[panther nation]

CINCINNATI -- Multiple media reports surfaced on Monday evening that the Reds will name Bryan Price their new manager on Tuesday during a news conference.

Price, 51, has been Cincinnati's pitching coach for the past four seasons and would replace Dusty Baker, who was relieved of his duties earlier this month after his team was defeated by the Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game.

Efforts to contact Price and general manager Walt Jocketty were not successful, and the Reds have made no announcements. Price was one of only two internal candidates for the job publicly named by Jocketty. The only other known candidate was Jim Riggleman, who has managed the Padres, Cubs, Mariners and Nationals.

This will be the first managerial job for Price, who interviewed for the Marlins' managerial vacancy last winter. Before joining Cincinnati, Price spent 10 seasons as a Major League pitching coach with the Mariners (2000-05) and D-backs ('06-09).

Under Price, the Reds' pitching staff had the fourth-best ERA in the Major Leagues this season and the most strikeouts in the NL. The 2012 pitching staff was one of the most successful groups in franchise history, ranking third in the league in team ERA. All five members of the rotation started 30 games that season, with four reaching 200 innings.

Price never pitched in the Majors, but he had a 31-19 record and 3.74 ERA in 90 Minor League games in the Angels and Mariners organizations. His career was shortened by left elbow surgery.

If Price assumes the job, he will be the third active manager in the Majors who was previously a pitching coach, joining the Padres' Bud Black and Red Sox skipper John Farrell.