July 23, 2010
Start of something good for pitcher Dan Hudson?
NORFOLK
Sitting in the visitor's dugout at Harbor Park this month, Dan Hudson gazed out onto the field and absorbed his surroundings. He had pitched for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights at the ballpark near his hometown of Virginia Beach earlier this season, but that didn't diminish the thrill.
Hudson reflected on the past five years, when he vaulted from undrafted high schooler to can't-miss pro prospect. Something about returning home remained significant.
"It's surreal how less than 10 years ago I was sitting here watching the Tides play, and now I am playing against the Tides," said Hudson, who starred at Princess Anne High before becoming one of the best pitchers in Old Dominion history.
Th en he took a sweeping look across the st adium.
"That said," he continued, "I really hope this is my last time playing here."
He may get his wish.
Hudson, 23, is scheduled to start for the Chicago White Sox against Kansas City this afternoon in place of the injured Jake Peavy. As of Saturday evening, the club had not officially announced the call-up, but Hudson said Friday he was informed of the decision the night of Peavy's injury.
Hudson soared thr ough the system last season, playing at every full-season min or league level before joining Chicago during its unsuccessful playo ff push.
Hudson arguably has been the International League's best starting pitcher this season. As of Saturday, he was ti ed atop the le ague in wins (11), le d in stri keouts (108) and had a 3.47 ERA. He was slated to play in the All-Star Futures Game, but P eavy's injury led to a cha nge of plans.
And in a fitting twist, Hudson made his final two Triple-A starts against Norfolk, allowing one earned run in 11 innings.
"I think he's had about two bad games in his life," said Buddy Bell, the White Sox dire ctor of player development. "He's obviously gotten there a lot faster than anyone could have expected, but he has shown he deserves it. He has been successful everywhere he h as been."
So successful the White Sox have come to expect i t.
"I think he had about 1-1/2 bad games at the beginning of this season, and some of the people who see him every day started wondering what was wrong with him," Bell said. "That just shows what he's done. He'll experience failure at some point, but he has spoiled us so far."
That stretch of consistent success extends since high school. Jimmy Hunt, his coach at Princess Anne, said Hudson was probably the best right -hander in Virginia during his senior year in 2005.
Pro scouts attended his games and asked him to fill out q uestionnaires, even though Hudson already had committed to ODU. Hunt remains c onvinced Hudson was talent ed enough to jump to the pros.
But Hudson didn't receive a call on draft day.
"I remember asking him how he felt right after the draft, and he looked at me and said, 'Coach, I just want to win a state championship,' " Hunt said. "He was mentally strong enough not to be crushed, but it definitely motivated him because he knew he was good enough."
Though he dreamed abou t playing in the majors, he recognize d that his quickest road to the majors was through college.
"All the agents want to know how much money it would take to get Dan to go straight to pro ball, but we weren't willing to set a number like that," said Kris Hudson, his mother. "He just felt like he wasn't ready, that he needed some more seasoning."
So far, it looks like the right decision. Huds on established himself as one of the top pitchers ever to throw for ODU.
ODU coach Jerry Meyers said Hudson improved all his pitches in college, especially the command of his fastball.
Despite staying at ODU just three years, his 295 strikeouts rank third in program history behind ODU Major Leaguer's Justin Verlander and Kevin Bearse. The White Sox drafted him in the fifth round in 2008, and he hasn't looked back.
"There are kids with a lot less ability than Dan who got drafted out of high school because they made it known they intended to sign," Meyers said. "It shows his maturity that he realized he still needed to get better to get where he wants to be."
Hudson reached the big leagues last year with limited success. He went 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in six appearances, including two starts. That from a pl ayer who made his Class A debut earlier in the season. He pitched at five levels in 2009.
This time, he hopes he'll stick.
"Looking back on it, I know I made the right decision," Hudson said. "I would not have the opportunity I am having right now."
Jared Diamond, (757) 446-2039, jared.diamond@pilotonline.com