Braves Insider: Hudson's injury was front and center

There wasn't a day during the 2011 season when Tim Hudson didn't have ice on his back. He attributed the constant stiffness to "getting old" -- he's 36. The problem, in fact, was a herniated disk, something he's been dealing with for the last two seasons. It's a measure of how tough he is that the information comes out only now -- and only because Hudson was having too much pain to go through his offseason workout. So he finally opted for surgery Nov. 28. Hudson threw a one-hit complete game shutout in the second game of a May 4 doubleheader, but his back stiffened during his May 20 start and he missed his next turn. An MRI then showed no damage to his sore back -- or so the media was told -- and he started once again on May 30 versus the Padres. Other than his constantly wrapped back and the idea of it in the back of everyone's mind, it wasn't an issue. Especially since Hudson was the only starter pitching more than seven innings at a go. T...