Piniella: Rays could be in mix if postseason expands in '04

Manager feels club could contend if it spends money to improve on nucleus.

CLEVELAND - Lou Piniella was hired to take the Devil Rays to the playoffs. On the day they won their 50th game, Piniella said he is so encouraged by their progress that if MLB follows through on talk to add two teams to the postseason field, the Rays could be there next season.

"You're going to laugh at this statement, but if they add playoff teams, we could be in that mix next summer," Piniella said before Monday's 7-4 13-inning win. "Adding some right people in here and getting after it a little bit this winter, we can get into this picture very quickly. That's how positive I am. And I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

The playoff format, according to MLB officials, probably won't be changed that quickly. But Piniella clearly thinks that with the proper additions this offseason - a right-handed power hitter (such as, for example, Gary Sheffield), two starting pitchers and an experienced closer - the Rays can move from the bottom half of the American League into the top.

And into contention.

"We're closer than what people think to putting a damn good team on the field here relatively quick," Piniella said. "I mean relatively quick."

Piniella likes the young nucleus the Rays have developed on the field and is hoping to retain three veterans who were added this season at bargain rates: first baseman Travis Lee, second baseman Marlon Anderson and shortstop Julio Lugo. He thinks they have three-fifths of a rotation and the makings of a young but reliable bullpen.

The key now, he said, is what improvements they can make during the offseason. Ownership has said it will increase payroll but hasn't said by how much. A $15-million boost, which still would leave the Rays under $30-million and last in the majors, would appear to be a reasonable goal.

"I'm looking at this pretty positively," he said. "The things that we need we can go get."

Piniella said managing general partner Vince Naimoli and the ownership group are "on board" with the plan and "have given every indication they're going to do what they can do to get this thing done, within reason."

Piniella said his shopping list would start with two starting pitchers to join Jeremi Gonzalez, Victor Zambrano and presumably Joe Kennedy in the rotation; a right-handed power hitter, who preferably would play rightfield or be a DH; and an experienced late-inning pitcher, who could stabilize the crew of young bullpen arms. After that he'd like to improve the bench, having decided Damian Rolls could be the almost everyday third baseman.

He wouldn't, and couldn't, get into specific candidates. But based on what he did say, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Rays make a play for Sheffield, the Tampa native who is in the final year of his contract with Atlanta. Veteran reliever Tom Gordon of Avon Park could be another possibility.

"We might have some people that want to play in our hometown area that can come in and do the things that we need done," he said, then quickly added, "I'm talking about area natives, the state of Florida."

The additions not only would improve the team's record, Piniella said, but also the Rays' league-worst attendance.

"This is an important winter," Piniella said. "We've got to go out and do some things so people really get excited."