Justin Germano

Germano jumped out to a 5-0 start for the Padres in 2007. He quickly returned to earth, losing 10 of his next 12 decisions, and finished the year in the bullpen. Germano is another quintessential Quadruple-A guy. In over 1,000 career minor league innings, his ERA is just below 3.70. At the major league level, the figure jumps to 5.08 in 161.1 innings. With a fastball in the high 80's, his control needs to be perfect and it isn't, as evidenced by the fact that he doesn't strike out at least twice as many hitters as he walks. Germano figures to shuttle between the rotation and the bullpen again in 2008.

Despite playing for three organizations, Germano has thrown at least 100 innings in each of the last three years at Triple-A, including 155 innings logged between Louisville and Scranton-Wilkes/Barre in 2006. Germano only throws in the high 80s, so he may not be more than a sixth or seventh man on a staff. Yet someone who has thrown 1,000 good (3.69 ERA) minor league innings deserves a shot at the majors.

In a strange decision by the Reds, Germano didn't even get a September call-up despite being the main swag in the Joe Randa deal. There's still a possibility that he could be a serviceable fifth starter at the major league level, but his lack of velocity and overall stuff will limit his potential upside. If Luke Hudson continues to walk the ballpark every other outing, Germano could get his shot in 2006.

Posting a 3.38 ERA in 22 Triple-A starts in 2004 is an accomplishment for a 13th round draft pick, one that gets by with deception more than velocity and stuff. The 22-year-old did just that and now looks to get a shot at competing for a spot in the rotation in upcoming season. But that's where the fairy tale will likely end. He was over-matched in five big league starts last year and, at best, projects to become a decent back-end guy, one that isn't likely to become much more.

The 13th-round pick in 2000 did enough to get himself added to the 40-man roster but struggled a bit with a promotion from high Single-A to Double-A Mobile. He's not overpowering but throws strikes with pinpoint control. He'll likely begin 2004 back in the Double-A Southern League with his long-term future possibly as high as a third starter or failing that, a long reliever for his ability to find the plate consistently.