Mancini on his debut as a leadoff hitter

CINCINNATI - Trey Mancini was shagging fly balls today during early batting practice at Great American Ball Park when Orioles bench coach John Russell approached him with an update on the lineup.

An update that Mancini initially didn't take seriously.

"He told me that I would be in left and hitting leadoff, and I didn't know if I heard him correctly," Mancini said. "He asked me if I hit leadoff before and I told him, 'No.' I thought he was just randomly asking me. Then he was insinuating that I was hitting leadoff tonight and I said, 'Oh, OK.'

"That's definitely something new that's never happened on any level before."

Manager Buck Showalter is sitting Craig Gentry tonight against Reds left-hander Amir Garrett, who's making his third major league start. Someone has to bat atop the order and Showalter is comfortable going the unconventional route.

Mancini has hit in the middle of most orders, though he's batted seventh with the Orioles in five of his starts. It's more of reflection on the players around him.

When Mancini says he's never been a leadoff hitter, he's going all the way back to his pre-teen years.

"If you saw a picture of me when I was 10 years old, you would say that kid's not a leadoff hitter," he said with a laugh. "I was a pretty hefty youngster there, so no, I never hit leadoff."

Mancini won't be laying down bunts and trying to swipe bases.

"Probably not any more than normal," he said.

"You've just got to treat it like any other at-bat pretty much. It's something I've never done before, but I'm not going to try to change anything. It's just that I'm coming up earlier than I normally would have is how I'm treating it."

No reason for a guy with seven home runs in 13 major league games to alter his approach.

Left-hander Jayson Aquino is in the clubhouse and ready to pitch in relief after the Orioles recalled him from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned Tyler Wilson to the Tides.

Seth Smith wasn't at his locker while reporters were allowed inside, leaving Showalter to provide an update later this afternoon on the outfielder's right hamstring.

For the Reds
Billy Hamilton CF
Jose Peraza 2B
Joey Votto 1B
Adam Duvall LF
Eugenio Suárez 3B
Scott Schebler RF
Zach Cozart SS
Tucker Barnhart C
Amir Garrett LHP