Stompers Open Spring Training Exhibition Slate Against Pacifics

Manager Takashi Miyoshi and bench coach Chris Mathews address the team.

Tim Livingston/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Intern

The feeling of a new season was in the air on an unseasonably cool afternoon in Sonoma as the Stompers took the field on Saturday for their first exhibition game of spring camp. The Stompers went head-to-head with the defending Pacific Association champion San Rafael Pacifics at Peterson Field at the Sonoma Valley Field of Dreams Complex.

The Stompers began spring training on Friday with team workouts, but faced opposing league competition in the Pacifics for the first time on Saturday. The game featured some familiar faces from a season ago and some new ones that will look to prove themselves to earn a spot on the roster. The Stompers showed positive signs in the first game of spring, and will look to sharpen their skills for the season opener later in May.

Two new pitchers shined on the hill for the Stompers as both Jose Flores and Austin Delmotte looked solid in their outings. Delmotte’s fastball was overpowering at times giving the Pacifics all they could handle.  Flores did well to keep the Pacifics offense at bay in over two innings of work.

At the plate, Sonoma struck right away in the first inning, and were able to put together good at bats throughout the game. Catcher Max Ayoub showed great discipline at the plate by drawing two walks.

The Stompers will hit the road for their next spring training exhibition at Los Medanos College on Sunday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Diamonds. Sonoma will be back in town for another exhibition matchup against the Pacifics on Monday.

The regular season kicks off for the Stompers on May 31st when they begin a three game road series against the Vallejo Admirals. Opening night at Arnold Field will be on June 7th when Sonoma kicks off another three game set against the Vallejo Admirals. First pitch of that game is scheduled to take place at 6 PM.

Stompers Tickets are available online at stompersbaseball.com, and can also be purchased at the Stompers Fan Shop located at 234 W. Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. Special group events, and group ticketing packages are also available now. Please email jack@stompersbaseball.com, or call 707.938.7277 for any questions you may have or for more information. 

Spreadsheet Success Saldivar Signed By Brewers

Santos Saldivar has been signed by the Milwaukee Brewers, the first player to be signed to a Major League organization directly from the Stompers in franchise history.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Theo Fightmaster, General Manager

The Milwaukee Brewers have purchased the contract of Sonoma Stompers Ace right-hander, Santos Saldivar, the team’s general manager Theo Fightmaster announced Thursday.

Saldivar started the Pacific Association championship game for the Stompers last season thanks to his brilliant second-half run. He had a 2.05 ERA in 13 appearances, including five starts, and across his 48 1/3 innings, he struck out 58 and walked 17 while allowing only 44 hits.

Advanced metrics showed how dominant he was in such a short time, as his 2.23 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) was the best in the Pacific Association for players with at least 40 innings. He also had the best strikeout rate in that sample size at 28.9%. He placed fourth in the year-end awards for Pitcher of the Year, the only player in the Top 5 to pitch fewer than 75 innings.

“I’m excited for this opportunity, and I have to thank the Stompers for giving me this chance,” Saldivar said. “Without them, I wouldn’t have this chance. ... I’m also gonna miss Sonoma, and my host mom, Ms. Sandy (Popovich), and Ms. Gail (Brodkey, who I stayed with last summer).”

Saldivar was originally identified by the Stompers by the work of authors Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller, who took over baseball operations for the team in 2015, and chronicled their experience in a New York Time Best-Selling book, “The Only Rule is it Has to Work.”

“We couldn't be happier for Santos. He's a great guy with awesome stuff and amazing makeup, and we loved him from the second we saw his name (and his eye-popping stats!) on a spreadsheet,” Lindbergh said. “Both the Stompers and the Brewers signed him without ever seeing him pitch in person, because his performance is impressive enough to stand out from across the country.”

The 5-foot-10-inch right-hander will be only 23 years old this season and has a great four-pitch mix, with a fastball that can sit in the low 90’s to go along with a great curveball, change-up and slider.

