Johnson named to All-PCL team

By The Montana Standard Staff - 08/31/2008

Butte native Rob Johnson earned a spot on the annual All-Pacific Coast League Team, which was named last week.

The squad features four current Major Leaguers and two Olympians.

Johnson, who leads all Triple-A catchers with qualifying at bats with a .303 average, is the lone representative on the team from the Tacoma Rainiers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.

First baseman Joe Koshansky (Colorado Springs Sky Sox), second baseman Eric Patterson (Sacramento River Cats), shortstop Brandon Wood (Salt Lake Bees) and third basemen Matt Brown (Salt Lake) and Jamie D'Antona (Tucson Sidewinders) rounded out the league's star-studded infield.

Outfielders Nelson Cruz (Oklahoma Redhawks), Nick Stavinoha (Memphis Redbirds) and Terry Tiffee (Las Vegas 51s) joined designated hitter Dallas McPherson (Albuquerque Isotopes) as the league's other top hitters.

Shane Loux (Salt Lake), Gio Gonzalez (Sacramento) and Jason Bulger (Salt Lake) comprised the roster's pitching staff.

Cruz currently plays for the Texas Rangers, while Bulger plays for the Los Angeles Angels and Patterson and Gonzales play for the Oakland A's.

Brown and Tiffee played in Beijing for Team USA, which captured the bronze medal.

The Rainiers rested Johnson the last two nights. So far in 2008, Johnson has appeared in 111 games. He has 125 hits in 413 at bats, including 30 doubles, nine home runs and 48 RBIs.

After hitting .235 in April and .238 in May, Johnson hit .333 in June and .392 in July. He is hitting .318 in August.

On Sept. 1, Major League teams can expand their rosters from 25 to 40.

Johnson was a September call See JOHNSON, Page B5 up for the Mariners last year and went 1-for-3 at the plate while seeing action in six games. He made his Major League debut Sept. 4 at Yankee Stadium.

The Mariners drafted Johnson, a 2001 Butte Central graduate, in the fourth round (123rd overall) of the 2004 draft after a solid career at Saddleback Junior College and the University of Houston.