PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Jason Smith Selected as PCL All-Star

Published on July 3, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


OMAHA, NE - Omaha Royals infielder Jason Smith has been selected to the 2008 Pacific Coast League All-Star team. The squad of 28 standouts, announced today, will face the International League's best in the 21st annual Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 16th in Louisville, Kentucky. Smith joins Omaha hitting coach Terry Bradshaw, previously chosen as a coach for the PCL All-Stars, as the Royals' two representatives.

Smith, 30, has spent the entire 2008 season with Omaha in his first full season in the Kansas City Royals' organization. Through games of July 2nd, Smith has played in all but two of Omaha's 84 contests. He leads the team with 18 home runs, tied for third-most in the PCL. Smith also leads the Royals with 54 RBI (tied for 11th in the league) and with 40 extra-base hits. He owns a share of the team lead with six triples, which is tied for 3rd-most in the circuit. Smith also ranks second on the club in runs (41) and ranks ninth in the PCL in total bases (162).

The left-handed batting Smith owns a .261 average and has shown his versatility in the field, playing at all four infield positions, including 40 games at third base, 25 contests at shortstop, ten tilts and first base and nine games at second base.

2008 marks the 12th season of Smith's professional career. He has spent parts of each of the previous seven seasons in the Major Leagues, playing in 235 games with the Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Colorado, Toronto, Arizona and Kansas City. The Royals claimed Smith off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 11, 2007 and he spent the rest of the season with Kansas City, hitting .188 with 6 home runs and 14 RBI in 40 games.

Smith was originally selected by the Cubs in the 23rd round of the 1996 draft out of Meridian Community College in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi. In 2003, Smith was named to both the mid-season and postseason International League All-Star teams. In 130 games with Durham that season, he hit .285 with 20 doubles, a league-best 14 triples, 15 home runs and 71 RBI.

No former Omaha Royals are part of this year's PCL All-Star roster, comprised of 13 elected players who received the most votes from the PCL teams' field managers and general managers, members of the media and online fan voting, plus 15 players selected by the PCL office. All 16 of the PCL's clubs will be sending representatives to Louisville, with the Albuquerque Isotopes leading the way with four All-Stars.

This will be the 11th mid-summer classic to pit the IL vs. the PCL, as the first ten contests had All-Stars from American League affiliates squaring off against those from National League farm clubs. Under the current format, each League has won five All-Star Games, with the PCL looking to win this summer for the first time since 2005. The winning league this year will once again earn the right to have its champion play as the "home" team at the Triple-A Championship Game - the Bricktown Showdown - in Oklahoma City this September.

First pitch for the Triple-A All-Star Game on the 16th is set for 6:05 p.m. CDT. The game will be seen live on ESPN2 and will be broadcast on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 3, 2008


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