Before the 2008 season started, the Washington Nationals were thinking Shawn Hill might be ready to become the team's No. 1 starter. An elbow injury to start the year scrapped that idea. Young Jason Bergmann was another potential headliner, but his early-season performance earned him a stint in Triple-A. Among all the other candidates, no one figured 30-year-old journeyman Tim Redding would become the ace of the starting staff. Yet through the first seven weeks of the season, Redding is indeed anchoring the rotation
Redding pitched 6.1 scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies to lift his record to a team-leading 6-3 record. And that lofty mark isn't a mirage. Redding's other numbers are exceptional, including a sparkling 3.16 ERA and a sharp 1.16 WHIP. Opposing batters are hitting just .210 against him.
It's been a surprising career renaissance for Redding, who began his big-league career with the Houston Astros in 2001. His previous best year in the majors came in 2003 when he went 10-14. But by the end of the 2005 season, Redding was out of Houston and had passed through the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees organizations, signing a minor-league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He spent the entire 2006 season in Triple-A before signing with the Nationals prior to the 2007 campaign. Redding was 3-6 last year, but his 3.64 ERA was certainly promising. And this year, he's delivering on that promise, much to the delight of Washington baseball fans.
