Redington Wants to Go From Lucky Charm to Big League Job : Baseball: Former Esperanza standout looks to shake “third baseman of future” tag and get a shot at the majors--soon.

Tom Redington has already been “the third baseman of the future” twice.

The future’s still out there, and Redington is in Birmingham, Ala., playing double-A ball for his third organization, the White Sox, at age 23.

Nobody in that organization is being called the third baseman of the future except Robin Ventura, who at 24 is in his third full major league season.

Redington, who played at Esperanza High School, is trying to keep his chin up.

“No real complaints over here,” he said. “I’m just getting to know another organization.

“It does affect your confidence level. It kind of wears on you, but you still have fun playing.”

Redington was a third-round draft choice of the Braves in 1987, after being named the state player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports. In 1989, he was considered the Midwest League’s top prospect, and the Braves honored him as their best minor league offensive player--with an award named after Hank Aaron.

But on Dec. 12, 1990, they signed free-agent third baseman Terry Pendleton, who took it from there.

While the Braves had been pursuing Pendleton, San Diego claimed Redington off waivers in November, 1990, as the Braves apparently tried to slip him through.

No problem. Redington was back home in Southern California, and was projected to start for the Padres in the major leagues, “like in ‘92,” he said, “probably ’93.”

But in late March, the Padres made a trade with the Brewers for third baseman Gary Sheffield.

Inside of two weeks, Redington was gone, traded to the White Sox for a Class-A pitcher.

Sheffield has ended the Padres’ third base problems, and was hitting .315 with 10 home runs and 38 runs batted in through Sunday’s games.

Redington is a little exasperated, but he tries to shake it off.

“They say, ‘This kid can play for us in the future, but we need some immediate help.’ They get somebody, and I become very expendable. It’s pretty tough.

“I was pushed on the back burner. It’s the same scenario as in the real world. They say they want someone with experience, but how are you going to get experience if everyone says that?”

He has come to look at himself as a sort of strange good-luck charm.

“For teams to be successful at the big league level,” Redington said wryly, “all they have to do is get me.

“When I got to the Braves, they had nobody. Then they get Terry Pendleton at third and he wins the MVP. The Padres needed a third baseman. Now they get Gary Sheffield, and who knows, he could win an MVP, too. That might be the key to success, for any team that wants to have a power-hitting third baseman. Just get me in the organization.”

The White Sox wanted him even though their major league third base position is already taken care of.

“It’s as protection, sure,” said Larry Monroe, the White Sox vice president for scouting and minor league operations. “It depends on Tom’s progress. We don’t have many true third basemen in our organization.”

Right now in triple-A, they have two, Ron Coomer, who hit .255 with 13 homers and 76 RBIs last year at Birmingham, and Joe Hall, a utility player with little power.

The White Sox have watched Redington for some time.

“We had very good reports on him through ’88 and ‘89,” Monroe said. “In ’90 he started slipping and in ’91 he was not very good. We hope to get him to rebound.”

Redington’s ’91 season was spent at double-A Wichita, where he hit .284 but had only five home runs, his lowest output in a full professional season.

“We think he’s settling in, and we’re trying to do things with his swing and conditioning,” Monroe said, citing those areas as strengths of the White Sox organization.

It has been a time of adjustment for Redington, who is being exposed to some of the theories of Walt Hriniak, the team’s major league hitting instructor.

“They’ve got good points, and things I disagree with,” said Redington, who through 43 games this season was hitting .233 with two home runs and 10 RBIs.

Monroe said the White Sox have one major focus with Redington.

“What we need to do with Tom is shorten up his swing,” he said. “His swing is pretty long, and we’re just trying to shorten it up a little bit.”

Redington is trying to make the most of his situation, and get back on the track of a can’t-miss prospect.

“With expansion coming up, I’m here to play and put up some numbers,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind learning how to catch. If you can play third, catch a little bit and play first, you’re a little more valuable than strictly as a third baseman.”

He’s setting his sights on the achievable.

“My goal is to play real well and get to go to triple-A, get a promotion to Vancouver. That’d be a nice way to end the season.

“It’s good to play against some old teammates in Greenville (a Braves farm club and a Southern League rival). Birmingham is a real nice city, that’s a positive. The bottom line is, I’m still back in double-A.”