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While you weren't looking, Tim Hudson has been building a pretty impressive Hall of Fame résumé. He won his 200th career game on Tuesday night, even adding a home run that bounced off Bryce Harper's glove. 200 wins isn't a Hall of Fame milestone by any stretch of the imagination, but Hudson is young enough that he could add significantly to his already-impressive totals. To wit: His past three seasons have seen him go 49-26 with a 3.19 ERA and 399 strikeouts. We're not saying his best years are ahead of him, but he's clearly ascribing to the "fine wine" theory of aging.

• Justin Riddick: "'Hudson's going to have to reach the Hall of Fame as a compiler instead of someone who was a really dominant pitcher. The guy's basically been a consistent #2 caliber starting pitcher since joining Atlanta. If he has a career ending injury in the next year or two or his performance has a significant drop in 2014 or 2015, he definitely won't make it."
• Jason O'Rear: "200 wins is a great accomplishment, but it speaks more to longevity and good luck on Tim Hudson's part to be in this position. There are too many people being passed over (like a lot of Tigers on the 1984 team) for this to merit inclusion."
• Shanynn Forbes Karkowsky : "The Hall of Fame is for the greatest to ever play their position. Tim Hudson? Nice career, good pitcher. HOF - NO WAY."
• Luca Ferrieri: "His numbers are better than some of the pitchers already in the HOF. So, by that logic, he IS hof worthy."
• Paul Schmidt: "I think you have to compare Tim Hudson to the other starters that pitched during his career. Not once in his career did he challenge for the Cy Young award. I would put him at very good, but not HOF."
• Tiger Sanders: "He deserves to be in the hall. There will be no more 300 game winners in today's game."

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The "Baseball Tonight Goodyear Express Tour" pulls into Lake Buena Vista, Fla., where the Atlanta Braves are gearing up for the 2013 season. Atlanta made the postseason last year as a wild card but was one-and-done in MLB's new playoff format. Now the Braves have a new, Upton-powered outfield and are looking to make a deeper October run in 2013. Can they do it? Cast your votes!

Which of these teams has baseball's best outfield?

•  
  34%
  Angels (Mike Trout, Peter Bourjos, Josh Hamilton)
•  
  3%
  A's (Yoenis Cespedes, Chris Young, Josh Reddick, Coco Crisp)
•  
  51%
  Braves (Justin Upton, B.J. Upton, Jason Heyward)
•  
  6%
  Cardinals (Matt Holliday, Jon Jay, Carlos Beltran)
•  
  6%
  Nationals (Bryce Harper, Denard Span, Jayson Werth)

(Total votes: 5,502)

Which of these pitchers is more important to the Braves' success in 2013?

•  
  47%
  Starter Kris Medlen
•  
  53%
  Closer Craig Kimbrel

(Total votes: 4,447)

MLB's first one-game wild-card playoff was not staged without controversy. In the eighth inning, Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons hit a fly ball that dropped in beyond Cardinals shortshop Pete Kozma, which would have loaded the bases for Atlanta with one out. However, the left-field umpire invoked the infield fly rule, calling Simmons out. Braves fans immediately began throwing bottles and cans on the field, resulting in an 18-minute delay, and manager Fredi Gonzalez informed the umpires the Braves would be playing the rest of the game under protest. Reaction outside Atlanta was just as strong. What did you think of the call? Comment and vote below.

• ssiler1984 I don't blame these fans at all 1 game playoff and an awful call like that........although I wouldnt throw anything I dont blame them lol
• aneezjbm The replacement refs in the Seahawks vs Packers game couldn't have blown that call.
• kearse9090 Bad call, oh well. The Cardinals had a bad call (time out) earlier. That's the way the game goes.
• apeterlives disappointing end for the braves..... just wow
• shemmue2 Game is tainted does not matter if the cards win now , this is what will be talked about. umps ruined this game

What are your thoughts about the infield fly call in the NL wild-card game? Let us know! #2ndguess

— ESPN_baseball (@ESPN_MLB) October 6, 2012

Officially under protest! Wow! At least it's not the 8th inning of a do or die game to get into the NLDS or anything... Oh wait...

