By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Reds will begin using electronic hand-wand metal detectors to screen fans at Great American Ball Park tonight when the Reds play the New York Yankees.

The team hopes you won't notice and that the new security measure doesn't cause a backup at the gate with tonight's sellout crowd.

"We want to do it without slowing down the crowd," said Kerry Rowland, the club's public safety and security manager. "We want to make things more secure."

The use of wands, which are similar to ones used to check passengers at airports, has been mandated by Major League Baseball. Rowland did not know the exact number of clubs using wands.

The fact that the Reds are first using the wands for the Yankees series is a coincidence, Rowland said.

The Reds were to begin using the wands at the last home stand. But it was pushed back because of Marty and Joe Bobblehead Night.

Not everyone will be screened. A random number of people will be asked to step aside and go through the wand check after they have entered the ballpark.

The checks will be done by seasonal security personnel. Fans will be given baskets to place cell phones, change and keys in before the check.

Some items banned on airplanes - like nail clippers and small pocketknives - will be permitted in the park.

A police officer will be present during the check.

"We're not looking for contraband," Rowland said. "We'll be very reasonable."

For example, if a fan is carrying a large pocketknife, security will hold it and the fan can collect it after the game.

The Reds already restrict coolers and other carry-in items. Bags, purses and backpacks larger that 16-by-16-by-8 inches are not allowed under Major League Baseball rules.

Reds fans downtown Monday said the ballclub's new security procedures don't present any problems for them.

Drew Laura, 37, a Yankees fan from New Jersey, said the procedures are "not a big deal." All the ballparks and stadiums in New York and New Jersey have similar security procedures.

"It's not a bother to me," Laura said. "Better to be safe than sorry."

Charlie Williams, 56, of Richmond, Va., recently attended a baseball game in Camden Yards in Baltimore, and he said security personnel there check coolers and camera bags.

The Bengals do not use metal detectors or wands on fans at the gates of Paul Brown Stadium. The NFL does not require either, said Bill Connelly, Bengals business manager.

"There are one or two (teams) in the league who wand people," Connelly said. "We have discussed doing it for the upcoming season but have not come to a determination."

Sellout crowd awaits Yankees

The Yankees arrive in Cincinnati today for a first-ever regular season series with the Reds. The three-game series is sold out. Because of the sellouts, and the start of today's new security screening, fans will want to arrive early.

Today

7:10 p.m.

Game time forecast: Rain, 66 degrees

Pitchers: Jimmy Haynes (0-4) vs. Mike Mussina (7-3)

Wednesday

7:10 p.m.

Forecast: Rain, 70 degrees

Pitchers: Paul Wilson (2-4) vs. Andy Pettitte (5-5)

Thursday

7:10 p.m.

Forecast: Partly cloudy, 75 degrees

Pitchers: Danny Graves (3-4) vs. Jose Contreras (2-1)

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Reporters William Weathers and Mark Curnutte of the Enquirer contributed to this article.

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com