St. Louis Cardinals: Dakota Hudson deserves his shot

The St. Louis Cardinals have decided to let John Gant start tomorrow, despite the rumors that Dakota Hudson might be making his debut.

Taking nothing away from John Gant, this start should be going to Dakota Hudson. There is not a single reason why Hudson has not earned a promotion to the majors, and this was a prime opportunity. It feels like the St. Louis Cardinals missed a chance.

Hudson has a bright future, and he will eventually get his shot. This is not some massive conspiracy that the Cardinals are trying to hold him down. It just makes sense that a top prospect, who is performing, gets the chance when it presents itself.

Why Not Hudson?

It keeps coming up, but he is not on the 40 man roster. That is hardly a reason to keep him in Triple A. Room can be made easily. The fact remains that I see little reason that Hudson is not ready for his chance in St. Louis. But, more on that later.

With the looming trade deadline, Hudson is one of the biggest potential trade chips the St. Louis Cardinals have. But even keeping him down in the minors might be hurting his value. He is close to MLB ready in some eyes, and completely ready in others. So, if he is going to have trade value it would only make sense that teams see what he can do against major league hitters.

Is Hudson Ready?

Yes. Very ready. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at his last game. He started last night, effectively ending his chances to start tomorrow. Whether there was a chip on his shoulder or not, he performed in a big way.

This is not the first time he has put out numbers like this. One look at Hudson’s season numbers can tell you that. He has 10 wins and a 2.04 ERA in 88.1 innings. With 14 starts, that is an average of almost seven innings per start.

There can be numbers thrown at you all day, but they mean nothing if he is not going to get his shot with the St. Louis Cardinals. He will eventually. And if his performances say anything, he will be able to hold onto his spot.

Next: Talking Trade Deadline

Hudson is the real deal. I believe that with every fiber of my being. He just needs his shot, and that is a moment that we have to wait for, as evidence by Gant getting the call for tomorrows game.