— John Axford (@JohnAxford) October 6, 2012

When the shortstop is 40 feet deep in the outfield & the ball lands 10 feet from him its not an ordinary play #getittogether #worstcallevwe

— Alex Wood (@Awood45) October 6, 2012

One game elimination and a call like that is made? Inexcusable

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) October 5, 2012

Hotlanta take it easy!!! This is embarrassing. On both parts. Umps and the fans. #WildCard

— Chris Dickerson (@CDickerson_PFTP) October 5, 2012

No puedo creer lo que veo.... #MLBPlayoffs #EstoEsIncreible

— Jose Bautista(@JoeyBats19) October 5, 2012

What a bad call. That was not infield fly rule worthy. Awful.

— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) October 5, 2012

He literally pointed in the air half a second before the ball hit the ground... Dang

— Daniel Hudson (@DHuddy41) October 6, 2012

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Chipper Jones has entered his last week of regular season baseball. In his honor, Jayson Stark took a look at Jones' career, causing a few readers to get teary-eyed. How will you remember Chipper Jones? Comment below!

• Lukawren24: With all these guys now a days chasing the money, like Josh Hamilton (won't give a hometown discount) it makes me respect jones that much more. Probably could have made millions more had he left for another team but it meant something to him to stay in atl.
• Izzy2011: I've been getting a little emotional as Chip's career is ending. I was 7 years old when Chipper made his big league debut with the Braves. My whole life Chipper has been a mainstay in Atlanta. ... I'll most definitely shed a tear when I see my childhood hero play for my beloved Braves for the final time... Respect
• twakavols: Chipper Jones is my favorite baseball player of all time. The whole reason I started playing baseball as little kid was because of Chipper. I wanted to be just like him out there. Thanks for all the memories. I dont want this season to end however. But if it must end may it end in a glorious manner, as anything less spectacular would not live up to the career and life of the man of the hour, thanks for everything Chipper. - Bravesfanforlife
• kinsahd: Chipper is a player of old. He is someone that we think of when we think of baseballs past and yet he is playing in 2012. When all we hear is steriods and money grabs and players fighting with coaches and selfishness...We look at Chipper and say thats how it should be done. It will never be the same watching the Braves without chipper jones. He has been there since I was 8 and no matter what I could always count on number 10 doing something special. You will be missed Chip!
• mastersbk: As a Met fan, I #$%^&* hate this guy. He broke my heart so many times as a kid. And to top it off, he named his kid "Shea" as if to rub it in our faces. But, none of these bitter feelings would have been possible had he not been a great player. And for what it's worth, he let his hitting do the biggest talking.
• theforesighted: Chipper has been the quintessential team player; the ultimate MVP. Of all the players who have taken an at-bat since the day Chipper entered the league, there is not one that I would rather have seen in a Braves uniform. Let us hope that he rides off into the sunset with one more WS ring.
• itsatrap123: As a Yanks fan I remember not wanting to face the Braves in the WS in the late 90s. In 1998 I was thrilled when the Padres knocked out the Braves. Chipper and Andruw were something else back then.



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The Brewers are shopping Zack Greinke around the league, as a likely short-term rental for a competitor. Jayson Stark thinks the Angels, Rangers, Braves and White Sox have the best chance of getting him. What do you think?

• gsa817: "If the Rangers really want him, they can get him. They have the best pieces. Doubt it will happen though. Greinke isn't exactly King Felix or Verlander, so Texas would be dumb to trade their future stars for him. He'll probably end up on the Angels."
• dirkfanman81: "rangers please do not give up prospects for a half year rental. id rather tough it out then basically just throw out good young prospects for him."
• zelts3: "Greinke would be fine in a big market....he's had so many articles and eyes on him lately and his last start vs the Phillies shows he can pitch well with that environment. Greinke is shut-down."
• thesonicbrew: "As a Braves fan I keep thinking back to about 5 years ago when I read one of these rumor articles about Greinke to Atlanta for, a then up-and-coming Jeff Francouer.....and the Braves passed. Ah the irony."
• Big-E28: "The Braves need to get Greinke now. We have the prospects that Milwaukee is looking for. They need a shortstop, then we'll give them Pastornicky. They need a good young arm, then we give them Delgado. Obviously the Braves are willing to trade Delgado as he was going to the Cubs, so what is the problem?"



