Adam Rubin is reporting that Tim Redding will start the season on the DL.
Omar Minaya said Tim Redding will start the season on the disabled list with shoulder fatigue.
Redding has a guaranteed contract for $2.25 million, and was headed for the long-relief role. The GM said the 31-year-old righthander is not experiencing pain and does not need an MRI exam, since images were taken before he signed Jan. 12.
“He just doesn’t feel strength in the shoulder area,” Minaya said. “The fact that he doesn’t have strength in the shoulder area, we are going to pretty much shut him down now for a little while. He’ll be rehabbing before he gets on the mound again.”
Redding had been shelled in both spring appearances, allowing 14 earned runs and surrendering five homers in 2 1/3 innings in games against the University of Michigan and the Marlins.
On Friday I wrote of my concern with guaranteeing a contract for a pitcher who had off season surgery. I wrote,
Why do we sign these guys after they have offseason surgery sight unseen?
I can’t blame Redding for taking the Mets $2.25 million dollars when he had yet to prove he was even healthy. But I can blame the Mets for making the offer in the first place when there were so many other healthier options out there like Randy Wolf or Jason Marquis (via trade).
Later that day, in my Mets Intelligence Brief I also wrote,
He has now thrown 2 1/3 innings and allowed 14 runs and 5 homers. He has a $2.25 million dollar contract which isn’t a whole heck of a lot, but unless he does a complete 180, the Mets may hold him back for extended spring training is my guess.
I guess placing him on the disabled list is another way of holding him back. While some objected to my speculation yesterday, all I did was draw a logical conclusion based on two very poor performances from a pitcher who said he was 100% healthy when we signed him. I strongly objected to his signing then, and have repeatedly made light of it.
