Their current general manager is moving up in the team's front office.

Plus, having a general manager "is just not necessary in our structure."

So the Lancaster Barnstormers plan to have no GM on their front-office roster when the 2012 season begins.

Vince Bulik, who has been in the GM post for the past three seasons, has been promoted to Barnstormers' vice president of business development, team president Jon Danos said.

At the same time, Bulik's job as GM overseeing operations before, during and after the 70 baseball games at Clipper Magazine Stadium next year will be taken over by the Barnstormers' assistant general manager, Kristen Simon.

A baseball team with no GM?

Actually, half of the eight teams in the Atlantic League, where the Barnstormers play, have no one with just "general manager" in their job description.

The new title for Bulik is "an indication of how important he is to the team," Danos said.

General managers in minor-league baseball serve a different purpose than in the majors, where GMs are the "wheelers and dealers" who make the trades, Danos noted, as documented in the current hit film, "Moneyball."

In the minors, GMs are often in charge of all aspects of the off-the-field product.

They also aren't above helping to pull the tarp on the field when there's a rain delay.

Bulik has worked for the Barnstormers and "has been a big part of our organization" since the team started operations before the 2005 season, Danos said.

In his new role, Bulik leads the team's sales team.

Simon, one of the growing number of female officials in minor-league baseball, has been with the team since 2008, and will remain as assistant GM.

"To use an analogy, Kristen is our chief operating officer, even though that's not her actual title," Danos said. He called her duties as being in charge of "the fan experience, best practices, interaction with fans" and the like.

That will make her the point person for operations before, during and after games next season.

Also, the Barnstormers announced they are hiring a new senior director of marketing, Lancaster resident Anthony DeMarco.

DeMarco had been with Franklin & Marshall College in the development office, and is a 1984 F&M grad.

DeMarco also is a former service director for United Airlines and communications director for A.R. DeMarco Enterprises,

As team president, Danos oversees operations for team owners Opening Day Partners.

ODP also owns four other Atlantic League teams — the two-time league champion York Revolution, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the Camden Riversharks and the league's newest entry, the Sugar Land (Tex.) Skeeters, who begin play in 2012.

doconnor@lnpnews.com