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Opening Day -- well, Opening Night, really, and we technically already had one of those in Japan, but who's counting? -- is finally here, as the Cardinals will take on the Marlins tonight in the first stateside regular-season MLB game. It's bound to be an exciting season with so many players having changed teams, but has the power structure been altered significantly?

Vote: Pick each division and pennant, and the winner of the World Series

Rank: Baseball's best teams? | Top players in the game?

Which team is more likely to make it back to the World Series?

•  
  21%
  Cardinals
•  
  79%
  Rangers

(Total votes: 63,581)

Which of these players would you most want on your team?

•  
  6%
  Miguel Cabrera
•  
  17%
  Roy Halladay
•  
  6%
  Felix Hernandez
•  
  39%
  Albert Pujols
•  
  32%
  Justin Verlander

(Total votes: 64,564)

Which of these AL East teams is most likely to miss the playoffs?

•  
  54%
  Red Sox
•  
  15%
  Yankees
•  
  31%
  Rays

(Total votes: 38,308)

Which is the best team in the American League?

•  
  23%
  Yankees
•  
  14%
  Another team
•  
  21%
  Angels
•  
  21%
  Rangers
•  
  21%
  Tigers

(Total votes: 66,943)

Which is the best team in the National League?

•  
  10%
  Marlins
•  
  10%
  Giants
•  
  46%
  Phillies
•  
  8%
  Reds
•  
  26%
  Another team

(Total votes: 63,887)

Fernando Valenzuela and Dave Stewart once pitched no-hitters on the same day. Cal Ripken Jr.'s lap around Camden Yards was special. But has any regular-season day in your lifetime topped the drama that unfolded last night in baseball? Evan Longoria channeled Bobby Thomson with a walk-off home run, Jonathan Papelbon wrote a fitting ending for a September collapse, the Braves and Phillies battled deep into extra innings and the Cardinals took care of business. Like Jose Reyes, hopefully you rested up in the afternoon.

• "What a night of baseball! Watched Strasburg pitch a gem. Watched the Braves collapse. Watched the O's rally to beat the Sox. Watchd the Rays rally to beat the Yanks. Don't you love technology?" -- SN commenter luvdc88
• "My Orioles weren't in the race -- and haven't been since I had more hair -- but even though I've watched sports of all sorts since the late 60s and have been in sports media since 1979, this was a night I won't soon forget." -- SN commenter joeypsinger

It's a curious development that the two teams that most successfully avoided wild-card races will help determine which teams earn those spots. The Phillies and Yankees are safely in the postseason, but the Yankees visit the Rays for three games, with the latter just one game behind the Red Sox in the AL wild-card race. In the NL, the Phillies visit the Braves, with the latter just one game ahead of the Cardinals. Do the leaders owe the wild-card contenders full effort? Rank 'Em: Your MLB Power Rankings

The Cardinals wasted a golden opportunity in losing late against the Mets on Thursday, but neither the Braves in the NL nor Red Sox in the AL can feel comfortable about their leads entering a potentially wild weekend. Do you expect a clear picture by Monday morning?

The Red Sox lost again Wednesday night but gained ground in the wild-card race when the Rays lost a doubleheader against the Yankees. Then again, they also gained a challenger when the Angels pulled even with the Rays. But does all of that add up to the lesser of the wild-card races? With a win this afternoon against the Mets, the Cardinals could pull to within a game of the Braves in the NL wild-card race, and the Giants are still lurking.

• "Wow, the Cardinals are surging and couldn't have picked a better time to get HOT!!! If they do somehow get the NL wild card slot, they are going to be TOUGH to beat. ... Just imagine where we would be sitting right now if we didn't lose Wainwright?" -- SN commenter mizzoufan84
• "You have to give the Cards credit. The Braves had their shot at the Mets and the Mets bullpen, and they lost 2 of 3. They dug their own hole. Cards are doing what they're supposed to do." -- SN commenter oblio98