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.