Dodgers Are Favorites for Hudson

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to land free-agent 2B Orlando Hudson, according to Foxsports.com. Hudson is a three-time Gold Glove winner and would be a defensive upgrade from the Dodgers' current second-baseman, Blake DeWitt. The Dodgers could sign Hudson and still be capable of signing Manny Ramirez. Hudson batted .305 last season before a wrist injury ended the year prematurely. Hudson is a Type-A free-agent and would require LA to surrender their first-round draft pick to the Arizona Diamondbacks if he is signed. However, the Players' Union and Major League Baseball are working to allow a sign-and-trade rule. This would allow Type-A free-agents who have not joined a new team to sign back with their old ones, only to be traded to another club. This eliminates the draft-pick compensation that deters teams from signing these free-agents in the first place.