Hudson looks to improve in second full Major League season

Diamondbacks starter Daniel Hudson finished 2011 with a
16-
12 record and 3.49 ERA, making for a solid first full
Major
League season.

Acquired from the White Sox the previous season, Hudson
provided the second half of a strong 1-2 punch for the NL
West champions.

“I definitely had a good first full year in the Major
Leagues,” Hudson told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf.
“I thought I was very solid; it could have been better.”

Indeed, as while Hudson was solid, his 2011 campaign was
anything but smooth. The right-hander struggled in the
first innings of games, posting a 6.00 ERA in the first
frame, and had his share of struggles on the road.

So, it should come as no surprise that the recently-
married hurler would like to improve on some things this
season.

That means re-discovering his off-speed pitches as well as
working on the mental side of the game.

“You know, getting over that little barrier I had somehow,
for some reason, with the first inning,” he said. “I’m
getting over that mental state with putting guys away with
two strikes.

“I’m going to work really hard on that this spring, and
I’ve been working on all that stuff this offseason as
well.”

Hudson said he’s been working hard to improve, and if he
does he’ll go from solid number two starter to possible
ace. And, when combine that with Ian Kennedy, Trevor
Cahill, Josh Collmenter and Joe Saunders, the D-backs
would again have one of the best starting rotations in the
National League.

“To have all four of us back with the addition of Trevor
Cahill,” Hudson said, “is going to be great for us moving
forward.”

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