If Timothy gets another start I will not be pleased at all. Plug another starter in there and send Mr Redding to the Zephers to get his head and pitching straight. All we need now is someone to come in and keep the sit warm for Carlos Hernandez (whoc should be redy in a month at most). If for northing else, I believe Timothy Redding needs time off to correct somethings and get back on track. He sure do have the "stuff" but that is just about it. We don't need a black hole. I hate going into games hoping not to lose. Four starts is enough in my books to demote him. Remember we have formidables opponents in the Cubs and the pesky Cards - we cannot afford to give "away" games.
Since he started with the Astros, Redding has been a good pitcher for 2-3 innings at a time, then he starts leaving pitches over the plate. Every time he's in the starter's role, he's inconsistent, and struggles to make it to the 5th, when he does. To me -- this screams bullpen guy. Last season, his most productive time was in the bullpen, and it was his bullpen performance (along with a ton of injuries) that helped him work his way into the end of the season. I'd really like the Astros to put Redding back in the bullpen, where he seems to do well as a long relief / mop up guy.
dc sports -- your description of redding is a perfect description of dotel as a starter as well. i agree with you...and i don't think tim should make his next scheduled start. we need to look elsewhere.
That's not what happened. Redding was in the rotation from the beginning. Redding and Robertson were battling it out for the 5th spot in the rotation during spring training, and both were having great springs. When camp broke, it was announced that both had made the rotation, and Shane Reynolds would be released.
Redding has options, meaning he can be sent down & called up at the discretion of the Astros, without involving the waiver process. However: 1. Duckworth has been just as bad as a starter this year (2G, 7ER, 9IP); 2. Unlike Redding, he has had no success at any time in his career; 3. Hernandez and Bucholz aren't ready, as stated by Gerry; 4. The Astros do not believe the starters available in AAA can pitch any better than Redding; 5. It's the 5th spot in the rotation; 6. The team is in first; 7. It's May 3. He'll take his next 2 turns in the rotation: 5-7 at ATL 5-12 vs FLA 2 tough starts, then there's an off-day on his next scheduled turn in the rotation. We'll see what happens then. Again, this is just what the front office has been saying publicly. As a side note, just to preempt any "Gee I wish they still had Jeriome Robertson" talk, he has a 7.07 era, very similar to Timmah, except he pitches in Buffalo. (On a side note to my side note, star of ring & screen Rowdy Roddy Piper is participating in the second annual "Ballpark Brawl" after the Bison's home game on July 17. I would advise anyone spending their summer in Buffalo to attend this event.)
Redding may lose rotation spot By NEIL HOHLFELD Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle RESOURCES On one side of the Astros' clubhouse, Brad Ausmus and Jeff Bagwell were joking about the suicide squeeze that Ausmus got down in the eighth inning to break a 5-5 tie and bring home the go-ahead run Sunday. There were smiles and laughter. The Astros have won four straight games and are alone in first place in the NL Central. Across the room, Tim Redding was wondering what will become of him after his fourth consecutive bad start. Redding lasted only three innings on Sunday against Cincinnati, his shortest outing of the season. He allowed five hits, two walks and four runs. When Redding left the mound with none out in the fourth, the Astros trailed 4-0. Is Redding worried that he will be sent to the bullpen and replaced in the rotation by Brandon Duckworth? Or that he will be sent to Class AAA New Orleans to work out his problems? "I'm not even really worried about it," Redding said after the Astros' 6-5 victory. "If they're going to send me down, they've already got that decision made. If they're going to put me in the bullpen, again, they've got that decision made. "I'm very fortunate that they're giving me the ball every fifth day right now. I have to keep trying to go out and battle and work hard and not give in. That's the one thing I've always prided myself on: not giving in." Astros manager Jimy Williams deferred comment on Redding's situation until today, when the Astros try for a four-game sweep of the Reds. Williams wanted to talk more about the job the bullpen did behind Redding, allowing one run in six innings, and the way the team rallied for three runs in the eighth to pull out the win. "I tell you what," Williams said, "we had such a great game today, and there's so many things that