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Tim Hudson leaning toward retiring after 2015

By Phil Watson

Oct 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning during game seven of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning during game seven of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Francisco Giants right-hander Tim Hudson is preparing for his 17th major-league season, one that he says he’s thinking will be his last.

Tim Hudson had a magical first half of the 2014 season as he returned from a gruesome broken ankle that abruptly ended his tenure with the Atlanta Braves.

Hudson signed a two-year free-agent deal with the San Francisco Giants last offseason and earned his first All-Star berth since 2010 with a first half that saw him post a 2.87 ERA and 1.101 WHIP in 18 starts and 119 innings.

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But the veteran crashed down to earth in the second half, with a 4.73 ERA and 1.450 WHIP in 13 starts and 70.1 innings.

After allowing 10 runs in 21 postseason innings, Hudson had surgery last month to remove bone chips from the ankle that was broken in a collision at first base in July 2013 and is reportedly two to three weeks behind his normal schedule with Giants pitchers and catchers due to report to spring training on Feb. 18.

And he told Comcast Sports Net Bay Area that unless something changes dramatically during the season, he’s pretty sure the 2015 will be his last.

“I’m definitely leaning that way,” Hudson said.

Hudson dealt with a lot of aches and pains last year that stemmed from the ankle injury, sustained when he was stepped on by New York Mets outfielder Eric Young Jr. while covering first base. Besides the fracture, he also tore ligaments.

The bone chips he had removed last month began to bother him as early as last June and when the pain went away in August, it was because his hip was bothering him.

“I think that was a direct result of the ankle problems,” Hudson said. “I was favoring the ankle.”

Hudson said he’s not necessarily looking at being ready for the start of spring training, but rather the start of the season.

But the Giants have seven potential starters in camp, meaning Hudson doesn’t have to rush. Right-hander Matt Cain is also coming off surgery to his ankle and elbow, but San Francisco has Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy, Tim Lincecum, Ryan Vogelsong and Yusmeiro Petit still available and manager Bruce Bochy is reportedly going to have all seven prepare as if they will be in the rotation.

“The timing wasn’t great, but I’m glad it’s fixed,” Hudson said. “I’m looking at it as getting ready for Opening Day and the start of the year. Whether that’s two or five [spring training starts], I really don’t know.

“It’s an arm thing now. I’ve got to get my arm in shape.”

In 16 seasons with the Oakland Athletics, Braves and Giants, Hudson is 214-124 with a 3.45 ERA and 1.233 WHIP in 458 appearances—all but one of them starts—and 3,003 innings. He was an All-Star in 2000 and 2004 with Oakland, in 2010 with Atlanta and last year with San Francisco.

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