Former Oakland A’s star Tim Hudson will not be shut out on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot, as he will receive at least one vote.
The Oakland A’s have five players on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot. While Manny Ramirez may have the most compelling resume of any of that quintet, his pair of PED suspensions have essentially eliminated any chance of his being inducted. Out of the four newcomers, Tim Hudson would seemingly have the best case of remaining on the ballot for more than one year.
To get there, he would need to receive 20 votes, landing exactly at the 5% threshold. The first step of that journey came on Thursday, as it was revealed that Tim Reynolds has voted for Hudson.
Hudson was destined to be a member of the A’s, originally being drafted in the 35th round of the 1994 MLB Draft, but opting not to sign. He was later drafted by the A’s in the sixth round of the 1997 MLB Draft, beginning his professional career in Southern Oregon in the Northwest League.
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He made his major league debut approximately two years later after completely dominating the minors. Despite not making his debut until June 8, he finished fifth in the 1999 AL Rookie of the Year vote. Just a season later, Hudson made his first All Star Game and finished second in the 2000 AL Cy Young vote.
In his six seasons with the A’s, Hudson produced a 92-39 record, along with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.222 WHiP, striking out 899 batters with 382 walks over his 1240.2 innings. However, after the 2004 season, as his salary continued to increase, Hudson was traded to the Braves for a package of prospects, none of which panned out.
Hudson had a solid career overall. His lifetime 222-133 record, with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.239 WHiP, make a decent argument for his induction. He was a four time All Star, finished in the top four of the Cy Young vote three times, and was a part of the Giants 2014 World Series winning team. Hudson is a somewhat borderline candidate, but one that could generate some interesting discussion.
At the very least, Tim Hudson is not going to be shut out in the Hall of Fame vote. He received his first vote for the Hall on Wednesday.