Tony Cingrani (RP, CIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups

Baller Move: Add in 12+ team leagues

Owned in: 34% of Fleaflicker leagues

Analysis: While the jokes about the Cincinnati Reds and their awful bullpen are funny and ring true, fantasy baseball managers should stop applying them to Tony Cingrani. After an April where he pitched 9.2 innings with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP, Cingrani had a rough month of May where he tossed 12.2 innings and produced a mediocre 4.97 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Most notably, Cingrani had no control of the strike zone in the first two months with terrible BB/9 figures of 7.45 and 5.68. Something changed for Tony, and he has looked great since the start of June.

Last month he had 13 IP, a 2.08 ERA, and a 1.08 WHIP. To start July, Cingrani has a 0.00 ERA and 0.50 WHIP in his first two innings thrown. Most importantly, since the start of June, Cingrani has greatly improved his pitch command with a BB/9 of 3.0 in that span while also suppressing power shots by allowing just one homer for a 0.6 HR/9. The Reds have the worst team ERA in the MLB, this is true. However, that fact isn't a season long sentence for every Cincinnati pitcher, as it appears Tony Cingrani has broken free.