Hudson rehabbed tenaciously back home in South Carolina, but when he was able to resume baseball activities, he discovered real limitations. He started batting right-handed in December, but lacked the top-hand strength to hit left-handed until January.
Admittedly, his left-handed swing currently lacks the aggression of his right-handed swing, although he showed improvement Tuesday against his former Diamondbacks teammates with a hit-and-run single and a sharp liner to center. This spring, Hudson is 3-for-16 with four strikeouts and no extra-base hits.
"Left-handed, it's still a little trying, but it's coming," Hudson said.
Hudson reports full range of motion when he bends the wrist downward and side to side.
But he has trouble bending his wrist upward and it is not expected to improve with time. Try catching a baseball with a glove on a hand that can't bend up. Hudson taught himself how, by cushioning the impact of the throw by allowing his entire left arm to "give" when the ball reaches the glove.
"I may not get any more range of motion than what it is now, but I can play," Hudson said. "I've figured out what I can do and what I can't, and I've compensated for what I can't do.
I can't catch normally or it's so painful I can't play. But God has helped me work it out."