Tim Redding felt no need to wait until the end of the regular season to get beat up by the Marlins. No, he figured he would let them get started in spring training — you know, to get a little practice in. [1] Powering through the gaudy Marlins lineup, Tim Redding gave up a mere nine runs in two innings. This LOWERED his ERA from the truly spectacular 135.00 back down to the more earthly 40.50.
[1] Interesting fact: The combined age of the Marlins 40 man roster is less than the combined age of the two Hernandez brothers.
But we all should have known the fun wouldn’t last forever. Today the Mets announced they are shutting Tim Redding down indefinitely due to “shoulder weakness”. I think they are just being nice. He should be shut down for “general weakness”.
How did this happen? How did he get a guaranteed $2.25MM contract? Because he is an “innings eater”? Wrong. He has never pitched 200 innings in a major league season. Because he is young, or has some great potential waiting to be unleashed? No. He is 31, he’s never been very good, and he is never going to be any better.
I am not going to say that Pedro Martinez is the answer for the Mets 5th starter spot, but how can a first ballot Hall of Famer, who single-handedly made this franchise credible, get laughed at for wanting a $5MM guaranteed deal, and this scrub can get half that and nobody freaks out? I am biased of course. I LOVE Pedro. I will readily admit signing Pedro would be a bad baseball move. But wouldn’t it be great?
I have got to believe he has something to prove. I have got to believe that his ego needs one more great year, a signature “Old Pedro” season, where he doesn’t quite have everything he used to, but he is so smart and he loves the game so much that he gets hitters out with mind-curveballs. Remember, we really aren’t that far removed from 2005 Pedro, 217 inning Pedro, All-Star Pedro, 145 ERA+ Pedro, sprinklers dancing Pedro, tractor driving goofy smiling Pedro.
Wouldn’t it be great?
Yes. And now I go commit seppuku.