The Nationals are pinning much of their hopes this year on their pitching rotation, and one of the important elements of the equation is right-hander Tim Redding. Though he's had a rough time in his major league career, this year Redding seems to have considerably improved his focus and is working toward a much better performance. Whether or not it will be enough to counteract the team's recent slide remains to be seen.
Redding was originally drafted in 1997 by the Houston Astros, and spent several years working through the minor league system. His major league debut was in 2001, and he remained with the team until 2004 when he was traded to the San Diego Padres. There, he managed only a 0-5 record with a 9.31 ERA, and was traded to the Yankees. He started a single game for the Yankees, and after giving up four hits, four walks, and a total of six runs, he was yanked after a single inning. The next day he was designated for assignment.
Redding moved to the Chicago White Sox's minor-league system in 2006, where he had considerably more success, posting a 12-10 record and a 3.40 ERA, leading the Charlotte Knights in strikeouts and complete games. He was picked up by the Nationals the following year, and made his way to the major leagues as an injury replacement. Since then, he's managed to keep his position on the 40-man roster, and has been one of the better pitchers so far this year.
