Germano debut draws a crowd
Newcomer fine in Louisville start
By C. Trent Rosecrans
Post staff reporter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Eight men in khaki pants surrounded the Louisville Bats' batting cage before Thursday night's game against the Durham Bulls.

Tim Naehring, the Reds' director of player development, joked afterward that khaki pants are given out at scout school.

With the Reds on the West Coast, seven members of the team's front office came to Louisville Slugger Field to watch the newest Red acquisition.

The one good thing about joining a new organization, Justin Germano said, was that he didn't know who the people at the game were, so he didn't get nervous about who was watching his debut. Germano and Class AA pitcher Travis Chick were acquired by the Reds Saturday from San Diego in exchange for third baseman Joe Randa.

Not only were Naehring and his assistant Grant Griesser here, but so was Brad Kullman, the Reds' director of major league operations, and Ken Griffey Sr., a special consultant to the general manager, along with other Reds brass.

"I tried not to put (pressure) on myself, but I wanted to get in there and show them what I've got and that the trade was good for them," Germano said.

After Germano went seven innings and earned a no-decision in the Bats' 4-3 loss to the Bulls, Louisville manager Rick Sweet said he could see why Reds general manager Dan O'Brien traded for Germano.

"Not a lot of 22-year olds advance and show the maturity he has on the mound," Sweet said. "If I see a guy with mound presence and the stuff he has, I'd think he's 27, 28. But he's 22 and already has the mound presence of a much older guy."

The "stuff" Germano has is three good pitches - a moving, but not overpowering, fastball, a good change-up and a curveball, which froze several Bulls batters Thursday night. He's also added a slider this year, but it's still new to his repertory.

"His curveball is his strikeout pitch," Bats catch Dane Sardinha said. "They gave up on that thing, and it dropped in for a strike."
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