Piniella: Rays or bust

Tampa Bay's ''competitive'' offer is all that's left after the Mets reportedly hire Art Howe.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

© St. Petersburg Times
published October 24, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO -- Completing negotiations on a four-year, $13-million-plus contract appears to be all that remains for the Devil Rays to name Lou Piniella their next manager.

The Mets are no longer a concern, having reportedly agreed to a deal late Wednesday with Oakland manager Art Howe.

The financial package is apparently good enough for Piniella to say Wednesday he was "close" to accepting the Rays' offer, though "there are still some things" to be resolved.

And as for the people who scoff at the idea Piniella would want to manage a team that lost 206 games the past two seasons, has finished last in each of its five seasons and isn't poised to make significant immediate improvement?

[AP photo] Lou Piniella says he'll either take the Rays job or sit out the coming baseball season.

"Ten years ago when I went to Seattle, it was about the same situation," Piniella told the Times. "And I think Seattle turned out pretty well. So I've been through this."

Since Piniella was granted freedom from Seattle last week, the Mets were considered by many a strong possibility, if not his first choice. But the Mets wouldn't meet Seattle's demands for compensation and never talked to him.

Even before reports of the deal with Howe broke, Piniella said the Mets were no longer an option and his choices were to sign with the Rays or sit out next season.

"It's either that or I stay home," he said. "I never got the opportunity to talk to New York. I don't know what happened as far as the compensation issue is concerned."

The Mets must think Piniella is going to the Rays, moving surprisingly quickly to make a deal with Howe, whom the A's are letting out of the final year of his contract ostensibly because they can't afford to keep him.

The New York Daily News reported that Howe agreed to a four-year contract worth $9.4-million with the Mets, and that bench coach Ken Macha will be named the new Oakland manager.

All these things started happening after the Rays made their impressive offer to Piniella on Tuesday.

Piniella's agent, Alan Nero, who also represents Howe and Macha, continued talks with the Rays on Wednesday but is not believed to have delivered his counteroffer. The Rays are prohibited by the commissioner's office from commenting.

The contract could pay Piniella close to an annual average of $3.5-million, which would make him the second-highest paid manager behind the Yankees' Joe Torre, who averages about $5-million. "There's some things we're still talking about, but it's a competitive offer," Piniella said. "It's not done, but we'll see what happens. We've been talking, and it's been positive. I like the aspect of staying home, and I like the aspect of not having to pack anymore."

There were rumors Wednesday the deal was completed, but Piniella told the Seattle Times that was not true -- yet. "That's a little premature," he said. "We're close. We'll talk again over the weekend."

As word of the potential Piniella-Rays coupling spread at the World Series, several top officials of other teams reacted privately with shock, surprise and skepticism Piniella would be happy with a young, struggling squad.

"I don't know how he'll handle the losing," said Harold Reynolds, the former major-leaguer and current ESPN analyst. "He's a man who's never lost. I don't think he lost in Little League. ... "One thing he won't tolerate is not having a direction of winning and not putting money into the organization. I can't see that being a fit, unless that's what Tampa Bay is going to do."

Piniella said a good portion of his two meetings with Rays general manager Chuck LaMar and managing general partner Vince Naimoli concerned the team. He would not go into specifics, though it's likely the Rays detailed the quality of their minor-league system and reiterated plans to increase payroll in 2004.

"We've had some real good conversations about the organization and about the players on the team," he said. "I've enjoyed both meetings with Chuck and Vince. They've been very positive."

As the Rays and Piniella work to close the deal, and it may be a matter of a few phone calls, several people were waiting.

One may be Lee Elia, a longtime Piniella associate and Tampa Bay-area resident who could get a spot on the coaching staff. Others are Rays coaches -- Jackie Brown, Glenn Ezell, Tom Foley, Billy Hatcher, Lee May and Milt May -- wondering if they'll keep their jobs.

And then there is All-Star outfielder Randy Winn, who reportedly is a key part of the compensation package for the Mariners.

"I've heard those rumors," Winn said. "I look at it kind of like any other trade rumors, that they're just that until something concrete happens. I'm really trying not to get caught up in it too much."

Winn, who is getting married in two weeks, said he tried to look at the possibility in a positive way. "It's always an honor when people see you play and want you on their club and think you can help them win," he said.

Around the league

RANGERS: Bob Miscik was promoted to director of player development. Miscik served as an assistant to former director Trey Hillman, who will manage Nippon of the Japanese Pacific League.

-- Information from Times wires was used in this report.

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