Rays to leave it up to Piniella

Chuck LaMar plans to offer a deal today that he says should preclude a lengthy negotiation.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

© St. Petersburg Times
published October 22, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Devil Rays today will have Lou Piniella in a room with what they say will be an "outstanding" offer on the table to be their next manager.

Then they'll get to find out if he really wants to be in their dugout.

"This organization has done everything we possibly can," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said Monday night. "We met Seattle's compensation demands and we have worked extremely hard on what we think is an outstanding contract package to make Lou Piniella our next manager."

LaMar declined to discuss specifics of the offer, which is expected to be a three- or four-year deal worth in excess of $2.5-million per year, but he indicated it would be good enough that there shouldn't be a need for much additional negotiation.

"We're looking forward to it, and we think Lou is, too," LaMar said. "There's still some work to be done, but it's time to show Lou from a monetary standpoint. ... I think with the offer we'll make, he'll understand this should not be a lengthy process."

Agent Alan Nero said they were eager to see the offer and praised LaMar and the Rays for their efforts, but he would not commit to a timetable for a response.

"Hopefully," Nero said, "they make us an offer we can't refuse."

Even then, it's unclear what will happen.

For all the nice things Nero has said about Piniella and the Tampa Bay job, he also has maintained they would like to wait to see if they also will have an opportunity to speak with the Mets so they don't have to make their decision "in a vacuum." The Mets have not gotten permission from the Mariners to talk to Piniella, and with another day passing without an agreement, they don't seem to be getting any closer.

Nero continues to blast the Mariners for their position, which can't be considered a good sign to Rays officials. Monday, he said that the situation was "perplexing," that the Mariners have turned the process into "a circus," that they were holding Piniella "hostage" and that their handling of a request from a longtime employee was "unconscionable."

The Rays have tried to ignore the outside issues and proceed on their own course. They have not indicated they will set a deadline on their offer, but they probably will have to at some point.

Ultimately, Piniella may have to decide whether to accept the one offer he has, and take on the difficult but high-reward challenge of turning his hometown team into a winner.

"I don't know what Lou will decide," Nero said. "He may decide not to accept Tampa Bay's offer until the Mets get approval. He may decide to accept Tampa Bay's offer. He may decide not to take anyone's offer (and sit out the year). It's his decision to make."

Piniella was due back in Tampa late Monday after attending a memorial service in Arizona for a friend who worked for the Mariners. He and Nero will huddle this morning, then meet with LaMar and managing general partner Vince Naimoli at noon.

One option that apparently is not viable, despite what Nero said, is Piniella returning to Seattle, a situation that may have been clarified during discussions in Arizona.

"Lou has made it clear to the Mariners both privately and publicly that he's not interested in managing this club next year," Seattle spokesman Tim Hevly said Monday afternoon.