| Sonoma County Crushers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes | Independent |
| League | Western Baseball League |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles | 1 (1998) |
| Team data | |
Previous parks | Rohnert Park Stadium |
The Sonoma County Crushers were a minor league baseball team located in Rohnert Park, California. They were a member of the independent Western Baseball League, and were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team. [1]
The team was one of the founding members of the league, beginning play in 1995. They won the WBL championship in 1998. [1] The team folded with the league after the 2002 season; they were the only team to participate in all eight seasons of the WBL. [2] At one point, former San Francisco Giants outfielder Kevin Mitchell managed the Crushers. [3]
The team played in Rohnert Park Stadium, which was built in 1981 for the California League's now-defunct Redwood Pioneers. The stadium was demolished in 2005, three years after the Crushers' final season. [4]
The Crushers embraced the local wine industry in multiple ways. The stadium's home run fence included a 16 foot (4.9 m) wall in left field, covered in local wine advertisements, which was called the Wine Sign or the Grape Monster (a play on Fenway Park's Green Monster). The team also sold wine bottles at the stadium, autographed by the players. The team mascot was Crusher, the Abominable Sonoman , with large purple feet for stomping grapes, in reference to the surrounding Wine Country region. [2]
Like many independent minor league teams, the Crushers relied on a mix of young players hoping to get recognized by pro teams and older players sticking around after playing in higher leagues. [1] Cuban defectors joined the Crushers to showcase their skills. [5] The most notable professional baseball player to develop with the Crushers is Chad Zerbe, who pitched for the San Francisco Giants from 2000–2003, including three appearances and a win in the 2002 World Series against the Anaheim Angels. [6]