Pacific Association
of Professional Baseball Clubs
Pacific Association logo.png
SportBaseball
Founded2013
Inaugural season2013
Ceased2022
No. of teams2
CountryUnited States
Last
champion(s)		San Rafael Pacifics
(2019)
Most titlesSan Rafael Pacifics (4)
Official websitepacproclubs.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

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 team. Were previous members of North American Baseball League in 2012. Folded after the 2013 season.
Martinez Clippers[10] 2018 Martinez, California Joe DiMaggio Fields at Waterfront Park 500 Folded after the 2018 season.
Na Koa Ikaika Maui 2010 Maui, Hawaii Maehara Stadium 1,500 Charter team. Golden Baseball League 2010, North American Baseball League 2011-12. Folded after the 2013 season.
Napa Silverados 2017 Napa, California Miner Family Field 600 Team is currently inactive.
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 after the 2018 season.
Salina Stockade 2016 Salina, Kansas N/A N/A 2019 Traveling Team. Previously in Pecos League 2016, American Association of Professional Baseball 2017, Can-Am League 2018, since moved back into Pecos league in 2020-21. Currently Inactive.
San Rafael Pacifics 2011 San Rafael, California Albert Park 1,500 Charter team. Previously played in North American Baseball League 2012, have since moved to the Pecos League 2020-present.
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. Currently inactive.

Teams that never played

League timeline

Salina Stockade (baseball)Martinez ClippersNapa SilveradosPittsburgh DiamondsSonoma StompersEast Bay LumberjacksVallejo AdmiralsSan Rafael PacificsNa Koa Ikaika MauiHawaii Stars

League members Former Team

Champions

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[citation needed] none
2015 Sonoma Stompers San Rafael Pacifics San Rafael Pacifics 4–3[12]
2016 Sonoma Stompers Sonoma Stompers Sonoma Stompers none
2017 Sonoma Stompers Vallejo Admirals Vallejo Admirals 11–8[13]
Regular season winner Record Playoff Champion Playoff Result
2018 Sonoma Stompers 57-23 San Rafael Pacifics 6–0[14]
2019 Sonoma Stompers 45-19 San Rafael Pacifics 2-1 (best of three)[15]

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 Collin 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[16] Patrick Conroy, San Rafael[17] JR Bunda, San Rafael[18] Marquis Hutchinson, Vallejo[19] Takashi Miyoshi, Sonoma[16] Theo Fightmaster, Sonoma
2017 Tillman Pugh, Vallejo [20] Tyler Garkow, Sonoma [21] Sammy Gervacio, Vallejo [22] Michael Rizzitello, San Rafael[22] PJ Phillips, Vallejo / Takashi Miyoshi, Sonoma [23] 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

  1. ^ "New for 2013: Pacific Association". Ballpark Digest. January 12, 2013.
  2. ^ "Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs Announced". Baseball de World. January 14, 2013.
  3. ^ "Hawaii Stars baseball team suspended". West Hawaii Today. March 18, 2014.
  4. ^ "Jonathan Stone Named Pacific Association Commissioner". Ballpark Digest. May 5, 2017.
  5. ^ "New for 2018: Napa Silverados". Ballpark Digest. June 29, 2017.
  6. ^ "Stompers get two new opponents". Sonoma Index-Tribune. February 8, 2018.
  7. ^ "Bay Area independent baseball league's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offseason continues". The Mercury News. April 5, 2019.
  8. ^ "League Stadium to host pro baseball league". Dubois County Herald. July 30, 2020.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "California Collegiate League Expands to 11 Organizations, Adds Northern California's Sonoma Stompers". California Collegiate League. October 16, 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Martinez Clippers baseball team defunct after one season; FBI investigates team owners". The Mercury News. March 30, 2019.
  11. ^ Knight, Graham. "2017 Professional Baseball Ballparks". www.baseballpilgrimages.com. Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  12. ^ "San Rafael Pacifics Win 2015 Pacific Association Championship". Independent Baseball. September 2, 2015.
  13. ^ "Vallejo Admirals are 2017 Pacific Association champions!". Vallejo Times-Herald. September 2, 2017.
  14. ^ "San Rafael Pacifics blank Stompers to capture championship". Marin Independent Journal. September 2, 2018.
  15. ^ "Pacifics win Game 3, defend Pacific Association title". Marin Independent Journal. September 1, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Latest News". Sonoma Stompers Baseball. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  17. ^ "Pacifics Baseball Club - Patrick Conroy Named Pitcher of the Year". www.pacificsbaseball.com. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  18. ^ "Pacifics Baseball Club - JR Bunda Named Reliever of the Year". www.pacificsbaseball.com. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  19. ^ "Marquis Hutchinson Named Pacific Association 2016 Rookie of the Year | Vallejo Admirals". vallejoadmirals.com. October 26, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  20. ^ "Pugh Named League MVP | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs". pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  21. ^ "Garkow Named 2017 Pitcher of the Year | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs". pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ "League Honors Dual Managers of the Year in Miyoshi, Phillips | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs". pacproclubs.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.

External links

Pacific Association
Professional baseball leagues
Categories