Piniella, Rays agree to 4-year deal

Lou Piniella's agent says "there's no doubt'' the $13-million offer will be finalized, probably by Monday.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

© St. Petersburg Times
published October 25, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO -- Lou Piniella has agreed to come home and become the Devil Rays next manager, with his hiring likely to be announced Monday.

"There's no doubt in my mind there will be a deal, it's just not done officially," agent Alan Nero told the Times late Thursday.

The sides have agreed on a four-year, $13-million contract that includes incentive bonuses based on victories that could be worth an additional $3-million.

Nero said he will review correspondence from the Rays today and expects to have a final meeting Sunday or Monday to finalize the negotiations and sign the deal. Only the development of an unforeseen issue between now and then could get in the way, he said.

The Rays were Piniella's first choice once he got permission to leave Seattle with a year remaining on his contract, Nero said.

"This is what he wanted, but we weren't sure it was going to happen," he said. "We needed to have an alternative, and the Mets were going to be the alternative."

While the deal is essentially done, the announcement of the franchise's most significant news since it began play in 1998 can't be made official until Monday.

That's because Major League Baseball has banned teams from making any announcements during the World Series, and won't make an exception during today's travel day, spokesman Pat Courtney said. Even if the Series ends Saturday, the Rays are unlikely to make an announcement on Sunday.

The contract, with an annual average value of $3.25-million, will make Piniella the second-highest paid manager in the game, behind Joe Torre, who gets $5-million a season from the Yankees.

For the Rays, Piniella will be well worth the expense given what he will add to the franchise in terms of baseball acumen, credibility and marketing appeal.

"Lou shared his feelings with me previously about Tampa and how he'd like to go back there, and now it seems like it's a done deal," said former Boston and Texas manager Kevin Kennedy, now a Fox network World Series analyst. "I think he'll really bring credibility to the Devil Rays with his strengths and his personality. He'll do everything he can to make that a proud franchise. It's the right choice for both sides."

Several Rays players said this week they were excited by the possibility of having Piniella in their dugout.

"He's a great manager and I've heard a lot of great things about him from friends of mine that play on the Seattle team," pitcher Tanyon Sturtze said.

"I heard he hates pitchers, but that's all right though. I think that's good. I hope he comes in with that attitude that he hates everybody because I think it will be better for our team. I think that everyone will work a little harder and play a little bit better than what we did last year."

Third baseman Jared Sandberg said he also has heard good things about playing for Piniella.

"Who doesn't want to play for a manager that wants to fight for his players and get the players fired up to play?" Sandberg said. "Just his demeanor -- it would be fun. It would be really different.

"Hal (McRae, the former manager) had a lot of patience with us last year and I'm not sure how much patience Lou would have. Everyone gets tired of losing at some point. I don't know when Lou would snap. We all know that he can snap."

Nero lauded the efforts of Rays general manager Chuck LaMar and managing general partner Vince Naimoli in making the deal many baseball officials said would never happen.

"I have to tell you Chuck and Vince have been extraordinarily gracious, accommodating and patient," Nero said. "If you want to make a deal, this is the way you pull together and make it happen."

Piniella told the Times on Wednesday he was pleased with the direction of the club despite the struggles during the first five seasons.

Nero said Piniella is especially excited by the opportunity to work with the Rays' talented young players and will begin assembling a "hand-picked" coaching staff to fit the situation.

"People don't realize what a great teacher he is and how much he loves young players," Nero said.

Nero also said Piniella realizes next season is likely to be a rough one as the team aims to increase its payroll and become competitive in 2004.

"We're all expecting a difficult year to get the ship going in the right direction," Nero said. "But there's no one in baseball who doesn't know Tampa Bay has some of the best young players in the game, and they need to play."

The 59-year-old Tampa native has been one of the game's most successful managers, posting a career mark of 1,319-1,135 in 16 seasons with the Yankees (1986-88), Reds (1990-92), and Mariners (1993-2002). Among active managers, only Atlanta's Bobby Cox, St. Louis' Tony La Russa and Torre have more wins.

Piniella has had a winning record in 11 of his 15 full seasons. He won a World Series with Cincinnati in 1990 and took Seattle to the American League Championship Series in 1995, 2000 and 2001. He was named AL Manager of the Year in 1995 and 2001.

Piniella has deep Tampa Bay area roots. He grew up in west Tampa and starred at Jesuit High and the University of Tampa, earning All-America honors. Piniella lives in the exclusive Avila community (as does Naimoli), and his parents, children and grandchildren are all in the area.

Because the Mariners let Piniella out of the final year of his contract, the Rays were required to provide them compensation. It is believed they will give up All-Star centerfielder Randy Winn and another player, possibly a minor-leaguer.

-- Times staff writer Kevin Kelly contributed to this report.