Since the Dodgers acquired Ronnie Belliard from the Nationals, he has done nothing but impress his teammates and coaches. That includes Orlando Hudson. Hudson has been benched lately for Belliard, who is hitting .314 since the All-Star break with 7 home runs and a .358 on-base percentage.
"My man Belliard came in, they made a great trade to get him in here and he's doing a great job at second base," Hudson said. "All I can do is cheer for him."
Manager Joe Torre was non-committal when asked about who would be starting at second base the rest of the way, but did say the Hudson may be worn down from the amount of playing time he has had this season. Still, Hudson is hitting above his career .283 average, and owns a .354 on-base percentage.
Hudson is certainly up for a pay raise above the 3 million (plus about 4 million in bonuses) that he made this season, but who will give it to him? Several teams are targeting Chone Figgins, which could give a team like the Cubs a chance to make a move and snag the All-Star infielder.
Hudson would loosen up the Cubs clubhouse, not to mention give the Cubs a lefty bat at the top of the order. Hudson definitely needs some days off, as he is prone to minor injuries. However, newly acquired Cub Jeff Baker has done nothing but impress and could serve as a reserve player off the bench.