Deal may give Rays chance to regain trust

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© St. Petersburg Times
published August 30, 2002

The billionaires have won. Now they're trying to run up the score.

For those of you low on patience, that would be the quickie version of baseball's ongoing labor war.

If the whispers are to be trusted, a settlement is in sight. A little more give-and-take may be necessary and some games actually may be canceled.

But essentially, for the first time in forever, the owners are on top. They have forced minor concessions out of the union. The only way owners screw this up is if they get too greedy. Or let someone named Esteban try to close it.

So what, you might ask, would it all mean?

For a Rays fan, it would mean hope may be in vogue. Excuses no longer should be accepted.

Based on the numbers being thrown around by baseball officials Thursday -- and those are subject to further negotiating -- the Rays will reap a windfall from a new labor agreement.

Projections indicate Tampa Bay will get, roughly, an additional $6-million a year in revenue sharing. The Rays also may be in line to pocket $1-million to $2-million in payroll tax returns. Arizona and Tampa Bay, for the first time, will share fully in a new national television deal, and that should generate another $12-million a season for those teams.

Add it all up and the Rays could count on $20-million or so in additional revenues next year before the first ticket is sold.

Anybody want to go shortstop-shopping?

That is what this labor war will accomplish for small-market teams. The concepts of revenue sharing and payroll taxes are designed to shrink the gap between the likes of the Yankees and Rays.

New York, for a change, may actually think twice before adding a free agent. Tampa Bay, for a change, may actually think about a free agent.

Meaning now would be a good time for ownership to step up.

For months, even years, Vince Naimoli has insisted the Rays are not in financial purgatory. He says their debt ratio is better than most.

If that is so, then prove it. Show us the money.

You know how long it has been since the Rays made a move not designed to lower payroll? Vinny Castilla still was a slugger, that's how long.

Every trade, every waiver, every free agent left unsigned has been motivated, in some part, by finances. Fred McGriff? Dumped. Roberto Hernandez? Dumped. Jim Mecir, Bubba Trammell, Cory Lidle? Da-dump, da-dump, da-dump.

Where has this left the Rays?

In last place.

But that's not all. The Rays also are on good financial footing to make some changes.

The Rays owe less money in guaranteed contracts than any team in the majors. Once the 2003 season ends, and Greg Vaughn, Ben Grieve and Russ Johnson are gone, the Rays will not owe a penny to a single player.

Meanwhile, the farm system continues to produce. Joe Kennedy, Aubrey Huff, Toby Hall and Carl Crawford already look like solid pieces. If a strike is avoided, you could see Rocco Baldelli and Dewon Brazelton in another week. If he can stay healthy, Josh Hamilton may also soon be here.

At this point, there is nothing stopping the Rays from taking a step toward respectability.

Nothing except ownership's budget.

If Naimoli and his partners are truly committed to giving this franchise a chance in Tampa Bay, this is their moment.

They do not have to go bonkers. They tried a wild spending spree in the winter of 1999-2000 and it handcuffed them for three seasons. And, frankly, the additional revenue sharing is not enough to turn them into the Yankees.

So what the Rays need to do is prepare wisely. Prepare for 2004 or 2005, when Crawford, Baldelli and Hamilton are hitting their stride.

If there is a free agent who fits the team's plans, not only for today but tomorrow, sign him immediately. Otherwise, wait until the perfect player does come along.

This anticipated windfall does not need to go in one pocket and out the other. If Naimoli wants to pay off some of the team's revolving line of credit, as he has suggested, then do it. Just don't try to tell us all the money is earmarked for debts after hollering you had few debts.

The next 18 months will be critical for the franchise's future.

If the Rays let arbitration-eligible players such as Paul Wilson, Randy Winn, Steve Cox and Tanyon Sturtze walk out the door without trying to stop them this winter, then something is wrong.

If, by the end of next season, they have failed to add significantly to the payroll, then something must be done.

It is hard to fault Naimoli and his partners for paring the payroll the past few seasons. They have paid dearly for some of the mistakes the front office has made, and the fans have not provided as much revenue as expected.

So wipe the slate clean. Consider the past five seasons a learning experience for ownership and community.

Then recognize this is the moment, as with any new endeavor, when a direction has to be taken.

Do the Rays jump at this chance? Do they take the additional revenues this labor agreement could yield and build on the foundation they have started?

Or do they continue operating day to day and loss to loss?

Naimoli's choices between now and 2004 will tell us much about this ownership group.

And much about the future of baseball in this area.

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