Johnson named Angels' roving infield coordinator

ANAHEIM -- The Angels are in search of a new manager for their Triple-A affiliate, after reassigning Keith Johnson to the role of roving infield coordinator.

Johnson has been in the Angels' system for 11 years and has served as manager of the Salt Lake Bees for the last four seasons, compiling a 273-303 record, while leading the club to the Pacific Coast League finals in 2013.

Johnson called the move "a mutual thing," saying it's "not necessarily like I got pushed into it. It's something that I'm extremely excited about; it's something that I'm looking forward to."

Johnson -- a former infielder who played his only six Major League games with the Angels in 2000 -- will work alongside longtime second baseman Bobby Knoop in a role once held by 11-time Gold Glove Award winner Omar Vizquel, now the Tigers' first-base coach.

"I have a passion for infield play," Johnson, 43, said in a phone conversation. "I love it. I think there's a lot of importance in how guys go about their business and the frame of thought that guys need in order to be a solid infielder, and being part of the implementation of that at the lower levels as guys get into the system, and nurturing that as they go up. I have a passion for it. I'm looking forward to getting back into that."