Pacific Association
| Most recent season or competition: 2019 Pacific Association season | |
 | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| First season | 2013 |
| Ceased | 2022 |
| Country | United States |
| Last champion(s) | San Rafael Pacifics (2019) |
| Most titles | San Rafael Pacifics (4) |
| Official website | pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com |
The Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs was an independent baseball league based in Northern California. The league was founded in 2013 by four former North American League teams.[1]
History
[edit]During the initial season, two Hawaii-based teams, the Hawaii Stars and the Maui Warriors, played inter-league games against the Baseball Challenge League of Japan; California teams played against the Freedom Pro League of Arizona.[2]
Both Hawaii teams ceased operations after playing the 2013 season citing high travel costs of bringing in opponents from Northern California.[3] The East Bay Lumberjacks also did not return for a second season.
Two expansion clubs were added in 2014 (the Sonoma Stompers and Pittsburg Mettle) bringing the total number of teams to four.
In 2017 San Francisco businessman and entrepreneur Jonathan Stone was named league commissioner.[4]
Expansion came again in 2018 with the addition of the Martinez Clippers and Napa Silverados.[5][6] This brought the league to an all-time high of six member clubs.
Before the 2019 season the league lost two teams, Martinez and Pittsburg, which both folded. The Salina Stockade were added to the league for 2019 as a travel team.[7]
Prior to the 2020 season, San Rafael left the league for the Pecos League. The California Dogecoin was listed as an expansion team on the league website, but after the season was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic were removed without having played a game. The 2020 season was officially cancelled on July 17, 2020. Later, the California Dogecoin formed the Liberation Professional Baseball League.[8]
The Sonoma Stompers announced in October 2021 their intentions to join the California Collegiate League for 2022.[9]
With no new news from the league's website and social media after the 2020 season cancellation, it is believed that the league has indeed folded.
Teams
[edit]| Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity | Notes | ||
| East Bay Lumberjacks | 2013 | Concord, California | Laney College | 250 | Travel team with limited home games. Did not return after 2013 season. | ||
| Hawaii Stars | 2012 | Hilo, Hawaii | Wong Stadium | 2,500 | Charter member, had previously played in North American Baseball League in 2012. Folded after the 2013 season. | ||
| Martinez Clippers | 2018 | Martinez, California | Joe DiMaggio Fields at Waterfront Park | 500 | Folded after the 2018 season.[10] | ||
| Na Koa Ikaika Maui | 2010 | Maui, Hawaii | Maehara Stadium | 1,500 | Charter member, had previously played in the Golden Baseball League (2010) and North American Baseball League (2011–12). First-ever PACA champions, folded after the 2013 season. | ||
| Napa Silverados | 2017 | Napa, California | Miner Family Field | 600 | Folded after 2019 season. | ||
| Pittsburg Diamonds | 2013 | Pittsburg, California | Michael V Valle Stadium | 1,000 | Originally named the Pittsburg Mettle, the club changed their name to the Diamonds in 2015. Folded prior to the 2019 season. | ||
| Salina Stockade | 2016 | Salina, Kansas | N/A | N/A | Travel team with zero home games. Previously played in Pecos League (2016), American Association of Professional Baseball (2017), Can-Am League (2018), since moved back into Pecos league in (2020–21). | ||
| San Rafael Pacifics | 2011 | San Rafael, California | Albert Park | 1,500 | Charter member, previously played in North American Baseball League in 2012. Only four-time PACA champion, have since moved to the Pecos League in 2020. | ||
| Sonoma Stompers | 2014 | Sonoma, California | Arnold Field | 1,500 | Moved to the California Collegiate League in 2021. | ||
| Vallejo Admirals | 2013 | Vallejo, California | Wilson Park | 500[11] | Charter team, folded after 2019 season. | ||
Teams that never played
[edit]- California Dogecoin of Fairfield, California – were to have played in the 2020 season, but instead played in the Liberation Professional Baseball League due to the Pacific Association postponing the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
League timeline
[edit]
League members Former Team
Champions
[edit]| Season | 1st Half Winner | 2nd Half Winner | League Champion | Playoff Game Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Na Koa Ikaika Maui | San Rafael Pacifics | Na Koa Ikaika Maui | 6–1 |
| 2014 | San Rafael Pacifics | San Rafael Pacifics | San Rafael Pacifics | none[12] |
