The reason the Barnstormers have yet to announce their 2009 coaching staff, as York did shortly before Thanksgiving, is Lancaster has yet to decide who will fill the assistant roles. Von Hayes is still expected to return for a second season as manager, but that’s all that is certain at this point.
Rick Wise, the only pitching coach in Barnstormers history, will not return for a fifth season on the bench. Team president Jon Danos called the departure a mutual decision. Wise, 63, was a fixture in Lancaster’s dugout since the team’s inception in 2005. He won his first professional championship here in 2006 and served as interim manager for the final 53 games in 2007.
The Barnstormers are in the beginning stages of searching for a new pitching coach to work alongside Hayes. The team has not determined if bench coach Boots Day will be back next year.
I am kinda glad there will be a change of pitching coach this year. Nothing against Mr Wise but I have been thinking we needed a change for a couple years now. Since the championship year he seemed to be “putting in time” and not really doing much work with the pitchers. Just never seemed like he was into it. Maybe we’ll see someone in there that can work a bit more with the pitchers and change some attitudes?
GL to Rick…He’s a class act.
Definitely a class act but he was ready to retire is all I am saying.
From my sources he wanted to spend time with his Grandchildren… who can blame him. Have fun Rick!!
I am happy Von is coming back, hopefully with a better understanding of what this league really is and what it means to the fans. Who do we petition to bring Boot’s back?
Best of luck Rick
I know it will never never be the same at the “Clip” without Rick.
He was the only Phillies player I ever liked.
I realized how much time being a pitching coach for the Barnstormers can consume.
I wish him the best of luck and hope he has a great time with his grandchildren.
If you are reading this, Rick. I want to tell you that we are really going to miss you.
As Bob Hope would say, “Thanks for the Memories”.
Come back for a visit soon!
Good Luck!
I’m cursed! The very day AFTER I finally get my one of a kind- custom made Rick Wise Barnstormers jersey they announce this. He was my 1st favorite Phillies player and a big part of the reason I decided to become a Barnstormers fan in the first place & make the trek out from Philly so often.
Hopefully the team will give him the honor of being the first Barnstormers number retired. I never want anyone to think of anyone else when they see that #38 on the back of my jersey.
Things certainly aren’t the same anymore…
Brian Stavisky has signed with the Phillies…he is expected to play in either AA Reading or AAA Lehigh Valley. Great news!
If they retire Rick Wise’s number I can think of atleast 2 if not 3 others that should also be retired – #5, 23 and 27 if and when they do not return.
Do they actually retire #’s in Indy league??
Geezzz, this blog has been soooo quiet since the “poll”, come on Jason we need another !
Rare cases I guess of retiring numbers in indy league but unless the guy is a Hall of famer or insanely popular I wouldn’ think it would happen. Or maybe a local guy that was really popular. I don’t see it happening though!
Rick was a class guy. There are so many stories that the general public will never know. He will be missed. I feel he did a fantastic job with all the signings and injuries. He told me he hasn’t been in his home town during the summer in over a quarter century. He deserves a rest.
Don’t be suprised to hear his name surface sometime in the future.
Also, there is a good chance Rick will be in the area in March, watch for some publicty.
Good luck Rick..
Best of luck Rick and you will be missed. I am sure you know that. Now I know why lance wanted his photo with you so bad.
All grandparents desire time to be with their loving grandchildren. I know that he will never regret this decision… 100% guaranteed!
Rick was a fantastic pitching coach. His senior presence in the dugout was always appreciated. I’m sure that those who worked with him understood the importance of Rick to the Barnstormer organization.
Enjoy yourself, Rick!
dadTB
Best of luck to you Rick. It was great to watch you work with the pitchers. Its amazing what a couple of words or showing them a pitching motion could do for the pitchers as they were warming up before a game. 25+ years is long time not to have a summer off, I guess we all take these guys playing ball for granted and do not realize what they give up in return.
Uniform numbers ARE retired by Indy teams. Even if they hadn’t been previously, I made a suggestion. I’m dumbfounded that my suggestion caused such alarm for some. How dare I suggest something nice for a player I grew up liking!!!
I believe Glenn Murray’s number was retired by Nashua. It’s a nice gesture for a player who has been with a team for a long time (at least by indy ball standards). I’m not sure anyone with the Barnstormers has reached a level to merit such an honor.
No Dave..if you were referrring to me Im not dumbfounded or alarmed at your suggestion…I was just stating an opinion and even then I didnt say it shouldnt be….only that I find it highly unlikely. There are too many problems with that. (see below)
And yes Jason, Glenn Murrays number WAS retired in Nashua…and he WAS associated with them for awhile before they did it. and he is the all time leader in homeruns for the Atlantic league correct? Those would be factors..and isnt he from around there?
I also think if we start retiring numbers in only the fifth year of existance for the team, there will be all kinds of problems in the future. Where would you stop? Sure its cool to “retire numbers”….a huge honor for the player or coach or whomever….but honestly its a hall of fame kind of thing…or a longevity kind of thing. The level of merit issue that Jason mentioned is correct. We all have players who we think were “great” and pitching coaches who were “fantastic” (??) and favorite players but realistically its a relative thing. Reading has been around forever yet they only have 3 retired….Schmidt, Jackie Robinson and Ryan Sandberg. You have to have some kind of level to judge the merit…Hall of Fame status stands alone….otherwise you end up retiring everyones number because “his numbers were the same or better”. Its pretty difficult to determine a number retirement without some kind of uniform standard to adhere to. In Indy ball there are relatively few players who have any kind of longevity. My point is if Wise was in the Hall of Fame…well then I think there is cause for it. But he’s not. Im not taking away from his accomplishments in his career but once you start retiring numbers it opens up a whole new bunch of issues.
People want to retire Harrigers number and maybe Pattersons too….it’ll be hard to put a stop to it once it starts happening.
And before you say about Rick Wises LONGEVITY…yeah I know he’s been in baseball nearly 50 years….and yeah I know he’s been with us for 4. (since the beginning) But I still don’t think there’s merit for us to retire ANYONES number yet.
You’re taking this topic way too seriously.
Amen to that Jason
No I am stating an opinion. Scarpello asked for it…
Go ring of honor. Names, not numbers.
Market a Rick, Denny, et al night at the ballpark, sell a few more tickets on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. Another autograph op for the degenerates.
Agree with that Fausto
Rick Wise is anything but a class act. I’ve yet to see him ever embrace the fans, and he has NEVER spoken with or signed an autograph for a single fan at our ball park (Somerset). From what I understand, he’s extremely bitter in the fact that he has never been asked to be a pitching coach on the major league level.
Hope he enjoys his life away from Lancaster-come back down to earth and try to understand your glory days of 1971 are long gone and no MLB team has any interest in you.
WOW Wotus,
I don’t know who your talking about but it’s not the Rick Wise I know. Shame you didn’t get to meet the real person his is.
Always willing to sign an autographs and chat about everything from the Phils to the food in the stadium. Always ready and willing to be in on playing practical jokes on a player …or a fan.
He will be tending his beloved garden back home this summer for the first time ever.
I hope Rick and his wife enjoy a long happy retirement together.