RADIO
After Latos and Simon were traded and Bailey was injured and deemed unable to start by Opening Day, the Reds have 3 rotation spots open with Cueto and Leake manning the top two positions. Early in the offseason, it looked as if Tony Cingrani and newly-acquired Anthony DeSclafani would be the choices for the spots with Simon and Latos being gone.
On March 16, Cingrani was scratched from his Spring Training start (with Raicel Iglesias getting the nod) and was moved to the bullpen. Reds’ manager Bryan Price said, “It means that we’re going to get Iglesias stretched out and, as of right now, we’re looking at Tony as more of a relief option than as a starting option.
“We have to find a way to get out of the gates strong and, at this point in time, the feeling was that organizationally, Tony’s better suited for us at the moment as a relief pitcher.”
This move comes as a shock to many who saw Cingrani as being a valuable starter as he matures as a pitcher. According to Doug Miller of MLB.com, “Price’s comments in the wake of the Cingrani move seem to indicate that Marquis and Malholm are looking good for two of those three spots.”
This effectively eliminates much of the fantasy value that Cingrani may have possessed and seriously questions the direction that the Reds are headed. Cingrani, who will be only 26 in July, has shown a tremendous ability to strike batters out. His injury plagued 2014 campaign was the only season in his professional career where he did not strike out batters at a rate higher than 10 K/9.
This move also shows faith in 32-year-old Paul Maholm, who had a 4.84 ERA, 4.96 FIP, 4.33 K/9, 3.57 BB/9, and 1.02 HR/9 (all dreadful numbers) in 2014 with the Dodgers, and 36-year-old veteran Jason Marquis, who at the Phillies’ AAA threw 46.2 innings with a 4.63 ERA, 4.30 FIP, 6.94 K/9, 2.51 BB/9, and .96 HR/9 (disappointing even in the Minors) last season. This is a debatable move to say the least.
