Are You in the Pedro or Redding Camp?

It's been a fun off-season to be a Mets fan.

First we had the KRod signing--quick, to the point, Mets get their man, fair contract, etc. Good times.

Then, on December 10th, Omar came off the top rope and put together a trade that netted JJ Putz, Sean Green and Jeremy Reed. Yes we lost Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Mike Carp, Jason Vargas and Endy Chavez, but overall it was a brilliant move.

Mets fans will love Sean Green....trust me on this.

Lately all us blogger types have been vacillating on which free agent starting pitchers the Mets will (or won't) sign, what the contracts will (or won't) be, which teams are (or aren't) involved, and more.

While that's all well and good, let's take a look at a "potential" 5th starter and see where the two stack up. Both men have their fans and their detractors, so the conversation, I hope, will center around past performance as a measure of potential in 2009.

Tale of the Tape

Pedro Martinez #45 SP

2008 STATS
ERA	W-L	SO	WHIP
5.61	5-6	87	1.57

Full Name Pedro Jaime Martinez Birth Date October 25, 1971 Birth Place Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic Weight 193 lbs.

Height 5-11 Bats Right Throws Right Experience 16 years

College Ohio Dominican Salary 2008: $11,813,351

Tim Redding #17 SP

2008 STATS
ERA	W-L	SO	WHIP
4.95	10-11	120	1.43

Full Name Timothy James Redding Birth Date February 12, 1978 Birth Place Rochester, NY Weight 218 lbs.

Height 6-0 Bats Right Throws Right Experience 6 years

Drafted 20th round draft pick Salary 2008: $1,000,000

OK, this doesn't tell us much--we know Pedro had a rough 2008--injuries, death of his father, came back from rehab, not much pop on his fastball.

Redding had the second best year of his career. He pitched a solid 182 innings and was something of a workhorse for a terrible Nationals team.

Let's dive a bit deeper in the stats.

Pedro:

2008 Pitching Splits
Overall	ERA	W	L	SV	SVO	G	GS	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
Total	5.62	5	6	0	0	20	20	0	109.0	127	70	68	19	44	87	.294
As Starter	5.62	5	6	0	0	20	20	0	109.0	127	70	68	19	44	87	.294
Opponent Batting	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Total	432	70	127	25	1	19	64	44	6	87	15	2	.294	.359	.488	.847
By Breakdown	ERA	W	L	SV	SVO	G	GS	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
Home	5.00	1	3	0	0	8	8	0	45.0	41	27	25	5	22	33	.244
Away	6.05	4	3	0	0	12	12	0	64.0	86	43	43	14	22	54	.326
Day	4.07	2	1	0	0	6	6	0	31.0	34	15	14	1	10	19	.283
Night	6.23	3	5	0	0	14	14	0	78.0	93	55	54	18	34	68	.298
Grass	5.62	5	6	0	0	20	20	0	109.0	127	70	68	19	44	87	.294
Right / Left	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
vs. Left	230	44	70	13	0	11	39	23	3	42	7	0	.304	.366	.504	.871
vs. Right	202	26	57	12	1	8	25	21	3	45	8	2	.282	.351	.470	.821
By Day/Month	ERA	W	L	SV	SVO	G	GS	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
July	4.40	1	0	0	0	3	3	0	14.1	13	7	7	4	7	13	.232
April	10.80	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	3.1	4	4	4	2	1	1	.308
June	6.67	2	2	0	0	5	5	0	27.0	38	21	20	2	10	20	.330
August	3.83	2	1	0	0	7	7	0	42.1	41	19	18	9	14	33	.263
September	7.77	0	3	0	0	4	4	0	22.0	31	19	19	2	12	20	.337
Pre-All Star	6.25	3	2	0	0	9	9	0	44.2	55	32	31	8	18	34	.299
Post-All Star	5.18	2	4	0	0	11	11	0	64.1	72	38	37	11	26	53	.290

Redding:

2008 Pitching Splits
Overall	ERA	W	L	SV	SVO	G	GS	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
Total	4.95	10	11	0	0	33	33	1	182.0	195	110	100	27	65	120	.275
As Starter	4.95	10	11	0	0	33	33	1	182.0	195	110	100	27	65	120	.275
Opponent Batting	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Total	709	110	195	40	1	27	93	65	7	120	13	7	.275	.338	.449	.786
By Breakdown	ERA	W	L	SV	SVO	G	GS	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
Home	5.61	6	7	0	0	18	18	0	94.2	117	67	59	15	30	55	.305
Away	4.23	4	4	0	0	15	15	1	87.1	78	43	41	12	35	65	.240
Day	3.44	3	1	0	0	6	6	1	36.2	36	15	14	3	9	25	.261
Night	5.33	7	10	0	0	27	27	0	145.1	159	95	86	24	56	95	.278
Grass	4.95	10	11	0	0	33	33	1	182.0	195	110	100	27	65	120	.275
Right / Left	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
vs. Left	358	54	99	25	1	13	47	38	2	54	8	3	.277	.346	.461	.807
vs. Right	351	56	96	15	0	14	46	27	5	66	5	4	.274	.329	.436	.765
By Day/Month	ERA	W	L	SV	SVO	G	GS	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
April	3.55	3	2	0	0	6	6	0	33.0	25	19	13	4	14	22	.203
May	3.86	3	1	0	0	6	6	0	35.0	33	16	15	4	14	22	.250
June	5.19	0	0	0	0	6	6	0	34.2	42	21	20	5	9	21	.296
July	4.82	1	3	0	0	5	5	1	28.0	38	15	15	1	5	19	.339
August	5.46	2	2	0	0	5	5	0	28.0	31	17	17	8	11	19	.277
September	7.71	1	3	0	0	5	5	0	23.1	26	22	20	5	12	17	.295
Post-All Star	6.82	3	8	0	0	13	13	1	67.1	80	53	51	14	27	45	.303
Pre-All Star	3.85	7	3	0	0	20	20	0	114.2	115	57	49	13	38	75	.258

Hmmmm, several flags for both.

Redding had a solid start to his season: 3.85 ERA, .257 BAA, 6-3 in April and May. But look at the rest of the season--he reverted back to "Redding normal", which is a pitcher who has trouble getting out of his own way.

ERA in the last 4 months of the season: 5.19, 4.82, 5.46, 7.71. That is awful. He finished the year with a pitiful 89 ERA+, which is one point higher than his career ERA+. How about 13 HRs allowed in his last 51 innings pitched? Flag!

And what of Pedro? We all saw his fastball topping out between 87 and 89 mph, with the very occassional low 90s on the gun. His pitches were up, he didn't have the same control, and his motion looked different.

The number aren't pretty either. 7.77 ERA in September when the team needed him most, a .326 BAA on the road, etc.

So play GM--which man would you prefer if it comes down to one of them for the 5th spot?

My money is still on Pedro--I've just never been a fan of Redding, and he was awful last year after May. Pedro actually had a very good August, and I believe that is the pitcher he is capable of being in 2009.

If Redding decides to take the Mets offer, and we haven't heard the details, hopefully Pedro will come to camp and fight.

Pedro wants to be a Met, and as this excellent article in the NY Post points out, he has some unfinished business.

At the end of the day I still trust Pedro a heck of a lot more than Tim Redding.