Saldivar joins Sonoma’s own Jayce Ray as the first Stompers players to be signed by a Major League organization.

The Stompers open the season May 31, 2016, and start their home season in Sonoma on Tuesday, June 7, at 6 p.m. against the Vallejo Admirals.

Full Season tickets, mini-plans and partial season tickets are on sale on our website, www.stompersbaseball.com, or at the Stompers Fan Shop, located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. Group events and Group Tickets are also available now. Please email jack@stompersbaseball.com, or call 707.938.7277 for questions and more information. 

Former Stomper Jayce Ray Reports To Red Sox Low-A Affiliate

Jayce Ray was the 2014 Pacific Association MVP and the first Stomper player to be signed to an affiliated minor league contract.

Bill Hoban/Sonoma Index-Tribune

Tim Livingston, Director of Media Relations & Broadcasting

After becoming the first former Stomper to be signed by a Major League organization on a minor league contract, Sonoma native and 2014 Pacific Association MVP Jayce Ray has his first assignment from the Boston Red Sox.

The 26-year-old outfielder will make his affiliated pro debut with the Greenville Drive, the organization’s Low-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.

Ray had been spending the last few weeks at the team’s facility in Arizona playing in Extended Spring Training after bruising his hand near the end of Spring Training in March. He will now get an opportunity to show off his skills to the organization in his first shot at affiliated baseball.

Ray signed with the Red Sox on a minor league deal back in October of 2015 after a terrific season with the Wichita Wingnuts, a top team in the American Association where he helped lead the team to its second consecutive South Division championship and a 59-41 record.

In 402 plate appearances for the Wingnuts, Ray hit .310/.422/.383 with a homer, 35 RBI and 57 runs scored. For the second consecutive season, he had more walks than strikeouts (56/39 BB/K ratio) and also stole 17 bases in 26 attempts.

Wichita had won the American Association championship in 2014 and were looking to reload for 2015, which is why they reached out to Ray, who had just set the Pacific Association ablaze with a sensational season that made him an easy choice for league MVP.

He hit .355/.483/.543 for Sonoma that season with eight homers, 44 RBIs and 61 runs scored. He stole 21 bases in 26 attempts and was the best center fielder in the league defensively, as well.

Ray’s arrival in Greenville comes less than 24 hours after the news of Santos Saldivar signing with the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the second player behind Ray in franchise history to sign a minor league affiliated contract.

The brand new Stompers website is up and running at StompersBaseball.com, where you can get all the latest news on the team, buy exclusive Stompers gear, and get your tickets for the 2016 season.

The Stompers will begin the 2016 campaign on May 31st when they hit the road to open the Pacific Association League season against the Vallejo Admirals in a three game series. The Stompers will open the home slate at Arnold Field on Tuesday June 7th also against the Vallejo Admirals in a three game set. 

Tickets for the opening series, or any games this season are available on stompersbaseball.com. They are also available via our team shop located on 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. if you have any questions email us at jack@stompersbaseball.com, or by phone at (707) 938-7277. 

Miyoshi Returns To Head Stompers In 2016

Takashi Miyoshi will return as manager for 2016.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Intern

There will be a familiar face filling out the lineup cards this season for Sonoma as the Stompers will welcome back manager Takashi  ‘Yoshi’ Miyoshi to the Arnold Field dugout for the 2016 season.
 
Miyoshi is in his seventh season as a coach in professional baseball. In 2015, Miyoshi was promoted from bench coach to the managerial position on July 13. In becoming the manager, Miyoshi made history in becoming the first Japanese-born manager in the history of American professional baseball.
  
The 37-year-old Miyoshi was born in Tokyo, Japan before taking his baseball career stateside. Prior to Miyoshi’s coaching career, he spent time playing professionally in the Golden Baseball League, and also the California Winter Baseball League.
 
He moved into coaching in 2009 as a base-coach for the Victoria Seals in the Golden Baseball League.  He has worked under notable names in the baseball world as well including being a base-coach for former big-leaguer Bill Buckner in the Can-Am League in 2011.
 
