BILLINGS — The Pioneer League-leading Billings Mustangs are in the final stretch of the regular season, and one of their newest additions is experiencing something he hasn't had in two years: a home field.
Infielder Justin Johnson Jr. spent the last two seasons without a permanent home. A year ago, he played for Colorado Springs, which didn't have a home park. This season, he played for the RedPocket Mobiles — the only professional team in the United States to play their entire 96-game schedule without a home stadium or a hometown field.
"Playing on the road, it's tough," Johnson told MTN Sports before his first home game in two summers.
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And he admitted the grind of constant travel took a physical toll.
"Yeah, it's a lot on the body. You're constantly on the bus. Every off day is a six-hour bus trip somewhere," Johnson said.
That changed when Johnson was traded from the Mobiles — who hold the league's fewest wins — to the playoff-bound Mustangs. Billings (59-24) has won nine straight which nearly totals RedPocket's (13-71) wins this season.
"I had a feeling … when you're playing baseball and you get towards the end of the year and you're not on a winning team — or your about to get eliminated — that you might get traded to another team that's making a push or that's in the playoffs," Johnson said.
And of course, Billings is already playoff-bound. In a league this size with 12 teams, there’s a chance guys may have teamed up together. But not this time.
"No, I didn't know anybody on the roster,” he said with a shy laugh. “I didn't know any of the coaches or anything.”
But the Mustangs knew him. Before joining Billings, Johnson was hitting .320 with 17 home runs and 56 RBI.
Johnson also carries a piece of his past on his wrist — literally. He wears four wristbands he never takes off. One is from his second year in the playoffs at San Francisco State, where he played in college. Another used to read "Jackson State Alumni," where he graduated, though the lettering has since faded.
One prominent letter in his name is J — Justin Johnson Jr. — presenting multiple nickname options.
"A couple people call me Triple J, but it's mainly just JJ," he said.
It took two seasons and a trade deal, but JJ finally has a baseball home.
