TIM HUDSON
On 1,500 strikeouts:
“I’m not a strikeout pitcher, so to be able to go out there and have
that kind of milestone for my career, it’s definitely something I’m
proud of. But it’s not something that I’m known for.”
On the ovation he got for 1,500:
“I didn’t even know I was coming close to 1,500 strikeouts until the
fans started cheering. They started cheering and I said, ‘What the heck
is going on? I thought (Jeff) Francoeur was up to bat again, back when
he was a rookie. I saw that it was 1,500; I was like, ‘Man that’s pretty
cool.’ The reaction of the fans was awesome. I had goose bumps out there
and that doesn’t happen for me too often when I’m out there pitching. It
was something that as a player I really appreciate. Hopefully we’ll give
them a lot more to cheer about the rest of the season.”
DAVID ROSS
On Hudson’s stuff:
“I came up here and watched an inning (in the clubhouse). I heard them
say he struck out eight or nine, a high since whenever, and I went back
out. I was calling the game for strikeouts to be honest with you. I
wanted him to get as many as possible. I was watching up here and his
sinker looked like a 92 mph split-finger from the TV perspective.
Dipping, going straight down right when it gets to the zone. He’s good
when he’s not on. When he has a bad game he gives up two runs.”
CHAD TRACY
(Marlins third baseman – compliments of Palm Peach Post colleague Joe
Capozzi)
On Hudson:
“He was dirty. It sinks and runs. You think you’re on it, but for lefty
it hits up off the end of your bat and chopped right into the ground.
There’s a reason why he’s got a (2.24) ERA and won 15 games. The guy has
definitely got his stuff back. He’s healthy. That’s why he is who he is
– he’s Tim Hudson.”
On 12 strikeouts swinging:
“It’s there and then it’s not. You think you’re on it and then it’s
breaking down and away from you. It’s deceptive. Then you throw that
change-up in there along with it… .When he is spotting there’s not a
whole lot you can do with that kind of stuff.”