The Stompers finished the 2015 season with an overall mark of 44-33, one win better than the 42-36 mark Sonoma compiled in the inaugural season of Stompers Baseball in 2014.
 
The Stompers will look to continue the offensive success they had last season, as the Stompers were second in the league in hits, home runs, and finished first in doubles. Miyoshi, and the Stompers will also look to finish stronger in 2016 in pursuit of the franchise’s first league Championship in its third year of competition.
 
The Stompers will begin the 2016 campaign on May 31st when they hit the road to open the Pacific Association League season against the Vallejo Admirals in a three game series. The Stompers will open the home slate at Arnold Field on Tuesday June 7th also against the Vallejo Admirals in a three game set.
 
Tickets for the opening series, or any games this season are available on stompersbaseball.com. They are also available via our team shop located on 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. if you have any questions email us at jack@stompersbaseball.com, or  by phone at (707) 938-7277.

2016 Spring Training Begins Friday

The Stompers will begin Spring Training for 2016 on Friday at Peterson Field in Sonoma.

Danielle Putonen/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Intern

Baseball Season is back in the Wine Country, as the Sonoma Stompers are getting ready to open the 2016 season. Spring training will begin for the Stompers on Friday, May 20th, as the team prepares to chase the franchise’s first league championship.  

In doing so, the Stompers will invite 28 players to camp to fight for a spot on the active team roster. There will be seven players returning to camp from the 2015 campaign that resulted in a second place finish in the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, where the team had a 44-33 overall team record.  

On the infield, the Stompers will return star first baseman Daniel Baptista, and shortstop Eddie Mora-Loera. In the outfield, 2015 Pacific Association Rookie of the Year Mark Hurley will look to build upon the fantastic season he had a year ago. Hurley had an impressive .302 batting average to go along with nine home runs, and 51 RBIs.

On the mound, the Stompers will welcome back three arms, including two of their top starting pitchers from last season in Gregory Paulino and Mike Jackson, Jr. Sean Conroy also returns after his history-making 2015 season.

The Stompers have also bolstered the roster with new talent that should prove to make a difference in 2016. At catcher, the Stompers will get some help from newcomers Marcus Blackmon and Max Ayoub. 

Blackmon, an alumnus of Jamestown University, impressed scouts while playing for the Toronto Rush in California Winter League. Blackmon had 11 hits in 29 at bats while helping the Rush to a CWL Championship.  He is also known as an extremely smart and savvy catcher that will look to take control of the pitching staff. 

Ayoub accumulated a .314 batting average to go along with 16 homers and 77 RBIs during his collegiate career at the University of Nebraska-Keaney. He was also named to the All-MIAA Team. 

On the infield, the Stompers will hope that hot corner specialist Caleb Bryson can add some extra thump to the lineup. In 2015, Bryson accumulated a .356 batting average to go along with a staggering 30 home runs and 96 RBIs while playing for the Trinidad Triggers in the Pecos League.

For pitchers, three new names to keep an eye on will be Oliver Garcia, Jose Flores, and Austin Delmotte. Garcia, a native of the Dominican Republic, spent time in the Seattle Mariners organization. Flores spent time with the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 2015 and will look to bolster the starting rotation. 

Flores excelled in his role as the ace Friday starter for the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma with his best season coming in 2014 when he finished with a 1.67 earned run average in 43 innings pitched.  

Delmotte impressed scouts in the California Winter League with his power fastball and will look to blow hitters away with his velocity this summer. 

Takashi ‘Yoshi’ Miyoshi returns at the helm of the Stompers for 2016, entering his second season with the club, and his first full season as manage. Miyoshi was promoted from bench coach and took over the managerial duties mid-season on July 13, 2015. 

Chris Mathews will begin his first season with the club in 2016 as a bench coach, and could also see some time behind the plate as a catcher. 