| 2015 | Sonoma Stompers | San Rafael Pacifics | San Rafael Pacifics | 4–3[13] |
| 2016 | Sonoma Stompers | Sonoma Stompers | Sonoma Stompers | none |
| 2017 | Sonoma Stompers | Vallejo Admirals | Vallejo Admirals | 11–8[14] |
| Regular season winner | Record | Playoff Champion | Playoff Result | |
| 2018 | Sonoma Stompers | 57–23 | San Rafael Pacifics | 6–0[15] |
| 2019 | Sonoma Stompers | 45–19 | San Rafael Pacifics | 2–1 (best of three)[16] |
Awards
[edit]| Season | League MVP | Pitcher of the Year | Reliever of the Year | Rookie of the Year | Manager of the Year | Executive of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Jayce Ray, Sonoma | Patrick Conroy, San Rafael | Colin Allen, San Rafael | Jordan Hinshaw, Vallejo | Garry Templeton II, Vallejo | none |
| 2015 | Matt Chavez, San Rafael | Max Beatty, San Rafael | Sean Conroy, Sonoma | Mark Hurley, Sonoma | Aaron Miles, Pittsburg | Mike Shaprio, San Rafael |
| 2016 | Joel Carranza, Sonoma[17] | Patrick Conroy, San Rafael[18] | JR Bunda, San Rafael[19] | Marquis Hutchinson, Vallejo[20] | Takashi Miyoshi, Sonoma[17] | Theo Fightmaster, Sonoma |
| 2017 | Tillman Pugh, Vallejo [21] | Tyler Garkow, Sonoma [22] | Sammy Gervacio, Vallejo [23] | Michael Rizzitello, San Rafael[23] | P. J. Phillips, Vallejo Takashi Miyoshi, Sonoma[24] |
Kevin Reilly, Vallejo |
| 2018 | Javion Randle, San Rafael | Jared Koenig, San Rafael | Jacob Cox, Sonoma | Kenny Meimerstorf, Sonoma | Zack Pace, Sonoma | Brett Creamer, Sonoma |
| 2019 | Raúl Navarro, San Rafael | Dakota Freese, Vallejo | Jailen Peguero, San Rafael Ryan Richardson, Sonoma |
Zane Gelphman, Salina/San Rafael | Zack Pace, Sonoma | Brett Creamer, Sonoma |
Players who advanced to Major League Baseball
[edit]- RHP Logan Gillaspie (Sonoma 2017)
- LHP Jared Koenig (San Rafael 2017–18)
- RHP Chris Mazza (San Rafael 2018)
References
[edit]- ^ "New for 2013: Pacific Association". Ballpark Digest. January 12, 2013.
- ^ "Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs Announced". Baseball de World. January 14, 2013.
- ^ "Hawaii Stars baseball team suspended". West Hawaii Today. March 18, 2014.
- ^ "Jonathan Stone Named Pacific Association Commissioner". Ballpark Digest. May 5, 2017.
- ^ "New for 2018: Napa Silverados". Ballpark Digest. June 29, 2017.
- ^ "Stompers get two new opponents". Sonoma Index-Tribune. February 8, 2018.
- ^ "Bay Area independent baseball league's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offseason continues". The Mercury News. April 5, 2019.
- ^ "League Stadium to host pro baseball league". Dubois County Herald. July 30, 2020.
- ^ "California Collegiate League Expands to 11 Organizations, Adds Northern California's Sonoma Stompers". California Collegiate League. October 16, 2021.
- ^ "Martinez Clippers baseball team defunct after one season; FBI investigates team owners". The Mercury News. March 30, 2019.
- ^ Knight, Graham. "2017 Professional Baseball Ballparks". www.baseballpilgrimages.com. Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
- ^ "Vallejo Admirals crush San Rafael Pacifics in 2015 season opener". Vallejo Times-Herald. June 2, 2015.
- ^ "San Rafael Pacifics Win 2015 Pacific Association Championship". Independent Baseball. September 2, 2015.
- ^ "Vallejo Admirals are 2017 Pacific Association champions!". Vallejo Times-Herald. September 2, 2017.
- ^ "San Rafael Pacifics blank Stompers to capture championship". Marin Independent Journal. September 2, 2018.
- ^ "Pacifics win Game 3, defend Pacific Association title". Marin Independent Journal. September 1, 2019.
- ^ a b "Latest News". Sonoma Stompers Baseball. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ "Pacifics Baseball Club - Patrick Conroy Named Pitcher of the Year". www.pacificsbaseball.com. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ "Pacifics Baseball Club - JR Bunda Named Reliever of the Year". www.pacificsbaseball.com. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ "Marquis Hutchinson Named Pacific Association 2016 Rookie of the Year | Vallejo Admirals". vallejoadmirals.com. October 26, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ "Pugh Named League MVP | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs". pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Garkow Named 2017 Pitcher of the Year | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs". pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ a b "Rizzitello, Gervacio receive Rookie of the Year and Reliever of the Year Honors | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs". pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "League Honors Dual Managers of the Year in Miyoshi, Phillips | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs". pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.