Sonoma Stompers
| Sonoma Stompers Baseball Club | |
|---|---|
| File:SonomaStompers.png | |
| Information | |
| League | Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs |
| Location | Sonoma, California |
| Ballpark | Arnold Field |
| Founded | 2014 |
| League championships | 2016 |
| Colors | Orange and Navy |
| Retired numbers | Jayce Ray (99) |
| Ownership | Eric Gullotta, Derek Rampone |
| Manager | Takashi Miyoshi |
| Media | Sonoma Index-Tribune |
| Website | stompersbaseball |
The Sonoma Stompers are an independent professional baseball team based out of Sonoma, California. They began play as a member of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs in 2014. They are a successor franchise to the defunct Sonoma County Grapes, and are the first professional team to make Sonoma County home since the Sonoma County Crushers ceased play following the 2002 season.
History
The Stompers announced their first professional signing, Tommy Lyons in March 2014, and shortly there after traded for local hero, Jayce Ray. The team's first manager was Ray Serrano, who led the Stompers to a 42–36 record in their inaugural season. In 2015, Serrano accepted a full-time position with the Atlanta Braves to serve as the organization's catching instructor.[1]
Former major league pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee started a game for the Stompers on August 12, 2014, pitching the team to victory over the Pittsburg Mettle (since renamed the Pittsburg Diamonds). Lee set a record with the win, becoming the oldest person (at age 67) to ever win a professional baseball game.[2] Lee pitched 5⅔ innings, and batted for himself.[3]
In 2015 the Sonoma Stompers allowed Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller of Baseball Prospectus's "Effectively Wild" podcast to serve as the Baseball Operations department, under General Manager Theo Fightmaster. The duo wrote about their experience in a book entitled The Only Rule is it Has to Work that came out on May 3, 2016.[4]
The team made history in June 2015, when pitcher Sean Conroy became the first openly gay active professional baseball player.[5]
In June 2016, the Stompers announced that two female baseball players would join their roster starting in July. Upon joining the roster, the two players, outfielder-pitcher Kelsie Whitmore and infielder Stacy Piagno, will make the Sonoma Stompers the first coed professional baseball team since the 1950s.[6][7] The Stompers added catcher Anna Kimbrell in July 2016.[8]
Season-by-season
| Season | W | L | Finish | Playoffs/Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 42 | 36 | 3rd of 4 | |
| 2015 | 44 | 33 | 2nd of 4 | First half winner; Lost championship game vs San Rafael Pacifics |
| 2016 | 47 | 31 | 1st of 4 | First half winner; Second half winner; League champions |
Current roster
Template:Sonoma Stompers roster
References
- ^ "Colombian Trio Of Former Stompers Taste Winter Success In Home Country". Sonoma Stompers. 15 May 2015.
- ^ "In historic move, two female players signed by minor league baseball team". Washington Post. 30 June 2016.
- ^ "'Spaceman' Lee rockets Stompers". Sonoma Index-Tribune. 11 August 2014.
- ^ "The Only Rule is it Has to Work". Huffington Post. 13 May 2016.
- ^ "First openly gay player K's 11 in Stompers' win". Major League Baseball. 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Sonoma Stompers adding two women to roster". Press Democrat. 28 June 2016.
- ^ "The Sonoma Stompers are set to make more history by signing two women to their roster". Major League Baseball. 29 June 2016.
- ^ "Minor league baseball team to add third female player to roster". Excelle Sports. 15 July 2016.
External links
