Pacific Association
American independent baseball league
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
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
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
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
League members Former Team
Champions
Awards
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
References
^ "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 .
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