Reds Place Ace Neagle On DL

Denny Neagle is improving, but not enough to avoid the disabled list.

Neagle threw 32 strikes out of 58 pitches Tuesday in a "B" game that amounted to his biggest test of the spring. The Cincinnati Reds left-hander gave up three hits over four innings, including Terry Steinbach's homer.

The Reds put him on the 15-day disabled list today, along with reliever Stan Belinda and pitcher Scott Winchester. Belinda, who has multiple sclerosis, is bothered by a sore arm, and Winchester is in rehabilitation from shoulder surgery last August.

When the Reds got Neagle from Atlanta in November in a trade, they figured him for a regular in the rotation. Instead, he pulled thigh muscles during a drill in the first full-squad workout, temporarily sidelining him.

There was another setback when strength tests found weakness in the back of his pitching shoulder. He was put on a workout program and held back while he builds up the muscles.

He hasn't thrown in a regular spring game - the "B" game on Tuesday was his toughest test yet - and figured he was headed for the DL.

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