Hayes Beats Out Big Names For Barnstormers Job

They passed on a Hall of Famer. They said “No” to a pair of former major league managers. Heck, they even went as far as to say “Thanks, but no thanks” to their former skipper. But in the end, one man was left standing.

“I was proud to just be considered, but to be chosen was a great feeling,” Lancaster Barnstormers manager Von Hayes admitted today.

The former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star is taking over a club that is only three-years old, but knows all about post-season baseball. In 2006, just their second season, the Barnstormers were dominating. Winning both halves, the club went undefeated in the playoffs on their way to their first Atlantic League Championship.

Last season, however, was anything but special for the franchise. That’s where Hayes comes in.

“The best clubs all are formatted the same — speed at the top of the order, solid closer, power in the middle of the lineup,” Hayes says, rattling off a few others. “The key is knowing the players and who is going to fill the rolls.”

Hayes, who cites Mike Scioscia, Buck Rogers and John Vukovich as coaches he admires, learned of the league last year while attending a charity event with Long Island Ducks manager Dave LaPoint. The two exchanged numbers and a few months ago, Hayes called LaPoint, who referred him to league executive director, Joe Klein.

The Barnstormers, who fired manager Frank Klebe mid-season, had already made the decision not to bring back interim skipper Rick Wise. They were looking to fill the position and the interview process included such names as Hall of Famer Gary Carter, former league manager Butch Hobson, former manager Tom Herr and more.

It only took them only a few days to decide that Hayes was their man.

Hayes played in 12 seasons, 1495 games and finished eighth in MVP voting in 1986. He was even the tenth highest paid big leaguer in 1990. Now it’s his turn to help guys get back to the bigs.

“The most important thing for me to do is to get the most out of my players,” Hayes, who managed in the Oakland Athletics and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations and is a two-time “Manager of the Year”, said. “The best skippers might not have much on paper, but get the players to play the best of their ability.”

Right now that paper is empty. But when that roster card is being filled out come April, you can bet Hayes will have a team on the field that’s ready to play hard and win.