Braves Pitcher Tim Hudson Wins 200th Game

01 May, 2013

Tuesday in Atlanta, Tim Hudson won the 200th game of his marvelous Major League Baseball career.

Hudson became only the 110th pitcher in MLB history to accomplish the feat, according to STATS LLC. For context, 236 pitchers have thrown no-hitters. So, Hudson’s new distinction is more than twice as rare as having thrown a no-hitter.

Hudson’s achievement deserves to be celebrated because of baseball’s present environment, as much as for its place in history. In an era of pitch counts and specialized bullpens, round numbers are becoming more difficult to reach. Hudson is one of only three active pitchers with 200 wins, the others being Andy Pettitte (248) and Roy Halladay (201).

A 200-win career acts as a lifetime achievement award for many pitchers. And as fewer of them reach 300 and even 250 — as Pettitte, by the way, is about to do — then the 200-victory threshold will assume a greater importance.

“I think 200 wins is definitely challenging, no question about it,” Hudson told me over the weekend, while his Braves were in Detroit. “You have to be healthy. You have to pitch a long time. Nowadays, who knows how long careers are going to be?

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