard to imagine a 37-year-old pitching like a $9 million pitcher.

The Braves felt confident in Hudson’s health after he went 2-1 with a 3.61 ERA in seven starts at the end of last season. He also posted a 6.4 K/9 rate, which was his highest since 2001 with the Oakland A’s (6.9).

For his career, Hudson is an impressive 148-78 with a 3.49 ERA in 11 seasons.

With Hudson on board, the Braves currently have the deepest rotation in baseball. Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, Javier Vazquez, Tommy Hansen, Kenshin Kawakami, and Hudson form a formidable bunch.

But, it’s very likely the Braves will trade one of these pitchers. Lowe and Vazquez are the two pitchers most likely to be dealt.

The Braves would love to get rid of Lowe’s contract and Vazquez would give the Braves the most value in return. The return the Braves are looking for would be a big time bat.

I love how the Braves are now shopping Lowe. They missed out on AJ Burnett last year, so they overpay to get Lowe just to save face, and now they are trying to trade Lowe because his contract is an albatross.

That’s just called bad business.

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