WINNIPEG – With their first exhibition game just 48 hours away the Winnipeg Goldeyes continued training camp on Sunday.
Goldeyes manager Rick Forney took on some extra duties over the off-season. Forney also assumed the job of pitching coach from Jamie Vermilyea, after he served in the role the past three seasons.
“Just trying not to carry quite as many people and Jamie’s got another job back home.” Forney said. “I wasn’t really looking to bring in another guy in.”
It’s a job that should be familiar to Forney. After he retired as a player in 2000, he transitioned into the role as the Goldeyes pitching coach for manager Hal Lanier. When Lanier was fired after the 2005 season Forney was promoted to the managers job. The new title won’t change a whole lot of his day-to-day duties.
“I got to start my day a little bit earlier in here in terms of making the necessary phone calls that I might have to make in terms of player procurement type of stuff and keeping on top of that, but it’s not going to be a big difference.” said Forney.
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Forney, 44, is entering his 11th season as the Goldeyes skipper. He signed a three-year contract extension over the winter and at the start of June will manage in his 1000th career game with the Goldeyes. A number he couldn’t have even imagined when he first arrived in Winnipeg as a pitcher back in 1997.
“I would have never thought.” Forney said. “If someone said that back in ’97 I would have told you, you were crazy. I thought I’d be here for a month and pitch my way out of it and be somewhere else. I guess someone upstairs has bigger plans and as I said many times, if I was a real smart guy, I’d have bought property up here 20 years ago.”
The Goldeyes play their first exhibition game on Tuesday at home to the Fargo Redhawks. Their season opener is on May 19 against the Blasters in Joplin.
WATCH: Forney discusses the decision to take over the pitching coach duties for the 2016 season
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