M.Redman,article.

08/18/2003 2:23 PM ET

Father Redman knows best

Left-hander proving to be ace of Marlins staff

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com Get tickets

Mark Redman's 2.97 ERA is 1.24 lower than his career best. (Peter Zuzga/AP)

MIAMI -- Maybe the laws of nature are with Marlins left-hander Mark Redman, or perhaps it is merely a coincidence.

Whatever the reason, one simple fact remains. Redman has pitched his best in years his wife has given birth.

On Friday, Brandi Redman delivered a baby girl. Ryan Elaine Redman was born in her father's second Major League winning season.

At 10-6 with a 2.97 ERA, Mark Redman is arguably the Marlins' finest starting pitcher. While he has one less victory than rookie sensation Dontrelle Willis (11-3) and Brad Penny (11-9), Redman's ERA is the best in the rotation.

"I told my wife, last time you were pregnant I had a good season," Redman said. "Now, you are pregnant again and I'm having another good season."

Son Jordan was born during Redman's rookie year when he was 12-9 (4.76) with the Twins.

Between having children, Redman was 2-4 in 2001 with the Twins and 8-15 last season with the Tigers.

In a sport rich in superstitions, are the Redman's planning on expanding their family in hopes of more good pitching seasons?

"We're done," Redman says. "A boy and a girl, that's it. Hopefully I can keep pitching good."

Mark Redman / P

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 220

Bats/Throws: L/L

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Redman's success can be attributed to several factors: his cerebral approach to pitching, better run support and a splendid Marlins defense.

"I don't feel like I'm pitching any differently then I was last year," said Redman of his lone season with the Tigers. "Last year, unfortunately I wasn't getting the runs or defensive support I'm getting here. Yeah, I have a better ERA, but I wasn't getting the defensive support I'm getting here."

Redman doesn't dazzle opponents with overpowering stuff or impress with his speed gun readings. Routinely, his fastball taps the catcher's glove between 86 and 89 mph.

What makes the crafty lefty so effective is how he changes speeds with his fastball, while mixing in a teasing changeup and bending curve.

"I'm not doing anything any differently," Redman says of his performance now from in the past. "When you are winning, you have a more confident emotion going through you."

Marlins manager Jack McKeon jokes that Redman's style of pitching "can drive you to drinking."

That's because Redman often sets up hitters by throwing pitches just off the plate, hopeful of getting them to chase. His pitch counts get up there (he had a 140-pitch game) because he will go 3-1 and then plop a changeup on the corners that result in a harmless fly out or slowing tapped ground ball.

"He knows how to pitch," McKeon says. "The key to pitching is changing speeds."

Even without a blazing fastball, Redman has strikeout ability. In 142 1/3 innings, he has struck out 106, compared to 109 in 203 innings a year ago. And while he will deliberately throw pitches off the plate, he doesn't issue many walks (just 39 so far).

When on, Redman has the ability to direct batted balls into specific directions. He's successfully done that twice this season after an infielder commits an error.

"The only time I try getting ground balls to a certain guy is when they make a routine play for an error," Redman said. "I'll say, 'get ready, I'm getting you the ball.' It happened twice this year. Last year, I said that, and I might have given up a home run or something."

When things are going your way, you can even predetermine the direction of the ball.

When it works out, "I get excited," Redman said. "Yeah, I told him, 'I called the shot.' "

Considering how the Marlins' season started, few could have predicted the team would be in the thick of the Wild Card race. And Redman's year could have turned for the worse after he broke a bone in his left thumb while attempting a squeeze bunt in an April 29 win at Arizona.

The injury kept him out a month, and when he returned, the Marlins were 25-31.

Now, the Marlins are on the heels of the Phillies in the Wild Card race and Redman is in position to post a career high for wins in a season.

If the Marlins are indeed going to reach the postseason, Redman has some thoughts of what the mindset of the team needs to be over the final 38 games.

"Not watching the scoreboard," he says. "If we keep playing the way we've been playing, if we keep pitching the way we are pitching, we will be fine."