Redmond makes positive impact behind the plate in Twins debut

SEATTLE – Mike Redmond’s no rookie. But he felt like one Wednesday.

The Spokane native made his American League debut with the Minnesota Twins, catching a masterful performance by starter Carlos Silva in a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Redmond had a good day, too – smacking a double to left field in his second at bat, gunning down Seattle’s Randy Winn trying to steal third with none out in the fifth inning and calling one of the most efficient games you’ll see behind the plate.

“Any time you can go through a game in the big leagues and throw just two breaking balls,” Redmond acknowledged, “that’s pretty impressive.”

Silva, a 25-year-old right-hander who won 14 games for the Twins last year, threw just 68 pitches in seven innings. His two breaking balls proved to be mistakes – Bret Boone hit one for a home run on his 36th birthday, and Richie Sexson slapped the other for a single up the middle.

“That was it – everything else was a fastball or sinker,” Redmond said. “Obviously, there are going to be nights when you have to throw a few more breaking pitches, but you don’t adjust until a team makes you adjust and that’s what we did.”

Redmond, a Gonzaga Prep and Gonzaga University graduate, signed with the Twins this off-season after spending his entire professional career in the Florida Marlins organization. He’ll likely see action every third game or so, as the Twins ease regular catcher Joe Mauer into action to protect his surgically repaired right knee.

“It was fun – I was nervous,” said Redmond. “Playing for a new team and wanting to get out of the gates fast and contribute, it was exciting. But the butterflies were going. It’s amazing – I’m 33 and I get just as nervous as I did when I was younger.”

The Twins, favored by many to repeat as A.L. Central champs, return to Seattle for a three-game series Aug. 8-10.

John Blanchette