you can talk about positively. No, he didn't take us deep, but there's too many other things that happened from a positive standpoint. "You win a tough game; you win it late -- that's what we want to focus on. If you want to come see me tomorrow, I'll talk to you about it (Redding's situation)." Make no mistake. Redding's status won't go away. Once again, he seemed to have better stuff than the results indicated. He was throwing his fastball between 92 and 95 mph. His slider and changeup had hitters off-balance several times. But again, Redding's main problem was throwing hittable pitches after getting ahead in the count. "Once again, like last time, he really didn't throw bad, but every time he left a pitch in the middle of the plate, he got spanked," said Ausmus, the Astros' catcher. "He really didn't leave that many out there, but when he did, he got spanked. You've got to not do that, especially with men on base." Is there anything Ausmus can say to help Redding? The veteran catcher didn't seem to think so. "I didn't think there's anything to be said anymore. He's got to do it," Ausmus said. "He knows he's got to do it. It's not something that can't be fixed. He's not far away. Maybe it's a small lapse in concentration on one pitch here, one pitch there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ROCKY DAYS Tim Redding has not made it past the fifth inning in any of his four starts. Date Opp Result IP H ER ERA April 10 Mil. L 5 6 3 5.40 April 15 Mil. L 3.2 6 3 6.48 April 21 St.L. L 3.2 9 8 10.22 Sunday Cin. ND 3 5 4 10.57 Totals 0-3 15.1 26 18 10.57 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "In those situations, you have to become more focused. His stuff is not bad. He's throwing well. It's just one pitch at key times, and he's got to make sure he doesn't do that. His stuff was good the whole time. You just can't leave pitches over the middle of the plate, especially with two strikes." Redding's spot in the rotation was skipped after the Astros were rained out at Pittsburgh last week. He said he was going to approach Sunday's start as if it were Opening Day II. Wipe the slate clean, forget about the first three starts, and come out confidently. He followed through in the first inning, retiring the Reds in order and striking out Ryan Freel and Ken Griffey Jr. But four batters into the second inning, he was behind 2-0. Sean Casey fought off a fastball for a single up the middle. Redding walked Adam Dunn and then hung a two-strike slider to Brandon Larson, who doubled to left. After getting two strikes on Javier Valentin, Redding gave up a sacrifice fly to deep right. "The slider to Larson was probably the worst pitch I threw all day," Redding said. "Aside from that, I thought I was making good pitches. But when I miss by the slightest amount, a great pitch turns into a decent pitch, and the decent pitch is getting hit right now. Things aren't going my way. I have to keep trying to persevere and battle through for as long as I can battle." Redding, who had a 3.68 ERA last season, is now in a position where his spot in the rotation is tenuous. He says he will not dwell on the fact that he has yet to make it past the fifth inning this season or that he's given up 20 hits and 15 earned runs in 10 innings in his last three starts. "I'm upset I didn't help this club out once again, but then I turn my attention to what I can do to improve and get ready for the next one," Redding said.
I really wish Carlos Henandez could get some of that velocity back. 3-0 is nice, but untill he starts lighting up the radar again, the Astros are going to take their time with him. I on the other hand would throw him in there right now because you know you're getting a gamer when he takes the mound.
I think that it's about time to end the Redding experiment. I know that my patience is running thin. Just find a starter somewhere. Who's still unsigned? Try someone from AA. I don't care. I doubt that it will be worse than what Redding is doing now.
According to Gerry on 610 this morning, Carlos is starting out games in the high-70s, low-80s, and once he gets loose, after 3 innings or so, he's hitting the mid-80s. Said the best case scenario is that he's ready by midseason.
And Timmah knows what his situation is (from the Chron): "If they wanted to make a move and replace me...that's totally at their discretion. We're trying to win a championship....I'm struggling now, and the last couple of guys who have struggled here have either been sent down and/or traded." Personally, if Redding shows any improvement at all in his next start, I leave him in the rotation for now. Astros are 1-3 in his starts (in 2 of those, against Sheets, Stros scored 3 runs combined). Cards/Cubs are 2-2 in starts by their 5th starters.
