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Monday, October 9
A's as confident as ever in Hudson
By Wayne Drehs
ESPN.com
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Following Oakland's 4-0 loss to the Yankees Wednesday, A's second baseman Randy Velarde was asked about the shifting momentum in the series.
The reporter sort of stumbled through his question, essentially asking if the Yankees, heading home for Games 3 and 4, were now in the driver's seat. But the reporter couldn't find just the right words and in mid-sentence, Velarde stopped him.
"No," he said. "Because Tim Hudson is going for us Friday. And that's it."
|  | | Tim Hudson finished the regular season with a 20-6 record and was 7-0 over his last seven starts. |
With a response like that, you'd think this Hudson character has the postseason stuff of Pedro Martinez or maybe Sandy Koufax. After all, nobody just waltzes into the Bronx in October and dominates the Yankees.
Velarde should know. Having played nine years for the Yankees, he was often on the other side of the jungle, grinning and cackling in the field as the New York faithful tormented opposing pitchers.
But still, his confidence in Hudson is unwavering, and understandably so. The 25-year-old Hudson was 20-6 this year, becoming Oakland's first 20-game winner since Bob Welch and Dave Stewart 10 years ago.
He was virtually untouchable in the final month of the season, going 5-0 in five September starts. He surrendered just seven earned runs in those games on 26 hits. And in a season in which runs were scored at a record pace, Hudson's September ERA was a paltry 1.69.
This is the man expected to save the A's. A win from Hudson and worst-case scenario, the A's return home Sunday to host a Game 5. Lose, and that momentum that Velarde was asked about rests solely in the laps of the Yankees.
It's a challenging position for Martinez and Koufax, never mind a second-year player still learning the intricacies of the league. Yet pull Hudson aside and ask him how he'll handle the pressure, how he'll deal with the Yankee fans, and most of all, how he feels knowing his team's playoff future rests largely on his shoulders, and he responds in a ho-hum tone better used for a spring training game.
"I dunno," he quietly starts, "I've never been a person to be in awe of any atmosphere or situation or place. If anything, I love it. I love playing in big stadiums in front of big crowds. It's fun for me. It's probably something that I feed off of."
Hudson is rather unfamiliar with the Yankees, having missed them this year and faced them just once last year. In that Yankee Stadium game, he gave up four hits and four earned runs in five innings. But his Achilles heel was the three walks he allowed.
But, like Derek Jeter said Wednesday, you can throw that out the window. This is a completely different Tim Hudson, one whose 20-6 record led the majors with a .769 winning percentage. One who was second in the American League in opponents batting average (.227) and shutouts (two).
Most of all, one who was 8-2 this year and 13-4 in his career, when taking the mound after an Oakland loss.
"I vaguely remember facing him last year, but obviously he's got great stuff to have won 20 games," Jeter said. "He's the ace."
And as such, Hudson was called upon in Oakland's regular-season finale, it's last must-win situation against Texas. In that game, Hudson shut the Rangers out through eight innings, allowing just three hits.
A's manager Art Howe had no reservations about using Hudson in that game, knowing he wouldn't be available, if the A's made the playoffs, until Game 3.
"There's definitely a comfort knowing he's going to be there," Howe said. "I just had a good feeling Game 3 was going to be an important game. And who else would we want on the hill for us? Once again, we need him to go out and do a great job. I know he will battle for us and give us an opportunity."
In addition to the raucous Yankee fans, Hudson will face another formidable opponent Friday in Yankee starter and Mr. Playoffs himself, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. In five postseason starts, Hernandez is 5-0 with a 1.02 ERA.
Yet even that doesn't faze Hudson. Nor does performing in the center of the national spotlight for the first time. Sure he pitched in the All-Star Game, but it was hardly a situation where every pitch and every at-bat counted.
"It'll be fun, honestly," Hudson insists. "I'm not really the type of person that loves being in the spotlight and publicity. I love big games because of competition and the feeling that I can get the job done, not because I want to be recognized. I feel like I can compete at this level."
It's that laid-back attitude, not to mention the potent pitches behind it, that had Velarde feeling so comfortable after his team had lost Wednesday and faces two games in New York this weekend.
"Those fans are some of the best in baseball, they know how to rally the troops and pull the rug out from under you," Velarde said. "But much like Andy (Pettitte) did here, Huddy's going to go out there and shut the fans out. It's going to be electric. But I'm confident knowing he's the one going out there."
Wayne Drehs is a staff writer at ESPN.com.
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