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Youngstown’s Muntean returns to Ohio with Crushers
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Lake Erie Crushers general manager Rick Muntean, center, a Youngstown native, stands with Crushers manager Chris Mangiardo, left, and hitting coach Joe Charboneau Crushers outside All Pro Feight Stadium in Erie, Pa. Muntean, a Wilson graduate, has been involved in minor league baseball for 32 years.
By Greg Gulas
It’s taken 32 years, but Youngstown native Rick Muntean is finally back in the state where he enjoyed success as a high school and college baseball player, and as a pitcher in the local Class B and AA sandlot leagues.
Named in February as general manager of the Frontier League’s Lake Erie Crushers, Muntean is happy to be back in his home state with an immediate goal to lead the Crushers to their second league championship in the past six seasons.
“I cannot tell you how elated I am to be back in my home state. They say that you leave home to come home and while it wasn’t planned that way, it sure unfolded that way for me,” Muntean said. “We have a nice club here and our immediate goal is to win the Frontier League title. We can pitch and field with the best of them, but our hitting needs to improve if we expect to make a run at the title.”
The Frontier League is comprised of 14 teams; seven in both the East and West Division with the Crushers currently 17-16 and 31/2 games in back of the division leading Washington Wild Things in the East.
They boast New Middletown pitcher Todd Kibby as a member of their active roster.
League teams must recruit and sign their own players, usually consisting of undrafted college players or one-time prospects who have been released by their teams yet still entertain major-league aspirations.
“We’re a wooden bat league with a bevy of talent spread throughout the league. It’s a great brand of baseball and not uncommon to see multiple scouts at our games,” Muntean said. “Quite a few players are signed to contracts each year and make their way to the minors, so we do have a reputation for producing quality players.”
Frontier League rules limit teams to three “veterans” (those with three or more years of professional experience), two two-year players and seven one-year players (those with at least 150 professional at-bats or 50 innings pitched).
The other half of a team’s 24-man roster is comprised of rookies while players cannot be older than 27 as of January 1 prior to the start of the season.
Pay is minimal as each team has a $72,000 salary cap with league minimums set at $600 per month.
Players typically live with host families.
A 1974 graduate of the former Woodrow Wilson High School, Muntean played two seasons for legendary Youngstown State baseball and basketball coach Dom Rosselli. He then transferred to Ohio University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in communications.
Faced with the decision on which way to go upon graduation, he realized that sports was his entire life and with baseball his favorite sport, he began to pursue administrative positions in minor-league baseball. It’s a decision he has never regretted.
“Local friends like Harry Steve and Bill Terlecky were instrumental in helping me during those early years. They gave me a chance, showed me the ropes and let me learn on the job. It’s an opportunity everyone should be afforded as they carve out their niche professionally,” Muntean said.
Muntean served as assistant GM to Steve, a Boardman native, from 1982-83, first with the San Jose Expos (Class A) and then with the Walla Walla Blue Mountain Bears (Class A) where he was elevated to general manager.
He’s also served as either GM or assistant GM with the Kenosha Twins, Williamsport Bills, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, Kansas City T-Bones and St. Joseph Mustangs.
“I’ve been lucky in that I was able to learn from some of the very best and grow at every stop along the way. Coach Rosselli gave me an opportunity to pitch on the college level and he taught me never to give up, always stay disciplined and then go after your goal,” Muntean said. “Former major-league players who were managers in the minors also took the time to be there when I needed help or needed a question answered while working with players who would later make it to the show was especially gratifying.”
Known for his innovative promotions, Muntean has assisted with starting five new franchises (San Jose, Kenosha, Williamsport, Scranton Wilkes-Barre and St Joseph), has opened a new ballpark and helped to remodel three others.
“I’ve been able to do a little bit of everything at every stop, ranging from public relations to groundskeeping to promotions to negotiating contracts,” he said. “Each city really embraced their respective teams, so working with high-ranking city officials to those from the Chamber of Commerce were great memories when thinking of the many accomplishments we had along the way.”
For more information on tickets, promotions and team news for the Crushers, fans can visit Facebook, Twitter or their website at http://lakeeriecrushers.com or they can call 440-934-3636.