PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Ochoa, Espineli Named to Pacific Coast LeagueAll-Star Team

Published on July 3, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, CA - The Pacific Coast League announced this afternoon that Ivan Ochoa and Geno Espineli will represent the Fresno Grizzlies on the PCL All-Star Team. The PCL All-Stars will take on the best of the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 16th at Louisville Slugger Field, home of the Louisville Bats. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with first pitch scheduled for 4:05pm PDT.

The 2008 Pacific League All-Star squad is made up of 13 elected players who have received the most votes from ballots submitted by clubs' field managers and general managers (1/3), members of the media (1/3), and online fan voting (1/3). The elected players are joined by 15 additional All-Stars selected by the Pacific Coast League office. All sixteen PCL clubs will be sending at least one representative to Louisville.

Fresno Grizzlies' shortstop Ivan Ochoa was one of the 13 players elected to the All-Star Game, and will start for the Pacific Coast League as a result. In his ninth professional season, though only his second in the San Francisco Giants' organization, this is Ochoa's first All-Star selection. The 25-year old Venezuelan currently leads the Grizzlies with a .322 batting average, and ranks second in the PCL in stolen bases (18). A red-hot month of June certainly didn't hurt his All-Star campaign, as the infielder batted .374 with 18 runs scored and 14 RBI last month.

Southpaw Geno Espineli has been one of the most dominant relief pitchers in the Triple-A classification this season. The Texas native, who selected by San Francisco in the 14th Round of the 2004 Draft out of TCU, has a team-best 1.93 ERA in 29 appearances this year. The left-hander has struck out 40 batters while walking only 6, in 46.2 innings of work. Espineli's All-Star nod comes after being named to the 2007 Eastern League All-Star team last summer.

The International League will look to pick up its third consecutive win at the mid-summer classic after coming out victorious in the 2006 All-Star Game held in Toledo, Ohio and the 2007 Game in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This will be the 11th showdown under the current IL vs. PCL format, with both Leagues having five wins. 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.

The Fresno Grizzlies return home on Friday, July 4th to host the rival Sacramento River Cats, with a very special Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza to follow the contest. For information regarding tickets, promotions, or Grizzlies baseball visit FresnoGrizzlies.com or call 559.320.HITS.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 3, 2008


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