The Stompers will begin the regular season on May 31st against the Vallejo Admirals on the road in the first game of a three game series. Sonoma will kickoff the home slate on Tuesday, June 7th when they host the Vallejo Admirals in another three game series at Arnold Field. 

Tickets are available online at stompersbaseball.com, and can also be purchased in our Stompers Fan Shop located at 234 W. Napa St in Sonoma. Group events and Group Tickets are also available now. Please email jack@stompersbaseball.com or call 707.938.7277 for any questions you may have or more information.  

Stompers Re-Sign Mike Jackson, Jr. For 2016

Jackson, a charter member of the Stompers franchise, returns in 2016 for his third season.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Tim Livingston, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

He’s been here since the beginning of the franchise, and he’ll be back here in 2016, as well. The Sonoma Stompers, presented by Virginia Dare Winery, have announced the re-signing of veteran right-handed pitcher Mike Jackson, Jr. to join what is quickly becoming a strong pitching staff for the 2016 team.

One of the original Stompers in the team’s flagship season in 2014, Jackson has become a fan favorite in Sonoma, as well as being a good pitcher both in the rotation and out of the bullpen.

"Mike's been a staple of this organization since its inception," said Stompers general manager Theo Fightmaster, "I'm thrilled for our team, and for our fans. When Mike takes the ball he has a singular focus, and is about as good as anybody at this level.”

Jackson spent 2014 as a reliever for Sonoma, leading the team with nine saves, before moving into one of the team’s starting spots in 2015. Featuring a fastball in the upper 80’s that reached the low 90’s on occasion to go along with a slider and a splitter, he had great success as a starter.

Traditional stats like ERA (4.72) don’t begin to tell the story of Jackson’s success. He was very unlucky when balls went in play against him, as his .380 BABIP ranked second highest amongst starters in the Pacific Association. He struck out 72 batters in his 83 innings and walked only 23, good for a 3/1 K/BB ratio that was second best on the team.

In addition, the runs he did give up were mostly clustered together. Of his 43 earned runs, 23 came over 3 different starts, which meant over the other 66 1/3 innings, the 20 earned runs he allowed gave him a 2.71 ERA. Fielding Independent Pitching, which accounts for only things a pitcher can control like strikeouts, walks and home runs, liked him too, as his 3.41 mark was third best amongst league starters.

Jackson will be a tremendous asset for the Stompers in 2016, as the team has also announced the re-signings of Sean Conroy, Gregory Paulino and Santos Salidvar to head up the pitching staff for the 2016 season.

Players report to camp on Thursday, May 19 with the season beginning on Tuesday, May 31 as the Stompers travel to take on Vallejo.

The Stompers play their first home game of the 2016 season on Tuesday, June 7 while they host the Admirals in a three game series. Tickets are available online at stompersbaseball.com and can also be purchased at the Stompers Fan Shop, located at 234 W. Napa St. in downtown Sonoma.

Buy 'The Only Rule Is It Has to Work' autographed by Ben & Sam

The story of the 2015 Stompers is now a New York Times Bestseller! You can own a copy of the book signed by the authors, Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller.

Signed Copies Now Available: Buy It Now

What would happen if two statistics-minded outsiders were allowed to run a professional baseball team?

It’s the ultimate in fantasy baseball: You get to pick the roster, set the lineup, and decide on strategies -- with real players, in a real ballpark, in a real playoff race. That’s what baseball analysts Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller got to do when an independent minor-league team in California, the Sonoma Stompers, offered them the chance to run its baseball operations according to the most advanced statistics. Their story in The Only Rule is it Has to Work is unlike any other baseball tale you've ever read.

We tag along as Lindbergh and Miller apply their number-crunching insights to all aspects of assembling and running a team, following one cardinal rule for judging each innovation they try: it has to work. We meet colorful figures like general manager Theo Fightmaster and boundary-breakers like the first openly gay player in professional baseball. Even José Canseco makes a cameo appearance.

