Cingrani may play relief role in postseason

CINCINNATI -- Reds rookie left-handed pitcher Tony Cingrani has been limited to side bullpen sessions since back spasms knocked him out of a Sept. 10 start against the Cubs.

Cincinnati hadn't planned on pitching Cingrani in relief this weekend, but there was still a chance he could be a factor during the postseason.

"We're going to try to send Tony out possibly to [Goodyear] Arizona to try to get him stretched out some," Reds manager Dusty Baker said Sunday. "Right now, he can't handle being a starter. He could probably go a couple innings, but it's not a good idea for him or us to go any more than that because he's too valuable to our future, so we just got to do what we got to do."

Cingrani has had two bullpen sessions this week, and both were pain-free.