Orlando Hudson On Verge Of Signing With Twins

Building off of today’s earlier rumors, we now get confirmation from Joe Christensen that Orlando Hudson is the newest Twin:

It’s entirely possible, of course, that Minnesota’s offer isn’t much better than Washington’s, but Hudson - who just had his first playoff exposure last October - may want to play for a winner. The Twins are looking like a solid bet in the AL Central, while the Nationals remain ensconced in a rebuilding phase that has them years away from serious contention.

Hudson, who turned 32 last December, years ago made a name for himself by being one of the best defensive middle infielders in the league. Age has taken its toll on his fielding, as he’s fallen down towards the rest of the pack, but his bat has remained consistent, as he’s been an above-average hitter four seasons in a row. He makes a good amount of contact, and though his groundball tendencies limit his ability to hit for power, he has a pretty good idea of the strike zone and makes the most of what balls he does send towards the outfield. In addition, any concerns anyone might’ve had about his good numbers in Arizona coming in a hitter-friendly ballpark were eased by Hudson continuing to hit well last year in Los Angeles.