Bob Mingo lives busy baseball life

The manager plays a double-duty role guiding the Youngstown Metros team.

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Bob Mingo has very little time for himself these days.

But he’s Bob Mingo and this is summer time.

The combination is a natural blend of man and baseball.

Summer time baseball is what drives the manager of the Youngstown Metros, a college-age team playing in both the Class AA League and Tri-State League.

“The roster is talented, so it’s hard to single guys out,” Mingo said of his compilation of players who are predominately from the Youngstown area.

Some of the Metros include first baseman-outfielder Tom Clayton of Poland (YSU) and pitcher-infielder John Mang of Austintown (Mercyhurst).

From variety of colleges

The players are attending an array of schools, such as Potomac State, Washington & Jefferson, Thiel, Wooster, Kent and Marietta.

The Metros play their Tri-State home games at Pemberton Park; otherwise, they’re on the road against North Division opponents Allegheny, Pittsburgh Pandas, Cleveland Shannon Fence, Pittsburgh Training Academy and Toledo.

Most of the six South Division teams are from the Columbus area.

Pandas general manager Frank Gilbert previously had a team in the Great Lakes Collegiate League which included the Youngstown Express.

A stipulation for Tri-State players is that they are under 22 years of age and enrolled — not necessarily playing — in college.

Busy schedule

Intertwined with its 32-game Tri-State schedule, the Metros engage in 27 Class AA League games.

In addition, Mingo works in Friday games against Western Pennsylvania teams such as Hickory, Andover, Jamestown and New Hamburgh.

The four other AA League teams are McMurphy Penn-Ohio (manager Jim Martin); Youngstown Tamburro’s (Ray Tamburro); Tri-County (Steve Medved) and Roth Brothers (Barry Wardle).

Youngstown AA teams also play each of the seven Warren AA League teams once — on Sundays.

Today, the Metros play a Tri-State doubleheader, followed by a game in Warren at 7 p.m.

To satisfy the demands of the busy schedules, Mingo has stocked the Metros with a 27-man roster.

Warren on Sundays; Western Pa. on Fridays, and Tri-State games mostly Tuesday, Thursday, Saturdays and some Sundays.

The double duty may be a killer, but Mingo lives for it.

bassetti@vindy.com