Rays-Reds Game 1 Preview

Aces on the mound Friday night as David Price will start for the Rays against Johnny Cueto of the Reds on Friday night during their three game interleauge series at Great. American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

The Reds (3-6) will look to get

Apr 5, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) throws the ball against the New York Mets during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

some home cooking after a very disappointing 2-4 road trip. Maybe, the getaway 4-0 series finale win over the St Louis Cardinals yesterday could get them going.

Price, a first round draft pick out of Vanderbilt university has been one of the best young pitchers in the majors the last couple of seasons.

In preparing for the Reds, the Rays left-hander plans on picking the brain of teammate Ryan Hanigan, who came to the Rays from the Reds in an offseason trade.

“I faced these guys in 2011,” Price said. “They have some of the same, kind of the core group there. For the most part, I watch a good amount of baseball so I’ve seen them take quite a few swings, have quite a few at-bats as well. So I’ll just throw my game, if that doesn’t work out at the beginning, I’ll adjust from there.”

From watching the Reds, Price has gained a healthy respect for the lineup he’ll be facing tomorrow night.

Cueto has made two outstanding starts (three earned runs in 14 innings pitched), but he has no wins. The right-hander is not worried about his bad luck.

“I feel very good. I hope that I can continue to pitch like that,” Cueto said.

Hanigan will be making his first return to Cincinnati since being traded to the Rays. Reds manager Bryan Price weighed in on Hanigan.

“Certainly a lot of our success from a pitching perspective came from the job Ryan did with our pitching staff,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “He was a guy that went from being a second catcher to a guy that became our No. 1 guy.”

Price noted that Reds pitchers loved throwing to Hanigan. So, it will be very weird seeing Hanigan in a different jersey other than the Reds.

“I felt like there were times in his career in Cincinnati where he was very, very good at being a pitch ahead of the hitter and reading approaches,” Price said. “He’s one of those guys we didn’t want him to fly by the seat of his pants but felt like at times that he could. He could see adjustments.

“He could call the right pitch, and there is something special about that. He had a good rapport with the pitching staff. I’m sure he’s doing a nice job in Tampa

First pitch tomorrow night is at 7:10pm, TV: FSN OHIO, RADIO: 700 WLW.

HOMESTAND SCHEDULE:

Saturday vs Rays 1:10pm

Sunday vs Rays 1:10pm

Monday vs Pirates 7:10pm

Tuesday vs Pirates 7:10pm

Wednesday vs Pirates 12:35pm