Auburn Baseball in the Big Leagues: MLB Spring Training Begins

Oct 14, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson (17) celebrates after the third out in the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants in game three of the 2014 NLCS playoff baseball game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It took 16 Major League seasons, but Tim Hudson is finally a World Champion.

Hudson earned the honor in his first season as a member of the San Francisco Giants, who defeated the Kansas City Royals in Game 7 of the World Series – a game that Hudson started. In the World Series, Hudson was 0-1 in two starts. He worked 7.1 innings combined and allowed five earned funs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Of course most importantly, he celebrated winning his first World Series ring.

Despite earning a spot on the National League All-Star team (his fourth selection to the mid-summer classic), Hudson struggled through the second half of the season and finished with a 9-13 record – the first losing record of his career. The veteran right-hander started 31 games for the Giants and finished the year with a 3.57 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 189 innings.

In the post-season, Hudson started four games. Against the Washington Nationals in the National League Division Series, Hudson allowed only one earned run on seven hits in 7.1 innings. He did not walk a hitter and struck out eight. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits in his only start against St. Louis in the NL Championship Series. Hudson struck out five Cardinals without a walk in 6.1 innings.

The 2015 season is likely to be the final one for Hudson, who has a career record of 214-124 with a 3.45 ERA.

Next: David Ross