Order a second piece of Stompers merchandise with you book order, using the promo code "BOOKSALE" and get $5 of the book!

Will their knowledge of numbers help Lindbergh and Miller bring the Stompers a championship, or will they fall on their faces? Will the team have a competitive advantage or is the sport’s folk wisdom true after all? Will the players attract the attention of big-league scouts, or are they on a fast track to oblivion?

It’s a wild ride, by turns provocative and absurd, as Lindbergh and Miller tell a story that will speak to numbers geeks and traditionalists alike. And they prove that you don’t need a bat or a glove to make a genuine contribution to the game.

​Gregory Paulino Set To Return To Sonoma Stompers Staff

Gregory Paulino returns for his second season with the Stompers after a very good 2015.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Tim Livingston, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

Gregory Paulino led the Sonoma Stompers Professional Baseball Club’s pitching staff in wins, strikeouts, and complete games in 2015. And when he was at his best, the 6-foot-3 right-hander from Palenque, Dominican Republic, also led the Stompers in swagger.

With his long lean frame, and his pronounced leg whip delivery, the 23-year-old former Oakland Athletics farmhand went 8-4 with a 3.76 ERA, while striking out 87 hitters in 93 1/3 innings pitched. Paulino pitched two complete games – both shutouts – led the team in innings pitched, and his WHIP (walks, plus hits per innings pitched) of 1.189 was second only to that of Sean Conroy’s 0.950.  

“I was excited when we were able to sign Gregory last winter, and I’m even more excited he’s coming back this season,” Stompers General Manager Theo Fightmaster said. “Gregory was a great player on the field, and a great man of integrity and principle off it. He’s adored by his teammates, his host family, and feared by hitters – that’s the ideal combination that we’re looking for in our players.”

Paulino missed the 2014 season with an elbow injury, but had put up impressive numbers in previous seasons in the A’s farm system. He earned eight wins at three levels between 2011 and 2013, and boasted a 3.73 earned run average, while striking out 121 batters in 159 1/3 innings pitched.

As a starter he made appearances between Oakland’s Dominican Summer League team, and its Rookie team in Arizona; where he furnished a 2.79 ERA in 29 innings, holding opponents to a .257 batting average against in 2013.

Additionally, the team will scout and sign players out of the Pacific Association’s Open Tryout, slated from April 23-24 at CC Sabathia Field in Vallejo. Players interested in competing for a job with any of the Pacific Assoc. teams are encouraged to register online at www.StompersBaseball.com. 

Players report to Sonoma May 19, and spring training workouts and exhibitions begin May 20.

The Stompers finished the 2015 season with their second winning record in as many years, going 44-33. In the franchise’s inaugural campaign in 2014, Sonoma boasted a 42-36 record.

The Stompers open the season May 31, 2016, and start their home season in Sonoma on Tuesday, June 7, at 6 p.m. against the Vallejo Admirals.

Full Season tickets, mini-plans and partial season tickets are on sale on our website, www.stompersbaseball.com, or at the Stompers Fan Shop, located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. Group events and Group Tickets are also available now. Please email jack@stompersbaseball.com, or call 707.938.7277 for questions and more information.

Santos Saldivar To Re-Join Stompers Staff

The sensational Santos Saldivar returns to bolster the Stompers rotation in 2016.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Tim Livingston, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

The Sonoma Stompers are bringing back another prominent arm from their memorable 2015 season, as the team has announced the signing of pitcher Santos Saldivar to head what will be an exciting, young rotation in 2016.

A second year player from Pasadena, Texas, the graduate of Southern University was outstanding after joining the Stompers in the second half of 2015.

“Santos was every bit as good as anyone who threw a pitch in our league last year, and we’re thrilled he will be returning this season,” said Stompers GM Theo Fightmaster. “With this move, we expect our starting pitching to be a real strength of our ball club.”

