Yuck.
I hope you weren't expecting some sober, looking-on-the-bright-side analysis here. In a market where Derek Lowe has only one real suitor, and Oliver Perez and Ben Sheets can't even get a multi-year offer on the table, why would a major league general manager waste even $2 million on the likes of Tim Redding?
Redding has spent his 20s proving that he doesn't belong in the major leagues. He's been tattooed by batters in two different leagues, while pitching for four different teams. A two-year layaway ended in 2007 with two thoroughly mediocre seasons as the nominal staff ace in Washington.
His 2008 season is being trumpeted as some type of career year, as though a 4.95 ERA and a 1.429 WHIP is something to get excited about. Yes, he had seven wins and a decent ERA at the All-Star Break, but Redding quickly reverted back to form after July 15, clocking in with a 1.590 WHIP and an earned run average approaching 7.00. The Nationals were so impressed with Redding's overall performance that they non-tendered him in December.
Now he is a Met, presumably taking the fifth starter's job away from Jon Niese, Pedro Martinez or some other similarly deserving reclamation project. This should also end any dreams of a Santana-Lowe-Pelfrey-Perez-Maine rotation, although if Tim Redding ends up serving as the #4 starter, the Mets won't have to worry about a third straight September collapse. They won't be playing any meaningful games in the final month of the season anyway.
The only good thing I can think of about this deal is that it's only for one year, and at a price that probably isn't high enough to keep the Mets from shifting Redding into middle relief or outright releasing him by mid-summer. Jon Niese, don't go buying any real estate in Buffalo just yet.
STARTING PITCHERS
Johan Santana*
Tim Redding
Mike Pelfrey
John Maine
Jon Niese (renewable)
RELIEF PITCHERS
Francisco Rodriguez*
JJ Putz
Pedro Feliciano
Duaner Sanchez
Darren O'Day (Rule V)
Rocky Cherry (Rule V)
Brian Stokes (renewable)
Sean Green (renewable)
Eddie Kunz (renewable)
Carlos Muniz (renewable)
Robert Parnell (renewable)
Conor Robertson (renewable)
Brandon Knight (renewable)
Billy Wagner (out for 2009 season)
CATCHERS
Brian Schneider
Ramon Castro
Robinson Cancel (renewable)
INFIELDERS
Carlos Delgado*
Luis Castillo
David Wright
Jose Reyes
OUTFIELDERS
Carlos Beltran
Ryan Church
Marlon Anderson
Fernando Tatis*
Jeremy Reed
Daniel Murphy (renewable)
Angel Pagan (renewable)
Nick Evans (renewable)
1 comment:
Whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah, whoa!
Would this be the same Jon Niese everybody and their mother would like to see get at least a half season of triple A in him? Is this the same Pedro Martinez who can't get out of the fourth inning? Really, if Redding gives us a half a year at 3-5 he's done his job. I didn't know we were lookig to get Bob Gibson for the 5th starter spot. The fact is if he can take a 6-5 lead into the sixth inning on a regular basis, I'm pretty happy with our chance of wining that game given Putz and K-Rod.
And if he is so god-awful from the get then you bring up Niese and that's the end of it. Good signing. It also kind of puts Boras in the position of two in the hand and only one bush. Especially with Wolf and Sheets still out there. Its pretty clear that the Braves like country music but not extending offers.
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