Braves’ Tim Hudson, Twins’ Francisco Liriano named MLB’s comeback players of year
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Pitchers Tim Hudson of the Atlanta Braves and Francisco Liriano of the Minnesota Twins are Major League Baseball’s comeback players of the year, the league announced Tuesday.
After making only seven starts in 2009 following ‘Tommy John’ surgery, Hudson went 17-9 with a 2.83 earned run average in 34 starts while helping the Braves advance to the playoffs as the National League’s wild card. They open their divisional series against the Giants in San Francisco on Thursday.
Liriano missed all of 2007 after undergoing ‘Tommy John’ surgery and battled arm fatigue the following two seasons, starting only 14 games in 2008 and 24 in 2009. This season he started 31 games, going 14-10 with a 3.62 ERA. He enjoyed career highs in wins, starts, innings pitched (191.2) and strikeouts (201, fifth best in the American League). He is slated to start the AL Central champion Twins’ series opener against the visiting New York Yankees on Wednesday.
The award is voted on by the 30 beat reporters for MLB.com.
-- Chuck Schilken
Upper photo: Tim Hudson. Credit: Mike Zarrilli / Getty Images
Lower photo: Francisco Liriano. Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn / US Presswire
