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Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings February 25, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1957 - The U.S. Supreme Court decides, 6-3, that baseball is the only professional sport exempt from antitrust laws MLB.COM Injuries behind him, Davis eyes spot with Reds Right-hander reaches 93-95 mph in 2-inning outing in Cactus League opener By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | February 24th, 2017 + 22 COMMENTS SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The main stats that Reds pitching prospect Rookie Davis posted for Double-A Pensacola in 2016 would indicate he had some good numbers. But a closer look revealed some issues that frustrated the right-hander. Davis suffered a hip flexor injury in Spring Training and spent most of May on the disabled list with a right groin strain. It led to lowered velocity and a decreased strikeout rate, as the groin soreness lingered the rest of the year. "Whatever the issue was, I would try and fight through it and make sure I could throw every five days," Davis said on Friday after facing the Giants in the Cactus League opener. "Just from last year until today, it felt like the ball was coming out better. My main concern last year was can I get through this game healthy. Today it was just attack guys, be aggressive, compete." In the Reds' 6-4 loss to San Francisco, Davis pitched two innings and allowed one earned run with four hits, no walks and two strikeouts. Radar readings from scouts indicated his fastball was between 93-95 mph, which is where it needs to be. "The thought of the injuries never entered my mind today, whereas last year it was, 'Is he going to go on this pitch, can I field that bunt, can I get over to first base?' It did play a role," Davis said. "I'm not sure how much, but just having confidence in it now is huge for me, to put it behind me and get ready for this upcoming year." Last season with Pensacola in 19 starts, Davis was 10-3 with a 2.94 ERA. There was a five-game run with Triple-A Louisville, where he was not successful and had a 7.50 ERA, which promoted a return to Double-A to finish the season. His strikeout-to-walks ratio dropped from 5.83 at Class A Advanced to 2.08. Davis, 23, was part of the Dec. 28, 2015, trade that sent Aroldis Chapman to the Yankees for four players. MLBPipeline.com ranks Davis as the organization's No. 9 prospect. With Davis lacking the push-off power in his legs for his fastball, Reds manager Bryan Price felt he did a nice job trying to develop his secondary pitches. "He had the breaking ball, he worked on a hybrid slider-cutter, and then the changeup," Price said. "The changeup, for me, was really one of the areas that he really needed to focus on since last year to continue to move along as a starting pitcher. He made the most out of a tough situation. I thought his velocity started to show, come back up when he was in Triple-A toward the end of the year." Davis hopes he can fight his way on to the 25-man roster, especially with open spots in the rotation and bullpen. Price indicated he might have to overtake more developed young pitchers like Amir Garrett, Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Tim Adleman and Lisalverto Bonilla, but he didn't rule him out altogether. "It's a lifelong dream to pitch in the big leagues. It's so close and with how my body is responding, I'm able to recover quicker than I did last year," Davis said. "I think that plays a huge part in it. I'm going out every day with the plan of breaking camp with this club and being a starter. Until I'm told otherwise, that's going to be my goal." Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Reds jump on Bumgarner in Cactus opener By Chris Haft and Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | February 24th, 2017 + 30 COMMENTS SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Chris Marrero blasted a three-run, walk-off homer as the Giants rallied past the Reds, 6-4, in Friday's Cactus League opener at Scottsdale Stadium. Marrero, who finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs after replacing first baseman Brandon Belt in the fifth, followed Orlando Calixte's walk and Christian Arroyo's single off Reds right-hander Kevin Shackelford. The Reds jumped ahead with a pair of first-inning runs off San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner. Patrick Kivlehan's two-run, two-out single through the infield's left side opened the scoring and marred Bumgarner's lone inning of work. Bumgarner set up Kivlehan's hit by yielding Arismendy Alcantara's double and, with two outs, walking Adam Duvall and hitting Jesse Winker with a pitch to load the bases. "You'd like to have good results every time you get out there but, for the first time out, it's good to be back out there and face some hitters," Bumgarner said. San Francisco halved the difference in its half of the first against Reds starter Rookie Davis as Joe Panik singled and scored on Hunter Pence's double. Facing Wandy Peralta, the Giants scored again in the fifth. Jimmy Rollins walked and came around on singles by Gordon Beckham and Marrero. Replacing Davis was Reds prospect and roster candidate Sal Romano, who pitched two scoreless innings. Romano, trying to land a spot in the rotation or bullpen, allowed one hit with two walks and four strikeouts. "I was very excited just to be out there, to be honest with you," Romano said. "It didn't really matter who was hitting but the fact that most of the Giants lineup was in there was a good test for me. Definitely a good start to spring. I felt like my fastball was there. I was able to elevate it when I wanted to and it was down for most of the time." Cincinnati's Aristides Aquino smashed an RBI single off shortstop Calixte's glove in the seventh inning. That temporarily restored the Reds' two-run cushion and enabled them to survive the run that Wynton Bernard generated for the Giants in the eighth inning when he doubled and scored on a wild pitch. WHAT'S NEXT Reds: When the Reds return to Goodyear on Saturday, they will be the visiting team in the 3:05 p.m. ET game vs. the Indians, live on MLB.TV. It will mark the spring debut of regular players Joey Votto, Billy Hamilton and Eugenio Suarez while prospect and rotation candidate Amir Garrett is scheduled to start on the mound. Giants: Besides facing a split-squad of Chicago Cubs, Matt Cain and Ty Blach will square off against each other, in a sense, as the pair of fifth-starter candidates make their Cactus League debuts in a 12:05 p.m. PT Scottsdale Stadium encounter, live on an exclusive webcast. Chris Haft has covered the Giants since 2005, and for MLB.com since 2007. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat and listen to his podcast. Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs Now 40, Arroyo's celebration tastes have changed By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | February 24th, 2017 + 1 COMMENT GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Often the coolest person in the room and the most easygoing, it's hard to imagine Bronson Arroyo as the oldest guy anywhere. But the Reds pitcher hit the big milestone Friday, when he turned 40 years old. How did Arroyo plan to mark the big day? "The Waffle House, that's my favorite thing," Arroyo said on MLB Network on Thursday. "I'm not into the club scene anymore. It's probably going to be the casino, or I'm going to find a Denny's or an IHOP. When you're turning 40, you've got to go for the late breakfast." There have been 25 Reds players that have played an age-40 season in the Major Leagues, according to BaseballReference.com, meaning they turned 40 on or before June 30. The last Reds player to appear in a game at age 40 was reliever Arthur Rhodes, who pitched in Game 2 of the National League Division Series vs. the Phillies on Oct. 8, 2010. Manager Bryan Price is one of many around the Reds who don't believe Arroyo looks 40. "Just the way he looks, conditions himself," Price said on Friday. "The other part is how he assimilates with everybody. There's no strangers with anybody out there. He fits in so well." Arroyo, who pitched for the Reds from 2006-13, is back trying to make the club as a non-roster player after missing the last two seasons with arm injuries. He was excused from camp on Friday because he was sick. If Arroyo makes the team out of camp, he won't be close to being the oldest player in the Major Leagues.