Brian McCann came into today's game against the Philadelphia Phillies batting .440 with two homers, and Tim Hudson entered his fifth spring start with a 1.93 ERA and a 13-1 K/BB ratio.
With Hudson facing the tough Philadelphia lineup and McCann batting against tough, young left-hander J.A. Happ, it would have been easy to expect those numbers to come back down to Earth.
McCann ended up hitting two homers off Happ, and added another RBI single later in the game as he went 3-4 with four RBI. Hudson pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just five base runners in the process and striking out four.
It is hard to believe, but these two actually improved upon their already stellar spring numbers. McCann and Hudson are obviously ready for the season to start, and if they are healthy, they should be in for big-time seasons.
Both Hudson and McCann had injury problems last season as Hudson missed a majority of the year due to Tommy John surgery in August 2008—he threw just 42.1 innings, and McCann faced eye troubles as he was eventually fitted for athletic glasses during his time on the DL last summer. He has since had LASIK surgery on his left eye, and can now play without the glasses again.
With Hudson's new arm looking better than ever and McCann's eye no longer affecting his vision, this battery could be in for an extremely productive season.
McCann is already known as the best catcher in the NL, and his 21-homer total of last year should be improved upon in 2010. Brian has made the All-Star team in each of his four full Major League seasons. McCann will play this season at age 26, so he is just starting to enter his prime.
Hudson, unlike McCann, is on the other side of 30, but he has seen his velocity get back up near the 90-93 level it was at in his late 20's due to his newly reconstructed elbow. Many worry about Hudson's health this season, but he has had no setbacks since the surgery and he has been absolutely dominant all spring. He showed last season that he could be a productive pitcher, so the Braves decided to pick up his option and keep the ex-Auburn sinkerballer.
Spring numbers do not mean much, but for two players looking to lead this team back in the playoffs and remain healthy, productive springs should certainly boost their confidence.
Look for Hudson and McCann to have superb years this season and if the Braves make the playoffs, they will be two of the more reliable and productive players that will get them there.
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