Randa to Padres

[CincyRedsFan30]

Done deal.

[Kingdom]

Details?

[CincyRedsFan30]

07/23/2005 3:24 PM ET
Reds trade Randa for young arms
Swap with Padres nets right-handers Germano, Chick

By Kyle Jepson / Special to MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- With all the speculation of who the Reds will trade and when, it was Joe Randa who got the first call from general manager Dan O'Brien.
Randa was traded before Saturday night's game to the Padres for two young pitching prospects.

In exchange for Randa, the Reds acquired right-hander Justin Germano, 22, and right-hander Travis Chick, 21, both starters.

Germano, who was assigned to Triple-A Louisville, was ranked by Baseball America as the Padres' seventh-best prospect before the trade. This season, he went 7-6 with a 3.60 ERA in 19 starts with Triple-A Portland.

Germano did have one stint with the Padres last season. He went 1-2 with an 8.86 ERA in seven games, five of them starts.

Chick might be the best catch for the Reds in the future, though. The young right-hander was ranked the fourth-best prospect in the Padres organization by Baseball America before the deal. His fastball was rated tops in the Padres organization.

This season, Chick went 2-9 with a 5.36 ERA in Double-A Mobile.

The trade will help the Padres fill a big void at third base and replace Sean Burroughs, who has not lived up the team's expectations this season.

For the Reds, the gain is clear. With a much-depleted pitching staff and few pitching prospects in the Minors, the Reds have retooled for the future.

In a related move, Edwin Encarnacion was called up from Triple-A Louisville and will join the team for the second time this season.

Kyle Jepson is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.