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Randa dealt; Encarnacion ready
By Hal McCoy
Dayton Daily News
CINCINNATI | With a hug, a pat on the back and encouraging words, Joe Randa symbolically evacuated third base Saturday, passing it to Edwin Encarnacion.
The two embraced in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse and Randa said, "I'll be watching you and I know you'll do a great job and I'll see you next weekend in San Diego."
To make room for the 22-year-old Encarnacion, the Reds traded Randa to the San Diego Padres. In return the Reds received minor-league pitching prospects Justin Germano and Travis Chick.
Encarnacion was not in Saturday's lineup, but manager Jerry Narron said he would play today, "And would play a great deal. I've known Edwin since he was a baby in the Texas organization, and I said the first time I saw him that he is going to be a good major-league player."
Randa, 35, was signed to a one-year $2.1 million deal last winter, and General Manager Dan O'Brien told him, "You are a one-year bridge for us to Edwin Encarnacion," but the bridge was built quicker than a year.
Randa is not unhappy. Going to first-place San Diego gives him a chance to play in the postseason for the first time in his 10-year career.
"Encarnacion is a tremendous player," Randa said. "I enjoyed my time being around him when he was here for a couple of weeks and he is going to be a very productive major-league third baseman. He has All-Star caliber written all over him. I enjoyed him because he listens, and that's the first step for a young player wanting to step up his game. I hope he does well and he'll be here for a long time."
Encarnacion hit .314 with 15 homers and 54 RBIs in 78 games at Class AAA Louisville and was an International League All-Star. During his June 24-July 5 stop in Cincinnati he hit .222 in 10 appearances, three starts.
"When they sent me back to Louisville I got to play every day and did what they told me — kept working hard. I sure like it up here better than down there and I knew I had to work hard to get back.
"Now that I've got third base, I'll keep doing what I was doing in the minors," he added. "The trade was good for Randa and good for me and I like him because of the way he treated me."
Germano goes on the Reds' 40-man roster because he is out of options, but Chick still has options. Germano goes to Class AAA Louisville and Chick to Class AA Chattanooga.
Germano, 22, was 7-6 with a 3.60 ERA in 19 starts for Class AAA Portland, while Chick, 21, was 2-9 with a 5.36 ERA in 19 starts at Class AA Mobile.
O'Brien said numerous clubs were interested in Randa, but he took San Diego's deal, "because of the quality of the young pitching prospects. We took the opportunity to get a 22-year-old who is pitching in Triple-A (Germano) and a 21-year-old who we really like pitching in Double-A.
"Chick is a power arm and command is what he is still trying to acquire," O'Brien added. "Germano has more of a three-pitch mix with an outstanding curveball, and that's how he accumulates strikeouts."
Randa joins the Padres in time to face the Reds in a three-game series next weekend in San Diego.
"I'm not looking forward to that," he said. "It isn't a lot of fun playing against former teammates and friends. It's tough to play against guys like that, so it will be a tough weekend."
Asked if more trades are on the horizon, O'Brien said, "Anything is possible, but I don't know that I can handicap anything, but there is a long way between now and July 31 (the trade deadline)."
O'Brien maintains his posture that Austin Kearns, Adam Dunn and Wily Mo Pena won't be traded, "That the young players who make up the nucleus of our team are the ones we want to retain. The only thing that would cause us to go in that direction is if we are overwhelmed with a deal."
The Reds, though, are dangling veteran infielder Rich Aurilia, with few nibbles. Aurilia is only making $500,000, but there is a mutual option for $2 million for next year that kicks in if Aurilia reaches 550 plate appearances, which isn't likely to happen.
And when asked about the persistent Ken Griffey Jr. trade rumors, O'Brien said, "Griffey is a 10-and-5 player, and we need to get his permission to trade him. He and I have not visited, so that should give you a good indication."
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Originally Posted by Geki Ace
