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By Nate Gartrell
The Vallejo Admirals will enter the 2018 season in a position that they’ve never been in before: the defending champs of the Pacific Association. They were the comeback kids last year when they took what looked to be a surefire miserable season and changed the tide midway through, ultimately defeating the favored Sonoma Stompers 11-8 in a one-off, Superbowl-style championship game.
Riding that wave of momentum, the Admirals made several front office changes over the offseason, adding an assistant GM and a new marketing director and broadcaster. This year, they’re ramping up efforts to partner with local businesses and service groups, and coming up with themed days, prize giveaways, and special events throughout the schedule.
“We’re creating even more reason to come to the ballpark,” Assistant GM Matthew Snyder said. “We’re maturing as an organization. We’re generating an environment at the ballpark that centers on cleanliness, friendliness, food, music, and promotion.”
When the Admirals came to Vallejo in 2013, it was a welcome surprise to many in the community. There were early hardships, as there often are in the rough world of independent baseball, but even before they won their first championship the Admirals had become a local household name. The team’s players participate in local events, including youth baseball camps, and vendors all over town offer their customers free tickets to Admirals games. By coincidence—or maybe not—the Admirals’ rise has coincided with the establishments of other businesses that are new to Vallejo, like a Mare Island winery and a waterfront brewery.
The Admirals are known for their creative giveaways, including a popular free car wash from 7 Flags that goes to the dirtiest car in the lot (this author may have won that one once or twice). Next season, Snyder said fans should show up to the ballpark expecting to leave with a souvenir. “You’ll always have a chance to win a prize or leave with a giveaway,” Matthew said. “Every single game.”
Despite some of the front office changes, two things will remain the same: their enthusiastic owner Kevin Reilly is still at the helm, and manager PJ Phillips will be coming back with hopes to lead the team to a consecutive championship. Phillips, a former prospect of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, played professional ball from 2005 to 2013. He started with the Admirals as a player, and every once in a while might stick himself back in the lineup for an at-bat or two. His leadership is credited with bringing much-needed stability to the club last year.
“Having somebody like PJ, who you can trust implicitly with the baseball side of it, is amazing,” Matthew said. “His results speak for themselves. Once he got ahold of the team, they had such a tremendous second half.”
For the Admirals, last year’s championship was a long time coming after a history of hardships. The team was briefly suspended due to financial woes in 2013, its uniforms were burglarized in 2015, and new ownership groups took over time and time again. In 2016, on their way to a paltry 32-46 record, the Admirals fired their manager mid-season and ended up finishing last place overall. In 2017, under the guidance of their new manager, Phillips, they started off the year with more of the same, finishing 12-27 in the first half.
But then, just as quickly, they turned things around. In July and August, the Admirals were the team to beat, finishing off the regular season with a three-game win streak against the San Rafael Pacifics. Their efforts were in part thanks to their closer, Sammy Gervacio, a quirky right hander who brought an intensity to the field despite partaking in seemingly oddball antics, like regularly changing his windup. Gervacio, who pitched for the Houston Astros during the 2009-10 seasons, was the first former major leaguer to ever sign with the Admirals. In 2017, he racked up a crucial 18 saves in the 78-game season, becoming arguably the most reliable closer in the team’s history. His efforts attracted the New Britain Bees of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which signed Gervacio for 2018.
The Admirals’ home opener will kick off May 31st with a ring ceremony, and then a game against the Pittsburg Diamonds. Ticket prices range from $5-$10 and concessions and fan gear are comparably affordable. For a full schedule list including game times, visit www.vallejoadmirals.com. For regular updates on everything Admirals related, go to and like www.facebook.com/VallejoAdmirals.
Nate Gartrell grew up in Benicia, studied journalism in college, and has written for a handful of media outlets since age 15. He aspires to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums and to hit the trifecta at the horse track. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ offset=”vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”default” el_class=”sidebar-area-right sidebar-area”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
