2015 Pacific Association season

The 2015 Pacific Association season was the third season of the Pacific Association. There was a four team 77 game schedule. Most series included a three-game series with each team having 39 home games. The Pittsburg Mettle became the Pittsburg Diamonds for the 2015 season.

2015 Pacific Association season
LeaguePacific Association
SportBaseball
DurationJune 1, 2015 – August 31, 2015 [1]
Number of games77 (155 games in total)
Number of teams4
Regular season
Season championsSonoma Stompers 1H (26–11), San Rafael Pacifics 2H (29–11)
League postseason
Finals championsSan Rafael Pacifics
  Runners-upSonoma Stompers
PACA seasons

The San Rafael Pacifics entered the season as defending champions, having won both halves of the 2014 Pacific Association season.

The playoffs concluded on August 31, with the San Rafael Pacifics defeating the Sonoma Stompers 4–3 in the league's 2015 championship game.[2]

Team and rule changes

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The four teams in the league played a 77-game schedule. Each team played 39 games for the first and second half of the season. Each half champion would receive a place in the best-of-one championship game.

In 2015, the Sonoma Stompers hired Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller to advise the team using their 'sabermetrics' theory of player management. They went on to write a book about their experience, called 'The Only Rule Is It Has to Work'.[3]

In June, Sonoma Stompers' pitcher Sean Conroy became baseball's first openly gay professional player. On the Stompers' pride night, Conroy threw a complete game shutout win.[4][5]

In July, the San Rafael Pacifics used three cameras stationed at different points around the ballpark, and used a robo umpire for the strike zone. Eric Byrnes would then announce balls and strikes.[6][7]

Regular season standings

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as of August 31, 2015

Pacific Association
Regular Season Standings
Pos Team G First half record Second half record Season record Pct. GB
1 x – San Rafael Pacifics 78 19–19 29–11 48–30 .615 --
2 x – Sonoma Stompers 77 26–11 18–22 44–33 .571 3.5
3 e – Pittsburg Diamonds 77 18–20 20–19 38–39 .494 9.5
4 e – Vallejo Admirals 78 13–26 12–27 25–53 .321 23.0
  • y – Clinched division
  • x – Clinched playoff spot
  • e – Eliminated from playoff contention

[8]

Statistical leaders

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Hitting

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Stat Player Team Total
HR Matt Chavez San Rafael Pacifics 31
AVG Scott David Pittsburg Diamonds .384
RBIs Matt Chavez San Rafael Pacifics 85
SB Matt Hibbert Sonoma Stompers 32

Pitching

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Stat Player Team Total
W Gregory Paulino, Max Beatty Sonoma Stompers, San Rafael Pacifics 8
ERA Dennis Neal Vallejo Admirals 2.47
SO Nick DeBarr San Rafael Pacifics 115
SV Steve Chapter Pittsburg Diamonds 14

To qualify as league leader for hitter, AVG - Minimum of plate appearances of 2.7 per team game. To qualify as league leader for pitcher, ERA - Minimum inning(s) of .8 pitched per team game. [9]

Playoffs

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Format

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In 2015, The winner of the first and second half played a best-of-one championship game. The Sonoma Stompers won the first half with a 26–11 record. The San Rafael Pacifics won the second half with a 29–11 record. The Pacifics hosted the Stompers on August 31.

Individual Awards

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Award Player Team
Most Valuable Player Matt Chavez [10] San Rafael Pacifics
Pitcher of the Year Max Beatty [11] San Rafael Pacifics
Reliever of the Year Sean Conroy[12] Sonoma Stompers
Rookie of the Year Mark Hurley [13] Sonoma Stompers
Manager of the Year Aaron Miles[14] Pittsburg Diamonds
Executive of the Year Mike Shapiro San Rafael Pacifics

Defensive Players of the Year

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[15][16]

Position Player Team
C Isaac Wenrich Sonoma Stompers
1B Daniel Baptista Sonoma Stompers
2B Yuki Yasuda Sonoma Stompers
SS Daniel Gonzalez San Rafael Pacifics
3B T.J. Gavlik Sonoma Stompers
LF Matt Hurley Sonoma Stompers
CF Zack Pace San Rafael Pacifics
RF Matt Hibbert Sonoma Stompers
P Sean Conroy Sonoma Stompers

Notable players

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Former Major League Baseball players who played in the Pacific Association in 2015

Other notable players who played in the Pacific Association in 2015

References

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  1. ^ "Pacific Association - schedule".
  2. ^ "San Rafael Pacifics Win 2015 Pacific Association Championship". Independent Baseball. September 2, 2015.
  3. ^ "How 'moneyball' came to the Sonoma Stompers". sonomanews.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Now Starting for the Sonoma Stompers". slate.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  5. ^ "GOOD FOR YOU, SEAN CONROY!". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Eric Byrnes Lends Voice to 'Robo Ump,' Calls Balls and Strikes at Baseball Game". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  7. ^ "San Rafael minor league baseball team replacing human umpire with tech". abc7news.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Pacific Association - standings".
  9. ^ "Pacific Association - stats".
  10. ^ "Marin briefs: Pacifics' Chavez earns league MVP honors". marinij.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Marin briefs: Pacifics' Chavez earns league MVP honors". marinij.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  12. ^ "STOMPERS SEAN CONROY VOTED PACIFIC ASSOCIATION'S TOP RELIEF PITCHER". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  13. ^ "STOMPERS RE-SIGN 2015 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR MARK HURLEYs". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Aaron Miles, Manager". diamondsproball.com. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  15. ^ "SEVEN STOMPERS SELECTED DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Marin briefs: Pacifics' Chavez earns league MVP honors". marinij.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.