Tim Redding: Blue Collar Pitchers Not the Saviors, But Could Help

According to www.mlbtraderumors.com, the Baltimore Orioles are aggressively pursuing 2008 Nationals pitcher and current free agent Tim Redding. Last year with the last place Washington Nationals, Redding was 10-11 with a 4.95 ERA. Not good, I know.

Against the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, Redding was 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA, including out dueling World Series MVP Cole Hamels in his first start. In the first half, Redding was 7-3 with a 3.85 ERA. His injuries and team contributed to a 3-8 second half and what look like bad numbers.

The O's obviously NEED pitching. They may get Teixeira, which would be phenomenal. It would make countless Orioles fans dropkick their grandmothers. Not really, but you get the point.

For years, O's fans have wanted Teixeira more then any other. Teixeira hit .308 with 33 homers, and 121 RBI last season with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels.

Teixeira claimed he didn't like playing on the West Coast and decided to test the free agency market—again. Teixeira apparently is working with the Red Sox on a deal, but according to some, the Sox and Teixeira are not close.

ESPN's Buster Olney claimed the O's are out of the running for the slugger. To the contrary, Andy MacPhail said the team is very much in the race and may upgrade the offer to record-breaking money. While this is very nice, the O's need pitching.

Last year, the only consistent starting pitcher was Jeremy Guthrie and the only good reliever was Jim Johnson and at times George Sherrill and Lance Cormier, though they made me shiver. Guthrie was 10-12 with a 3.63 ERA, but got no run support, resulting in a bad record. Johnson was 2-4 with a 2.23 ERA and led the team in holds with 19.

Now the Orioles don't have a reputation for getting a big-name pitcher. They won't do that this offseason, either. Both C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are off the market, both have signed with the Bronx Bombers. The O's have not shown extreme interest in Ben Sheets.

The Orioles have shown interest in many middle-of-the-line pitchers who could be good No. 2 or No. 3's for the O's, such as Redding, Braden Looper, and Japanese pitchers Koji Euhara and Kenshin Kawakami. While Mark Teixeira is obviously the topic for discussion, the O's have those pitchers at the top of their lists, too.

Kawakami was 9-5 with a 2.30 earned run average in Japan last year and is 33 years old. The O's even extended an offer to Kawakami and they look like the frontrunners to land him. Euhara, also 33, is 102-71 in his career with over 1,200 strikeouts. Some other teams pursued him as a reliever, but the O's need a starter and if they can ink him, he will be a starter.

Braden Looper is another competent starter. He was 12-14 last season with a 4.16 ERA, but has a respectable 3.93 career ERA, and is just getting used to the starting role. This year, 2008, was just his second full season starting and of his 636 games, he has started just 63.

It was even said the O's were interested in Carl Pavano, but the O's denied they had any. While I realize Redding, Looper, Kawakami, and Euhara aren't 20-game winners and won't carry us to a World Series title, they can mentor the young kids (Tillman, Arrieta, Guthrie, Olson, Liz, etc.).

They can lead the Baltimore Orioles to a better future. And that's all we are trying to do. Lead to a better future. Not necessarily win next season, but prepare the youngsters to win in 2011 and beyond.

While if moves are made, it contradicts Andy MacPhail's rebuilding plan by getting these players short term, it will only help the O's success in the long run.