Orlando Hudson Leads Young Bunch of Diamondbacks in Phoenix

When Orlando Hudson was traded in December of 2005 from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Arizona Diamondbacks, he knew there'd be a ton of changes in his near future. He'd have to adjust himself to the warmer weather, as well as playing in the National League. The small town kid from South Carolina would have to adjust himself to living the big city life out in the desert. He knew he'd be moving to a team with a more active fan base in a place with much more exposure. Little did Orlando Hudson know that in 2007, he'd be counted on to be the team's veteran leader.

Hudson, you'll see, is only 29 years old. Though he's already won two gold glove awards at second base, the 2007 will only be his fifth full season in the major leagues. In Arizona, that makes him an old man, though. Hudson, aptly nicknamed the "O-Dawg" by ESPN's Baseball Tonight crew, will be counted on to provide leadership to a team that has undergone quite a youth movement in the past couple of years.

Gone are the stars of yesterday out in Arizona. The outfield position that was occupied by Luis Gonzales for the past ten years will be manned by 23-year old Carlos Quentin in 2007. Craig Counsell's out at shortstop, making way for fellow 23-year old Stephen Drew to shine. Behind Hudson in centerfield will be another youngster - the immensely talented Chris Young. Being the old man is alright with Hudson, though. As long as he's out there playing everyday, he'll take to his role quite nicely.

Joining Hudson in the infield is the aforementioned Drew and a couple other young players on the corners. Third baseman Chad Tracy is only 26, although in his fourth season with the team, he'll play a role similar to Hudson's. First baseman Connor Jackson returns for his second full season at that position. What these new "Baby Backs" lack in experience, they more than make up for in talent. Drew was the #1 overall pick in the 2002 draft, while Young and Quentin were top minor league prospects in their own right. Tracy and Jackson both had solid seasons for the club last year.

If the Diamondbacks are going to contend for the NL West title this year, as their front office hopes, they'll need to get much more than leadership out of Hudson. Last season, he set career highs in batting average, home runs, and rbis. Especially encouraging was the fact that most of that damage came after the all-star break, when the second baseman really seemed to find his groove at the plate. He'll now bat in the second spot in the lineup, meaning more opportunities with men on base. Hudson relishes that opportunity, though.

Coming from his small town roots, getting to the major leagues was the biggest challenge for the talented gloveman. He wasn't recruited by a major college out of high school and had to work his way through the Blue Jays' minor league system after being drafted in the 37th round. Now, he's the proud owner of two straight gold gloves at second base and is thought by many to be the game's premier defensive player at that position. Hudson doesn't just want to be the best defensive player of his era, though. He's got his sights set on being the best ever at that position. He might get there in the coming years, but for this year, the 29-year old will just have to settle for being the leader of an emerging powerhouse in the desert.