Bats in the Bigs: Cingrani, Partch help ailing ‘pen
There’s no doubt that Tony Cingrani, who is now in his second stint with the Cincinnati Reds this season, is destined to be a part of the big club’s rotation by the time his maturation process has met it’s peak. He’s been the man that the Reds have called on while Johnny Cueto’s lat strain has been nursed back to health.
In seven starts in Cincinnati this season, Cingrani has been exactly what the doctor ordered in replacing the now-healthy Cueto. He’s sporting a 3.15 ERA as a starter and has struck out 46 batters in 40 innings of work. Those numbers prove his worth as a rotation mainstay in the future, but where the Reds may need him most in the present is in the bullpen.
Most recently, that’s where the promising lefty has found his home. In two bullpen appearances (June 17 and 19), Cingrani has yet to allow a run and has struck out five in 1.2 innings of work. While the new role is a departure from the norm in 2013, it’s not entirely foreign. Cingrani made his Major League debut last season as a reliever for the Reds and only allowed one run in an abbreviated three-game, five-inning stint. Unsurprisingly, he struck out nine over that period.
Cingrani’s “stuff” translates well to a bullpen role in the short term during a season where the Reds are in position to contend. He has an electric fastball with off-speed options that are effective enough to change the pace on opposing hitters. With an all-righty starting rotation in Cincinnati, his left-handedness adds even more value out of the ‘pen.
Nick Masset is currently on the Reds’ 60-day disabled list, and with Jonathan Broxton and Sean Marshall being added to the 15-day DL in the past week, Cingrani could see some extended duty working as a key late-inning cog in the Cincinnati bullpen.
Another former Bat making his way as a Reds reliever is 6'5" righty Curtis Partch. He made his Major League debut on June 9th and was welcomed by a grand slam off the bat of St. Louis Cardinal Matt Holliday. In his three appearances since that debut, Partch has settled in and given the Reds quality innings. He’s only allowed one earned run in seven innings, and has struck out eight.
On June 13th, Partch gave Cincinnati four innings of scoreless relief in what would ultimately be a losing effort after 14 innings against the Chicago Cubs. He struck out four and only allowed one hit while not allowing a walk in that appearance.
Despite making 102 starts in his seven-season minor league career, Partch doesn’t figure to have quite the high ceiling that Cingrani does as a rotation arm. Still, his weapons are similar to those of Cingrani. Partch’s fastball has similar velocity in the mid-90s and has proven to be an effective tool to get outs in relief.
While both former Bats have taken different paths to their current spots in the Reds’ bullpen and may have very different futures in the organization, Cingrani and Partch figure to be key pieces of an injury-ridden Cincinnati staff in the coming weeks.
