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What 'victor' wants the spoils of these Rays?
© St. Petersburg Times ST. PETERSBURG -- If you watched, you saw Chuck LaMar claim responsibility. If you listened, you heard LaMar say the decision was his. If you dusted for prints, you realized Vince Naimoli had been lurking on the scene. Naimoli was nowhere to be found Monday, but the dismissal of manager Hal McRae had a Vince-like quality to it. It was bold. It was unforgiving. And it was a blunder. Now whose M.O. does that sound like? Bless his tiny heart, Naimoli still has a passion for this franchise. Seeing McRae accept losses more graciously than he was something the managing general partner apparently could no longer abide. So McRae was pushed out the door. And the rest of us wait for the next knock. This is Naimoli's chance. This is the moment the franchise could establish its identity. This is the time when bold would be better. Heaven help us, this is the time for Naimoli to be Glazer-like. Turn his mistakes into glory like the Glazers did when they hired Jon Gruden. Wrest Lou Piniella from the Mariners and all is forgiven. Convince Jim Leyland to come out of retirement and McRae is all but forgotten. Wave enough money in front of Buck Showalter and talk turns to the future. Otherwise, this move makes little sense.
You see, this franchise needs a statement more than it needs a manager. It needs the ownership group to demonstrate it is serious about winning. If Piniella comes, it means he has been convinced there is a future for Tampa Bay baseball. If Showalter comes, it means ownership has promised it will provide enough money to be in contention. Because, frankly, money is the only enticement the Rays can provide. How else would you make this job attractive to a manager? Do you start by mentioning the franchise had the worst back-to-back seasons in the past quarter century? Or emphasize there have been no promises of an increased payroll next season? And don't forget to include the ownership group that has deeper regrets than pockets. Makes you wonder why Whitey Herzog isn't dialing directory assistance at this very moment. This is why the timing of the dismissal is hard to figure. The Rays have all but said they will not make significant roster changes for 2003, which pretty much assures another losing season. So why make the move now? Why not let McRae endure the lumps of another losing season while you plot the course for a new manager in 2004 when you supposedly will have a more respectable payroll? If the Rays do not promise to open the checkbook, do you know what kind of candidates they will have for this job? The ones who have limited offers and no leverage. "There might be a guy or two who is interviewing for three or four managerial jobs and he wants to win immediately," LaMar said. "And (another) club is in position to do that financially and personnel-wise. This may not be as attractive a position. "But if you want to make a name for yourself as a major-league manager and grow, with what I think is going to be a competitive club, I think this is a hell of a job." Fans keep hearing about the younger players who are about to grow. Are they supposed to wait for a manager to develop too? This is the bind the Rays have put themselves in. By acting too swiftly with McRae's dismissal, they have limited their field of candidates. Any manager worth chasing is going to look for a team with talent and stability. The Rays have neither. By waiting another year, they might have at least gotten closer to what someone like Piniella would be searching for. Naimoli may be passionate about this franchise, but he also is deluded. On Sunday, he declared the Rays had become competitive. If they were competitive with 106 losses, what were they when they lost 93 in 1999? Contenders? This team had the lowest payroll, the youngest roster and was outmuscled most nights, yet LaMar and Naimoli wondered why it didn't win more games. If you're looking to follow the trail of logic around here, you had better bring bread crumbs. Naimoli should understand this is not the NFL. This is not a case of finding Bill Parcells or Steve Spurrier to reverse a franchise's direction. A manager in baseball does not come in with a new offense or defense. He does not create victories with his playbook. A manager can push enough buttons to make a good team better. He cannot take a bad team and make it good. Having said that, this franchise could use some glitter. It could use a face that is recognizable and a resume that is impressive. It could use the kind of endorsement a big-name manager would bring. It wouldn't guarantee immediate success, but it would blaze a path that would at least be more interesting to follow. All we know for now is, once again, they are heading in a new direction. Who knew "up" would be so difficult to find?
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