Redmond wants another chance in a major league rotation

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are back home today to play the New York Yankees, who are short one outfielder after losing Curtis Granderson yesterday to a broken right forearm. Early projections have Granderson missing the next 10 weeks. The Orioles have enough outfielders in camp to stock a dozen teams, but they won't be offering any assistance. Left-hander Brian Matusz starts for the Orioles today, and you can watch every pitch on MASN beginning at 1:05 p.m. Tommy Hunter, left-hander Mark Hendrickson and Pedro Strop also are scheduled to pitch. Todd Redmond, 27, threw a scoreless inning in Saturday's opener against the Minnesota Twins, walking two batters and striking out one. The walks always bother Redmond, because he takes pride in his control. He issued five free passes in 3 1/3 innings his only major league start on Aug. 18, 2012, and they still annoy him. Redmond, called up by the Cincinnati Reds because they were playing a doubleheader, allowed four runs and seven hits in a 9-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs. "Not exactly what I wanted," he said. "I wasn't very happy with it. I don't walk guys. That's what I take pride in, and I walked five guys or something like that. That was my biggest thing. My pitch count got up high and that's why I got taken out. "I just want to be able to prove that I can pitch at this level, because I know I can. I've done Triple-A and I've done big league spring training before. I can pitch at this level." The Orioles may find out whether it's true. They claimed him off waivers Feb. 8 and tossed him into the fray. "It came out of nowhere, because I didn't think I was going to be put on waivers, but I couldn't ask for a better opportunity," he said. "It's a great place to be, and especially after them going to the playoffs last year. It's always an exciting atmosphere to come into. "Even if I don't break camp with the team, there's always an opportunity because Buck (Showalter) is a guy that uses the minor league system to better the team if needed, and extra-inning games can factor into it, like last year." Redmond is part of a great trivia question. The Reds used only six starters last year, and he took the ball only once for them. Otherwise, it was the same group: Johnny Cuerto (33 starts), Matt Latos (33), Homer Bailey (33), Bronson Arroyo (32) and Mike Leake (30). "The only reason I got that start was because we had a doubleheader," Redmond said. "I guarantee they would have made it through the season with that starting five. Those guys stayed healthy and (the Reds) were able to finagle, when somebody wasn't feeling right, an off-day in there and then switch the rotation around. It was definitely fun to watch, but it was like, 'This is unbelievable.' "They came at me with open arms and said, 'Here's your opportunity,' and it was fun." Redmond was called up twice before that start, but never got into a game. "Up for a day and then down, up for a day and then down," he said. "Finally, they said, 'We need you to do that doubleheader game.' I came in the next day and they sent me down. I was back up in September, but I didn't throw because the whole playoff stuff was going on and they needed to clinch and everything else and then all the games were real close at that point and time, so they just wanted to use their guys."