Justin Germano
Encyclopedia
Justin William Germano is an American
professional baseball
pitcher
for the Samsung Lions
of the Korean Baseball Organization
.
, California, where he broke Mark McGwire
's Claremont Little League
record for most home run
s in a season. He graduated from Claremont High School
in 2000.
He was drafted in 2000
by the San Diego Padres
. Germano made his major league debut with the San Diego Padres on May 22, 2004, getting the win
as the starting pitcher
against the Philadelphia Phillies
. He pitched five innings, allowing five hits
, four runs
(three of them on a three-run home run by Chase Utley
in the third inning), four walks
, and five strikeout
s. As a hitter, he would have two at-bats and went hitless.
He was traded along with Travis Chick
from the Padres to the Cincinnati Reds
on July 23, 2005 for Joe Randa
. On July 31, 2006, Germano was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Rheal Cormier
. On March 19, 2007, Germano was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres. He made 23 starts for the Padres in 2007 where he went 7-10 with a 4.46 ERA
.
Germano is the first ever MLB pitcher to throw a major league pitch in China, starting for an exhibition game as the Padres starter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The ball from that first pitch now resides in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY.
signed Germano as a free agent. Despite pitching well in spring training and not giving up a single run, Germano did not win a spot on SoftBank's Opening Day roster, as the Hawks were at the limit of foreign players on the roster (Chris Aguila
, Kameron Loe
, D.J. Houlton, and Brian Falkenborg
). However, with Aguila and Loe failing to play well, Germano's chance came during Interleague play. Germano's first start came against the Hiroshima Carp, Germano was credited with the complete-game victory, giving up only two hits.
He continued to pitch well throughout the season. Germano finished the season with a 5-4 record and a 4.38 ERA. In September it was revealed that Germano had been pitching with an inflamed Achilles' tendon, and was knocked out for the rest of the season and the playoffs.
The Hawks stated that they intended to bring Germano back after the offseason started, However, he turned it down, stating he wanted to return to pitch in the States.
. On July 30, 2010 Germano was called up by the Cleveland Indians to join the bullpen for the Friday night game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Germano was designated for assignment by the Indians on May 19, 2011 to make room on the active roster for Luis Valbuena
.
On July 26, 2011, Germano threw a perfect game while on assignment with the Indians' Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
. He threw 60 strikes in 95 pitches to help lead the Clippers to a 3-0 victory over the Syracuse Chiefs. This was the first perfect game in Clippers history, and only the fifth to be thrown in the history of the International League
.
of the Korean Baseball Organization
on August 5, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
of the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
.
Early life
Germano is from ClaremontClaremont, California
Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
, California, where he broke Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
's Claremont Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
record for most home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in a season. He graduated from Claremont High School
Claremont High School (Claremont, California)
Claremont High School is a public secondary school situated in Claremont, California, USA. Part of the Claremont Unified School District, it is a California Distinguished School, a two-time national Blue Ribbon School of Excellence , and recently a nationally recognized International Baccalaureate...
in 2000.
San Diego Padres
2000 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Compensation picks:- Background :The Florida Marlins made Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, CA the first overall selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft...
by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. Germano made his major league debut with the San Diego Padres on May 22, 2004, getting the win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
as the starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He pitched five innings, allowing five hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, four runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(three of them on a three-run home run by Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
in the third inning), four walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, and five strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s. As a hitter, he would have two at-bats and went hitless.
Cincinnati Reds and return to San Diego
Travis Chick
Travis Cole Chick is an American Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Career:Chick was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 14th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft...
from the Padres to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
on July 23, 2005 for Joe Randa
Joe Randa
Joseph Gregory Salvatore Randa is a former Major League Baseball player. He was primarily a third baseman during his career. His nickname is "The Joker" due to his resemblance to the comic book character in Batman and his ever-present smile, especially during his plate appearances...
. On July 31, 2006, Germano was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Rheal Cormier
Rheal Cormier
Rhéal Paul Cormier is a Canadian former Major League Baseball pitcher.He attended Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick, Rhode Island, and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 6th round of the 1988 amateur draft...
. On March 19, 2007, Germano was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres. He made 23 starts for the Padres in 2007 where he went 7-10 with a 4.46 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
Germano is the first ever MLB pitcher to throw a major league pitch in China, starting for an exhibition game as the Padres starter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The ball from that first pitch now resides in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY.
Japan
Just after the 2008 season ended, the Fukuoka SoftBank HawksFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
signed Germano as a free agent. Despite pitching well in spring training and not giving up a single run, Germano did not win a spot on SoftBank's Opening Day roster, as the Hawks were at the limit of foreign players on the roster (Chris Aguila
Chris Aguila
Christopher Louis Aguila is a Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played parts of three seasons in the majors with the Florida Marlins and part of the season with the New York Mets...
, Kameron Loe
Kameron Loe
Kameron David Loe is a professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.He previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers. At 6' 9" tall, Loe is one of the tallest players in the game, and also has a 7 foot boa constrictor named Angel which he keeps in the clubhouse...
, D.J. Houlton, and Brian Falkenborg
Brian Falkenborg
Brian Thomas Falkenborg is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently pitching for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball....
). However, with Aguila and Loe failing to play well, Germano's chance came during Interleague play. Germano's first start came against the Hiroshima Carp, Germano was credited with the complete-game victory, giving up only two hits.
He continued to pitch well throughout the season. Germano finished the season with a 5-4 record and a 4.38 ERA. In September it was revealed that Germano had been pitching with an inflamed Achilles' tendon, and was knocked out for the rest of the season and the playoffs.
The Hawks stated that they intended to bring Germano back after the offseason started, However, he turned it down, stating he wanted to return to pitch in the States.
Cleveland Indians
On March 17, 2010, Germano signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. On July 30, 2010 Germano was called up by the Cleveland Indians to join the bullpen for the Friday night game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Germano was designated for assignment by the Indians on May 19, 2011 to make room on the active roster for Luis Valbuena
Luis Valbuena
Luis Adan Valbuena is a Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball.-Career:Valbuena began his professional career in the Seattle Mariners organization in 2005...
.
On July 26, 2011, Germano threw a perfect game while on assignment with the Indians' Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
. He threw 60 strikes in 95 pitches to help lead the Clippers to a 3-0 victory over the Syracuse Chiefs. This was the first perfect game in Clippers history, and only the fifth to be thrown in the history of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
.
Korea
Germano was sold to the Samsung LionsSamsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
of the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
on August 5, 2011.