McGaffigan Perfects a New Pitch in Bid to Remain With Cincinnati

CINCINNATI — Pitcher Andy McGaffigan is making his pitch to stay with the Cincinnati Reds with a new pitch.

The 38-year-old right-hander hopes the addition of a change-up will raise his stock with the Reds, who obtained him last season from Montreal in the trade for first baseman Dan Driessen.

McGaffigan had a forgettable season, finishing 3-6 with a 3.52 earned run average, so he went to Puerto Rico to play winter baseball and to polish up a new pitch.

McGaffigan threw the change-up effectively in Puerto Rico, working 29 innings and posting a 0.91 earned average. He walked just nine and struck out 29, ending his winter season with a 2-2 record and two saves.

“I feel like I did make some progress,” McGaffigan said. “I feel good about what I accomplished down there.”

Although he began developing the change-up last year, it needed more work before it was ready for use in a game.

“I had a good change last year, but I wasn’t ready to throw it,” he said. “It needed work. That’s where I made progress.”

The pitch will complement his fastball, curve and slider, and now is refined so that McGaffigan isn’t afraid to use it.

“It’s a straight change but I have enough confidence in it now that I’ll throw it in all situations--3and 0, 3 and 1, full counts,” he said. “Anytime, actually, except 0 and 2, and even then I might sneak it up there, depending on who the hitter is.”

McGaffigan will need all the help he can get in trying to win a spot on the Reds’ roster. Cincinnati has 19 pitchers on its 40-man winter roster.