Relief pitcher Jimmy Johnson, starting pitcher Jeff Kaplan, outfielder Sean Ratliff and second baseman Josh Satin have all been named to the 2009 South Atlantic League Southern Division All-Star squad, the league announced today. It is the first All-Star selection for all four of the Gnats and the first time that Savannah has had four representatives chosen since 1998 as an affiliate of the Texas Rangers.
Johnson, 23, was nails out of the bullpen for Savannah before being called up to High-A St. Lucie last week. In 19 outings the La Mirada, Calif. native registered a 1-0 record with an anemic 0.68 ERA to go along with three saves. Before being called up, Johnson hadn’t allowed a run 15 appearances spanning 15.2 innings pitched. He allowed just five of his 20 inherited runners to score during his time with the Gnats.
Kaplan, 23, was one of the league’s best starting pitchers before he got the call to move upward. Prior to his last start with Savannah, Kaplan was leading the league in ERA with a 1.05 ERA in nine games (eight starts). He struck out 47 batters in 55.2 innings pitched and when he was on the slab the Gnats had a 7-3 record.
Ratliff, 22, has been one of Savannah’s most consistent hitters along with Satin in 2009, hitting .309 at the time of selection. The fourth-round pick out of Stanford started May on an impeccable tear as he raised his batting average from .259 to .360 at its highest point on May 14.
The Longmont, Colo. product was named the South Atlantic League Player of the Week for the week of April 27-May 1 and has been the only Sand Gnat this season to receive such an award. He is currently tied for the league lead in hits (68), tied for second in runs scored (36) and tied for third in triples (five). Ratliff leads the team in home runs (five) and is tied for the team lead in RBI (31).
Satin, 24, has been a staple in the lineup card in 2009 with his bat as the Hidden Hills, Calif. native has spent a majority of the campaign among the league leaders in batting average. He’s currently ranked ninth with a .316 clip but at one point was among the top five in the league consistently with his average still in the .350s (.353) on May 22. The California product is tied for the team lead in RBI with 31 and leads the team in walks (34).
Johnson and Kaplan will not participate in the All-Star Game due to their promotion to High-A St. Lucie. The 2009 All-Star Jamboree will take place at the Appalachian Power Park, home to the West Virginia Power, from June 22-23 with the game itself being played on Tuesday, June 23. A time for the game has yet to be announced.
The last time Savannah had four All-Stars selected was in 1998 when Aaron Bond, Jose Santos, Juan Pinella and Anthony Fisher all were selected to the squad.
Savannah finishes off a three-game road trip tonight in Augusta before heading home to begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday at 7 p.m. versus the Rome Braves. It’s a Twofer Tuesday presented by Bud Light and 103.1 The Drive with two-for-one pricing on select Budweiser and Coke products. It’s also a KRAFT Singles Buy-One-Get-One-Free Tuesday. Fans that bring in a KRAFT singles wrapper can get a buy-one-get-one free ticket offer from KRAFT.
For tickets and more information, visit http://www.sandgnats.com/ or call 912.351.9150.
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