Rex Hudler

Rex Hudler
Utility player
Born: (1960-09-02) September 2, 1960 (age 51) Tempe, Arizona, U.S.
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 9, 1984 for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
June 23, 1998 for the Philadelphia Phillies
Career statistics
Batting average	.261
Home runs	56
Runs batted in	169
Teams
New York Yankees (1984–1985) Baltimore Orioles (1986) Montreal Expos (1988–1990) St. Louis Cardinals (1990–1992) Yakult Swallows (1993) California Angels (1994–1996) Philadelphia Phillies (1997–1998)

Rex Allen Hudler (born September 2, 1960 in Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) is a radio broadcaster for the Kansas City Royals and a former Major League Baseball utility player. He played a total of thirteen seasons after being a first round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 1978.

Playing career

He played for 6 different Major League Baseball teams and at every position except pitcher and catcher throughout his career: the New York Yankees (1984–1985), Baltimore Orioles (1986), Montreal Expos (1988–1990), St. Louis Cardinals (1990–1992), California Angels (1994–1996), and Philadelphia Phillies (1997–1998).

He also played for the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League in 1993. Hudler saw playing time in the minor leagues with the Rochester Red Wings of the Triple-A International League in 1986 and 1987. Hudler then saw playing time with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians of the American Association in 1988 as the starting third baseman. During his playing career in Japan, he contributed to the team's back-to-back league championship and its second-ever Japan Series championship since its first title in 1978.

Prior to signing with the Yankees, Hudler was visited by Notre Dame, who hoped that he would suit up for their football team. A 1978 graduate of Bullard High School (Fresno, California), Hudler played baseball, soccer and football, earning first-team All-America honors as a wide receiver. He was a 1999 inductee into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame.

Rex actually earned his "Bug-Eater" moniker in St. Louis during a game when he picked up an enormous junebug off his hat and when dared to eat it by his Cardinal teammate, Tom Pagnozzi, got the players in the dugout involved and they paid him $800 to eat the junebug.

Broadcasting career

From 1999 through the 2009 season^[1] Hudler was the color commentator for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim radio and television broadcasting team alongside play-by-player announcers Steve Physioc, Rory Markas and Terry Smith. He is also the color commentator for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable games MLB 06: The Show, 07, 08, 09 and 10 for the PlayStation 3 along with Dave Campbell and Matt Vasgersian. For the 2011 edition, he was replaced by Eric Karros.

Hudler was suspended briefly from his broadcast job in 2003 after being arrested at Kansas City International Airport for possession of cannabis and medical paraphernalia.^[2]

In November 2009 the Angels and FSN West announced they would not renew the contracts of Hudler and Physioc for the 2010 season.^[3]

In October 2010 Hudler began a Saturday afternoon program, "The Wonder Dog Hour", on Angels flagship station KLAA, 830 AM in Orange, California.

On February 14, 2012, he was announced as the new television broadcast color commentator for the Kansas City Royals, teaming up with Ryan Lefebvre and his old partner Steve Physioc.

Personal life

Hudler was hospitalized in 2001 with a brain aneurysm.^[4]

He is also the president of the non-profit organization Team Up For Down Syndrome, which raises money for public awareness, housing, education, job training, family counseling and health care for those living with Down Syndrome. Hudler and his wife Jennifer have a 12-year old son who was born with the chromosomal abnormality.

He currently lives in Tustin, California.

Rex Hudler quotes

• "Wax your car today, Mr. Moreno?"
• "You could put more than a slice of cheese under that one!"
• "Ham and eggs, roll em' over."
• "Pilot to Bombardier!"
• "Be a fountain, not a drain"
• "Be a tool, and useless!"
• "a walk, a steal and a lousy single"
• "I wish I could have had a lousy single"
• "He got to go!"
• "How did I EVER get a job on television??"
• "Cheese on my knees, broke the dish in two. Blew the pitch on by, wouldn't wanna be you!"
• "He's getting Figgy with it"
• “[Zito pitched well] though he has a chance not to win this game.”
• "Kingfish Salmon went upstream!"
• "I am such a tool!"
• "Get 'em on, get 'em over, get 'em in!"
• "He just keeps fouling them off, waiting for that cookie!"
• "Another big fly for Big Daddy Vladdy!"
• "You gotta hack or they'll send you back!"
• "Vlad's motto is: From his nose to his toes, that's how Vladdy Goes, East and West, Vlad's the best!"
• "The Angels run and gun and slash and dash."
• "That there was a worm burner" (In reference to a particularly nasty ground ball)
• "Boy, did he drop a huge deuce in the stands!" (About a two-run homer)
• "That's a Screaming Meemie!" (In reference to a fast line drive.)
• "That bat snapped in two, but it died an Angel hero."
• "Be patient, young Jedi!"
• "I used to ride the pine for nine."
• "That hit was a chop knock"
• "Man, that ball was Tattered and Battered!"
• "He definitely could've gotten a slice of cheese under that hop!" (on Lyle Overbay attempting to snag a ball over his head.)
• "Right through the wickets!" (on a groundball between the legs)
• "You better pick up your pencils 'cuz these Angels are going to be laying down the lead today!"
• "These new kids are young, they've got energy - just give them a PBJ sandwich and they're good to go!"
• "Light up that Halo!"
• "All's we need is a knock, a walk, a bloop, and a blast." (when the Angels are more than three runs down in the score)
• "I love the smell of grass in the Spring!"

"It's right on the money, honey, he got to go!" "Hanging slider. Billy Butler couldn't wipe the slobber off his mouth!" "A knock, a steal, a bloop, and a blast!"

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• Hudler suspended following marijuana arrest
• TV announcer Hudler hospitalized with brain aneurysm
• Rex Hudler's web site

References

1. ^ "Broadcasters" page on Angels website
2. ^ Associated Press, "Hudler suspended following marijuana arrest", September 4, 2003
3. ^ Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times, "Rex Hudler, Steve Physioc no longer Angels broadcasters"
4. ^ St. Petersburg Times, "TV announcer Hudler hospitalized with brain aneurysm", April 9, 2001