PREFERS TEMPLE'S OFFENSE TO PRINCETON'S
The 34-year-old Hudson could have returned to the Braves under a $12 million option, but the sides focused on a longer deal after the righthander showed he had overcome major elbow surgery.
His new deal calls for salaries of $9 million in each of the next three seasons, and the Braves get a $9 million club option for 2013 with a $1 million buyout. If Hudson pitches at least 600 innings over the next three seasons, he would receive a $500,000 bonus after the 2012 season.
The Braves now have six starters under contract for next season: Hudson, Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami.
* As expected, Jim Riggleman was introduced as the manager of the Washington Nationals.
Riggleman was promoted from bench coach to interim manager midway through last season, replacing the fired Manny Acta in July. The Nationals were 26-61 (a .299 winning percentage) at the time and went 33-42 (.440) under Riggleman. While they finished with a majors-worst record of 59-103, there was a sense that his pregame fielding drills and postgame clubhouse talks were helping the young players on a rebuilding team.
Photos: 2009 Phillies 
