Face of change

Lou Piniella boosts Rays' outlook and demeanor.

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By GARY SHELTON, Times Sports Columnist

© St. Petersburg Times
published October 29, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- Here in Lou-isville, they're talking baseball.

Here in the middle of Piniella County, someone has just brought up the prospect of opening day.

Here, on the Sweetest Day the franchise has had in, well, maybe ever, someone dared to mention a championship, and when he did, no one laughed.

And that, most of all, is why Lou Piniella was such a marvelous hire for the Devil Rays. Because last week nothing seemed possible, and this week all things do.

The Rays re-invented themselves Monday. They drove Piniella home, and just like that they earned themselves a fresh canvas. Just like that, this became an interesting team, a watchable team, a fun team. Just like that, this franchise took on the look of one that might head somewhere after all.

It is impossible to overstate what this hire meant for the Rays. With one signing, 11 letters, the Rays reclaimed home and reintroduced credibility. With one announcement they made you reconsider everything you believed about the half-dozen seasons to come.

How big was this? It was big enough that Vince Naimoli compared it to the day Tampa Bay was awarded the franchise to begin with. Bigger, maybe.

"Because I knew for a long time we were going to get the franchise," Naimoli said. "That was just a formality. This ... is special."

This was a team that spent five years wandering lost in the woods, and darned if they haven't hired the best guide there is. Piniella will be more than a manager here; he'll be the face of a franchise. He'll set the tone in the clubhouse, and he'll convince the guy in the bleachers that losing ticks him off, too. And every now and again, he'll melt down. Whee.

What? You prefered Lee Mazzilli?

Give credit to the Rays for landing their catch. I know, I know. The Rays are normally a Sunday hop for a skeptic, and none of us has shown a lot of restraint in taking our shots. But for once the Rays came across as bold, as hungry, as shrewd when it came to closing the Piniella deal. Who would have thought it?

Yeah, yeah. Make all the excuses you want. Bottom line: The Rays closed the deal, the Mets didn't.

Go to the mountains of Mexico, where Naimoli, his wife and two briefcases full of work were celebrating his 22nd anniversary -- the new-manager anniversary, jewelers will tell you. Once there, Naimoli noticed a newspaper article that said Piniella would be available.

From there, it was like The Out-of-Towners with Spanish subtitles. Naimoli's cell phone wouldn't work. He couldn't figure out how to make a credit-card call. He kept asking the front desk, but the story kept changing, the language barrier was impossible. Also, you shouldn't drink the water.

Eventually, Naimoli wandered the countryside in search of a phone. After an hour's search he found one in a small village whose name he can't remember.

From there he started dialing. In all, he made more than 50 calls to Seattle's Chuck Armstrong. Add dozens more back to the Rays offices and you begin to get the picture. Put it this way: This search alone paid the phone commercial fees for Terry Bradshaw, Carrot Top and Alf.

At this point, most of the doubts began. Would the Rays really swallow hard and agree to compensation? Would they pony up the cash? Could they convince Piniella to risk his reputation by merging it with theirs?

As it turned out, yes.

Okay, Randy Winn, one of Naimoli's favorites, is a hefty price. If you've checked, the Rays don't have so many all-stars they can afford to ship one out without feeling the sting. On the other hand, the Rays were able to fight off the Mariners' attempts at bigger names including Rocco Baldelli, Carl Crawford, Josh Hamilton and Dewon Brazelton.

Then, there was this. In another year, the Rays expect Baldelli to be their centerfielder. In the end Winn was an acceptable price. So, too, was the contract. Which would you rather have, a long reliever or Piniella?

That chapter complete, the Rays had to persuade Piniella, a competitive cuss, to sign. Naimoli convinced him he was tired of losing, that winning could be done here.

Give credit to Lou for being honest. He admits he would like to have talked to the Mets. In fact, if Piniella had been born anywhere else, he probably wouldn't have talked to the Rays at all.

But for all the talk about home, this isn't just about where Piniella has been. This is about where he might be going.

He expects to win, okay? No, not next year. But maybe the year after that. Certainly the year after that. With his resume, with his rescue of baseball in Seattle, who's to say he's wrong?

Consider this: For two weeks in the middle of October, as the Bucs are winning and wobbling, much of the conversation has turned to Piniella. Around here, that just doesn't happen. Monday, there were more reporters at Piniella's press conference than fans at some home games. There was more applause from hangers-on than at some Rays' homestands.

"The most important times for this franchise have been the development of our young players and the signing of Lou Piniella," general manager Chuck LaMar said. "One you measure of years, and one you measure in a day. But when they intertwine, that's when we'll start to win."

Before this is done, maybe Piniella can make you forget about Vinny Castilla and Wilson Alvarez and Gerald Williams. Maybe he can make you forget Bobby Abreu and Estaban Yan and all the Gomers in leftfield.

So add Kevlar to the dugout and order the water cooler from Everlast. Things are going to get interesting.

Here in Lou-isville, all the Rays need are some sluggers.

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