Mike

Redmond

No team should be looking to make Redmond a starter, but he is one of the top backups available. The Phillies are thought to be one of the teams interested. With workhorse Paul Lo Duca around, the Marlins will let Redmond go and bring in a cheaper backup.

It’s expected that Redmond has received or will receive better offers from other teams. The Phillies and Nationals are among those believed to be interested.

Redmond is expected back by Thursday.

True, Brad Wilkerson wasn’t holding Redmond on the bag, but the Expos were down by two runs, so it’s not like they didn’t care if Florida advanced a runner into scoring position. Just something for Redmond owners to cry about.

Redmond remains day-to-day.

He’s altered his grip on the bat a little, but the chipped bone he suffered shouldn’t keep him out of any games.

Redmond singled in Luis Castillo with two outs after Perez mishandled a Nick Punto grounder with two outs on the previous play. The Twins tacked on five more runs in the next two innings, including a three-run double by Justin Morneau. The club has now won seven straight games and nine of their last ten.

Henry Blanco will head elsewhere as Redmond takes over as Joe Mauer’s new backup. He’s fine defensively, but whether or not he’ll be an upgrade will depend on his batting average. In seven years as a big leaguer, Redmond has hit over .300 four times and below .260 the other three years. He has no power and a mediocre walk rate, so it all comes down to how many singles he delivers. Given Mauer’s somewhat shaky status, Redmond will be at the top of the list of $1 catchers in AL-only leagues next season.

Redmond isn’t going to need to take a paycut. “I’m just trying to decide where’s going to be best for me and my family and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be South Florida,” Redmond said. He added that he didn’t even know the Marlins were interested in him until they called Monday for the first time this offseason.

GM Terry Ryan’s apparent goal is getting 25 players signed for 2006, allowing him to go ahead and take next winter off.