But sitting in front of his locker Thursday afternoon, one day after he found out he would be wearing No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson on April 15, he spoke slower, his voice filled with emotion.

"It means a lot," he said. "That's Jackie Robinson, man. Four-sport star at UCLA. All the stuff he went through. I don't know if I would have been strong enough to go through the stuff he went through. Back of the bus, different bathrooms, teammates mistreat you, slide into a base and be spit on, be called the 'N' word by some fans."

As a tribute to Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947, Commissioner Bud Selig will allow players to wear Robinson's No. 42. Selig had retired the number throughout baseball on April 15, 1997, the 50th anniversary of Robinson's debut.

D-backs equipment manager Roger Riley approached veteran first baseman Tony Clark on Wednesday while the team was in Denver to ask him if he wanted to wear No. 42. Clark did, but suggested that Hudson do so instead.

"I'd love to wear it," Clark said. "But I told him perhaps 'O' should wear it because I know that number needs to be on the field and I may not be on the field that day."

Hudson has already asked his agent to get him some throwback shoes and he plans on wearing his socks high and pants baggy that day just like Robinson did.

Riley said the club will make an extra No. 42 jersey for Hudson to hang onto, as well as one for Clark.

"And for me to have the honor of wearing his number ... when TC asked me, that's beyond being called up to the big leagues, playing every day in the big leagues," Hudson said. "It's beyond Gold Gloves, beyond All-Star Games. Just for that one day I get to put myself in Jackie Robinson's shoes without the name calling and stuff that went along with it.

"I do want to steal home, though."

Drew out: Alberto Callaspo got the start at short in place of Stephen Drew, who is still dealing with the effects of a tender quadriceps muscle.

"Quad's getting better, so hopefully with some treatment today it'll be close to 100 percent tomorrow," D-backs manager Bob Melvin said.

Q update: Outfielder Carlos Quentin (torn labrum) hit off a tee, took soft toss and also some live batting practice in the cage.

"I trust these guys, they know what they're doing," Quentin said of Arizona's medical team, which has had him on a program to strengthen the muscles around the labrum. "I trust that we're getting it strong so that when I comeback, I'm ready."

Quentin may take early batting practice on the field Friday afternoon.

"Until we get him to where he's taking some batting practice and we're comfortable getting him in a game situation again, there's really no timetable yet [for his return]," Melvin said.

Brrrrr: The D-backs and Nats will face some chilly conditions this weekend with low temperatures dipping into the 30s with a chance of snow showers late Friday or early Saturday.

"It's not fun for anybody when it gets that cold," Melvin said. "When you don't [hit] it on the barrel [of the bat], you feel it on your hands sometimes for a few innings. Usually the pitcher and catcher are the ones that have it the best."

Up next: The D-backs and Nats continue this four-game series Friday afternoon at 4:05 PT with Micah Owings taking on Jerome Williams.

The game will mark the Major League debut for Owings, who had his contract purchased following Wednesday's game in Colorado. The right-hander has shot up through the Arizona farm system since being drafted in the third round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft.

Owings, 24, started the 2006 season at Double-A Tennessee and went 6-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 games before being promoted to Triple-A Tucson. With the Sidewinders, Owings was unbeatable, literally, winning all 10 of his decisions.

Throughout it all, Owings has always shown a poise and competitiveness beyond his experience level.

"He's going to pitch his game no matter what the conditions, where he is or who he's facing," Melvin said. "He's not going to back away from anybody. He's very confident in what he does out there."