MVN: Most Valuable Network

Orlando Hudson seems the type of player tailor-made to evoke my cunningly acerbic wit (or less charitably, my clever blogger know-it-all snark).  A 31 year old 2nd baseman whose offense is certainly a product of his home field and whose last season ended as a result of injury hardly strikes one as a desirable free agent target.   However, despite the obvious setup, I cautiously approve of the Giants' interest in Hudson.

Allow me to voice my concerns before I delve into why I like Hudson.  Baseball players not named Omar Vizquel peak as defenders in their early 20's.  The defensive decline which occurs proportionally with age may be gradual or abrupt but it is inevitable.   In terms of offense,  Hudson will not post an OPS above 800 (as he has the past several season) if he signs with the Giants.  Not only does he lose the offense inflating environs of Arizona but he also is convalescing from an injury that saps power.  He additionally had a subpar defensive season last year (more later).

I do, as previously mentioned, approve of the Giants interest in Hudson despite my voiced misgivings.   Orlando Hudson is a remarkable defensive player  He has posted the following +/- defensive numbers since 2003 (Credit to Chris at baycity ball for compiling these numbers):

Year   +/-
2003   +22
2004   +35
2005   +20
2006   +13
2007   +20
2008   -4

Since each whole number above 0 in this system represents .8 run saved, Hudson has saved at least 16 runs above average in 4 of the last 6 seasons.   In the presence of offensive adequacy, those numbers represent not only an elite player but an affordable one (a player with stellar offense and adequate defense would be amongst the highest paid in the league) .  Now, perhaps, his last season doesn't represent an aberration.  Perhaps age has sapped him of the qualities that made him so talented in the field.  But honestly, on the free agent market, every top tier player comes with risk.  I would rather pay Hudson 10 million/ year for 5 years than whatever bloated sum Teixeira receives.