Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings February 23, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1995 - Kevin Mitchell signs a contract to play for the Daiei Hawks in Japan. Mitchell spent three seasons with the Reds, batting .332 with 50 doubles, 55 home runs and 167 RBI MLB.COM 'Breaking' news: Cingrani develops cutter Reds lefty works in offseason to add another pitch offering By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | February 22nd, 2017 + 50 COMMENTS GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds left-hander Tony Cingrani can throw his four-seam fastball 95 mph, and consistent with his career, he used it often in 2016. It was so often that PITCHf/x data showed he threw his fastball more than 87 percent of the time. Cingrani started using a split-fingered fastball sometime in the second half, but he realized it was time to diversify the repertoire even more. He needed a breaking ball and used the offseason to develop a cut fastball. "It's just another way to get guys out," Cingrani said. "It gets hitters off thinking it's just going to be a fastball. I'm still trying to work on how I want that ball to move, but it's good and feels comfortable." At the suggestion of teammate and fellow reliever Caleb Cotham, Cingrani traveled to Kent, Wash., in the fall and worked out at Driveline Baseball. The facility, owned by Kyle Boddy, has gained a reputation for providing data-driven pitch training and also encourages building arm strength by playing catch with weighted balls. "Caleb is a pretty smart cat," Cingrani said. "The weighted-ball stuff, you can fine-tune that to whatever you want to make it. Having that TrackMan stuff up there and dealing with Kyle, he's seen so many guys throw and how the ball moves. He can adjust grips and is just really good." Boddy taught Cingrani the cutter grip and how to throw it. "I went up there to see what was going on. I didn't expect Kyle to do anything crazy, but he was really good," Cingrani said. "He was literally like, 'Take this grip, hold it and throw the [crap] out of it.' I was like, 'All right, that's what I will do.' "They made up a whole program for me. I kind of stuck to it but I like to do my own thing. They'll break it down to pitch-building days -- where four out of five throws will be that pitch and four sets of that. Nothing crazy, but they make you throw it a lot and make it feel comfortable." As for the weighted balls, Cingrani this spring has thrown a 9-ounce ball and a 7-ounce ball before picking up the regular 5-ounce baseball. "It keeps you tight and lets you find that [arm] path," he said. Cingrani, 27, led the Reds with 17 saves in 2016 while posting a 4.14 ERA in 65 appearances. It was his first fully healthy season in a few years, but command was an issue. He had a walk rate of 5.3 per nine innings and nearly half of the first batters he faced reached base (31 of 65), while 11 of 29 inherited baserunners scored. "I think some sort of a breaking pitch -- either a cutter or a hard slider -- will open up a whole new world to Tony and give him an opportunity to exceed what he has accomplished to this point," Reds manager Bryan Price said. Cingrani, who avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $1.85 million contract, is expected to be part of a four-man group to finish games for the Reds. He didn't seem to mind but also wasn't sure how it would work when the season started. "I don't care. We'll see what happens when the lights go on," Cingrani said. 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. Davis to start Reds' first spring game Lefty prospect Garrett to follow in Cactus League rotation By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | February 22nd, 2017 + 43 COMMENTS GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- When the Reds open Cactus League play on Friday vs. the Giants in Scottsdale, right-handed pitching prospect Rookie Davis will get the start. Left-handed pitching prospect Amir Garrett will start on Saturday vs. the Indians. Reds manager Bryan Price announced his decision on Wednesday but did not disclose the rest of the starting assignments. "These guys, like Garrett, [Robert] Stephenson, [Cody] Reed, [Lisalverto] Bonilla, etc., a lot of times they're going to have to throw second in a game, and all that means is we don't have enough spots in the rotation to get guys constant starts," Price said. "Sometimes those competing for spots in the rotation will have to come in out of the bullpen. It's not the worst thing in the world." Davis, 23, is ranked as the Reds' No. 9 prospect by MLBPipeline.com and went 10-5 with a 3.82 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) for Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville. He had a 2.94 ERA in 19 starts with Pensacola but missed a month with a strained right groin that he never really recovered from during the season. Although he is likely behind Reed, Stephenson, Bonilla and Tim Adleman in the battle for two open rotation spots, Davis could still make the team with a good camp and if circumstances change. Davis says he is ready to take the ball on Friday. "I remember last year, the first camp, I was a little nervous," Davis said. "I threw in a B game, and just kind of got my feet wet, and it felt kind of like the Gulf Coast League when I was in Tampa. I'm excited. [Price] told me yesterday during stretch. I'm taking it like any other game. Any time you're able to throw not only the first one, but any big league Spring Training game you throw is exciting. I'm going to go out there and compete and go right after guys and do my job." 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. Lefty Peralta impresses Price early in camp Lefty Peralta impresses Price early in camp Wandy Peralta (53) made 10 appearances last year in his MLB debut and could challenge for a spot in the Reds' 2017 bullpen. (AP) By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | February 22nd, 2017 + 2 COMMENTS GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- A game has yet to be played, but Reds lefty reliever Wandy Peralta hasn't wasted his chances to impress during the early portion of Spring Training. Peralta has stood out during bullpen sessions and again on Tuesday, when he faced some Reds hitters. "I don't know if there is anyone who has impressed me more than Wandy Peralta, as far as his bullpen quality, his pitch quality," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Wednesday morning. "[He has] a really good changeup and a slider that's impressed me as being better this year. The command and sharpness has been better." Peralta, 25, had a 2.33 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 5.9 strikeouts per nine innings over 37 appearances last season for Triple-A Louisville. That came after a promotion from Double-A Pensacola, where he had a 3.06 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. That success did not carry over to the big leagues, where Peralta had an 8.59 ERA in 10 games. In 7 1/3 innings, he allowed 11 hits with seven walks and five strikeouts. After the season, he was instructed to work on his fastball and slider delivery to go with his strong changeup. "Everything has to be the same, so I've been working on my mechanics in order to repeat the same delivery every time and get very good extension with the slider as I do with my fastball," Peralta said via interpreter Julio Morillo. "I feel really good because I've been working hard in the offseason, and the things they told me had to be better, they are working right now in Spring Training." Price is interested in having a second left-handed reliever besides Tony Cingrani, especially a situational lefty. "I would, because Tony isn't really a prototype matchup lefty because he's primarily a fastball pitcher," Price said. "Tony is good against lefties, but he's good against righties, too. On the days that we don't have him, it would be a really nice thing to be able to match up a left-hander against some of the better left-handers in our division and in the National League." 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. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Reds' annual Opening Day ticket sale set for March 18 Dave Clark , [email protected] 9:45 a.m. ET Feb. 23, 2017 A limited number of Reds Opening Day tickets in various seating locations will go on sale Saturday, March 18 at 9 a.m.