Added Special Assistant of Baseball Operations, Sam Miller, "Santos Saldivar is an ace, in the truest sense of the word. He wants to take the ball in the biggest game of the year, and once he’s in he wants to face the other team’s toughest hitter in the biggest situations. He’s absolutely unflappable, he’s got a deep repertoire and excellent command, and he throws hard. 

"What makes him so fun to watch is how intelligent he is on the mound," Miller added. "He’ll throw any pitch in any count, how he has a game plan for every hitter, and how he sets up what he throws in the seventh inning with what he throws in the first. He can toy with hitters or he can blow it right past them, and he knows exactly which situations call for each approach. Every game he starts, you’re thinking potential no-hitter."

He didn’t join the Stompers until the second half, but you don’t have to strain too hard to say Saldivar was the most effective pitcher in the Pacific Association last year. No pitcher who threw as many innings as he did had a better combination of strikeout, walk and home runs rates. This is a pitcher who should ensure that the Stompers have a great starter on Opening Night and a great starter in the championship game.

Saldivar started the Pacific Association championship game for the Stompers last season thanks to his brilliant second-half run. He had a 2.05 ERA in 13 appearances, including five starts, and across his 48 1/3 innings, he struck out 58 and walked 17 while allowing only 44 hits.

Advanced metrics showed how dominant he was in such a short time, as his 2.23 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) was the best in the Pacific Association for players with at least 40 innings. He also had the best strikeout rate in that sample size at 28.9%. He placed fourth in the year-end awards for Pitcher of the Year, the only player in the Top 5 to pitch fewer than 75 innings.

The 5-foot-10-inch right-hander will be only 23 years old this season and has a great four-pitch mix, with a fastball that can sit in the low 90’s to go along with a great curveball, change-up and slider. He becomes the second pitcher from 2015 to join the Stompers for another season, as fellow standout Sean Conroy re-signed with the team last month.

The Stompers open the season May 31, 2016, and start their home season in Sonoma on Tuesday, June 7, at 6 p.m. against the Vallejo Admirals.

Full Season tickets, mini-plans and partial season tickets are on sale on our website, Stompersbaseball.com, or at the Stompers Fan Shop, located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. Group events and Group Tickets are also available now. Please email jack@stompersbaseball.com, or call 707.938.7277 for questions and more information.

Sonoma High Teams and Stompers Enjoying New Arnold Field Batting Cage

Sonoma Valley High Seniors Joe Peterson and Maclean Meyn spearheaded a project to rehabilitate the batting cage at Arnold Field.

Lorna Sheridan/Sonoma Index-Tribune

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: Sonoma Index-Tribune

Lorna Sheridan, Index-Tribune Education Editor

Joe Peterson and Maclean Meyn took over the annual Home Run Derby fundraiser this year for their senior project at Sonoma Valley High School, but they weren’t content just raising money – although they do expect to bring in several thousand dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project.

They love baseball and wanted to make a noticeable impact on the Arnold Field facilities used by the high school teams. The batting cage has been in disrepair and almost unusable in recent years, so they decided to raise money to renovate the cage, well in advance of the baseball season.

Several months of hard work later, “Our batting cage is probably the best in the county now,” said Peterson. “It works better and is safer and better looking.” The turf is new, as is the grading, the netting and the concrete pad. A new roof is going on and new lights make it safer and easier to see.

“The updated batting cage looks great,” said Sonoma Stompers general manager Theo Fightmaster. “We’re thrilled that Joe had the idea and ambition to put this together, he did a fantastic job. And it’s great that so many groups came together to help him with these much-needed improvements. The new cage will serve all of Sonoma baseball well, including the Stompers.”

While the batting machine still needs to be fixed, the cage is already getting a lot of use by the SVHS team, which is a few weeks into its spring season.

Flyers can be seen around town already for the April 9 Home Run Derby at Arnold Field. The all-day event is a popular Sonoma tradition. “Beyond all the local parents who love to come with their kids, we invite our entire league, as well as everyone from the Stompers organization,” said Peterson.

He added that the radar gun, which tracks pitch speed, is particularly popular with kids and dads alike