Naimoli: Rays won't get axed

Angered by reports that team is a contraction target, owner says lease, revenues ensure it won't happen.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

© St. Petersburg Times
published May 31, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays "are not -- ARE NOT" a candidate for contraction, managing general partner Vince Naimoli insisted Thursday night after several media reports suggested they had replaced Minnesota as one of the two teams targeted to be eliminated next season.

"We're not on a list," Naimoli said. "We have never been a candidate for contraction. We are not on a list right now. And we will not be on a list in the future."

Naimoli also said the Rays are in no danger of going bankrupt and have the financial resources to survive even a long work stoppage.

The New York Times and the Associated Press, quoting anonymous sources, reported Thursday that when asked at an April 9 contraction grievance hearing what team would take the Twins' place on the contraction list, commissioner Bud Selig said the Rays would.

It was not clear Thursday, as Naimoli tried to explain and Selig declined to, just what that meant.

Naimoli said Selig told him Thursday that the reports were not correct and that the Rays were one of a number of teams mentioned as part of an original list of 18. The AP report said that after Selig said at the meeting that the Rays were next, MLB chief lawyer Bob DuPuy said Tampa Bay merely was one of several teams under consideration.

Selig did not return telephone calls Thursday from the St. Petersburg Times, nor did any of his top lieutenants.

In February, MLB vice president Sandy Alderson said the Rays were not a candidate for contraction primarily because of "reasonably healthy" local revenues, which ranked 21st among the 30 teams.

MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said Thursday that nothing had changed and that "there have been no further discussions on contraction ... no reconfiguring of lists."

On the night they drew their smallest crowd of the season (10,130), Naimoli reiterated that the Rays don't meet any of the three criteria for contraction:

Their ownership group doesn't want to go along with it. "You've got to volunteer, which we aren't going to do," Naimoli said. "We worked hard to bring baseball here and all of our owners are local owners."

They don't have a long history of low revenues and, Naimoli said, are actually anticipating an increase in revenues despite the lowest attendance in the American League.

They have 25 more seasons after this one remaining on their lease at Tropicana Field. "You saw what happened in Minnesota," Naimoli said, "and they didn't even really have a lease and the courts held it up." St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker said the lease is a definite factor. "I continue to feel good about our legal position," Baker said. "I believe at this point that we will not be contracted."

Naimoli did, however, have some interesting theories on why the Rays were singled out by the New York Times, which first had the story.

He said that writer Murray Chass "is known to be a labor voice" and that he is "absolutely convinced" the players union is leaking the information because it wants to see the Rays, who have the lowest payroll in the leagues, eliminated.

"Union leaders are paid on average salary," Naimoli said. "If you look at it and you're paid on average salary and we have the lowest payroll who would you, when you look at your paycheck, who would you not want?"

He also said "there are inventive people" at the New York Times and suggested its coverage could be affected by its business connections. "I do know the New York Times is an owner of the Boston Red Sox, and whether that affects their editorial content, I can't tell you."

With a deal near that would ensure the Twins' survival through the 2003 season, Naimoli said he is confident Selig has a backup plan and it doesn't involve the Rays. Florida, Toronto and Oakland are believed to be among the possibilities.

Naimoli also said he supports Selig's effort to eliminate two teams.

"I believe it's a good idea," Naimoli said. "And the reason I believe it's a good idea is that there are some markets where I just don't think baseball works."

-- Times staff writer Bryan Gilmer contributed to this report.