ST. PETERSBURG - He will show up this morning, the unrecognizable man with the unfamiliar name. He will arrive on time and try to slip in unobtrusively.
By day's end, with any luck, he will have changed everything.
There is only so much a talented centerfielder can bring. There are limits to what a hot-shot shortstop can accomplish. Frankly, there are not enough gloves, bats and bodies on the premises to help what ails the Devil Rays.
But a man with a plan is something entirely different. An owner with passion as deep as his pockets is practically invaluable.
So welcome Stuart Sternberg, Devil Rays savior.
Sternberg is the Wall Street investor who is expected to complete his purchase of a large hunk of ballclub this morning. He will assume 48 percent ownership in the Rays, and we will assume that is wonderful news.
Oh, don't expect changes overnight. Randy Johnson is not coming in a trade, and Vince Naimoli is not leaving in a hurry.
There is far too much work to be done for Sternberg's presence to make a difference in the standings or the bleachers any time soon.
But think of this transaction as a fresh start. A chance for the Rays to figure out a stride other than retreat.
For the first time in a long while the team's ownership will have a common cause other than its own divorce.
Imagine a day when the partners decide a cash infusion makes more sense than budget cuts. Picture the moment when fresh ideas are embraced instead of dismissed. Envision a time when hope has returned to the equation.
This is what Sternberg offers. Nothing tangible today, but something enticing tomorrow. Basically he gives the Rays a reason to think big.
And it has been a long time since one person has been able to offer that. Lou Piniella may have been vital to this team's direction, but no one in uniform can match the promise of cash.
It's not that Sternberg is going to walk into Tropicana Field and demand this player be sent to Durham or that beer be sold for a dollar less.
Naimoli, you should know, is still very much in charge.
But now the Rays managing general partner has an ally instead of adversaries. Instead of six general partners with disparate agendas, there will be two partners with converging plans.
Presumably, Naimoli now has someone with an equal desire for on-field success. And, hopefully, he has a successor in mind.
That is the rumor, not that anyone is willing to address it. The talk is Sternberg would not have invested so much money - and the bill has to be in the tens of millions - without assurance he would eventually assume control.
The time, you might agree, seems about right.
No matter what you have come to feel about Naimoli, you should remember he is the reason major-league baseball came to Tampa Bay.
Where Jerry Reinsdorf and Bob Lurie teased, where Frank Morsani and Stephen Porter failed, Naimoli succeeded. He made the connections, he had the money.
But it is now going on 10 years since Naimoli assumed ownership of the Rays, and it is hard to argue that the reign has been a success.
The product on the field has yet to be impressive. The relationship with corporations has been spotty, at best. The connection with fans has never been made, and the partnership within the owners suite was volatile.
This doesn't mean Naimoli has to bow out, but it does suggest a sharing of power may be in order. And, with Naimoli at 66 and Sternberg at 44, it is not difficult to envision a gradual shifting in the day-to-day operations.
We do not know much of the folks departing the board room, but we can surmise they were not happy. They were rarely seen and never heard from. When it came to their participation in the Rays, they seemed to have little in the way of clout and even less in the way of spare cash.
This is where Sternberg can make a difference. If not with funds, then with ideas. If not with resources, then with energy.
He made his fortune as a financial whiz. There has to be something in this franchise, in this market, that leads him to believe he's buying a commodity.
Maybe he will get it done by appealing to corporations and sponsors. Maybe he will heal wounds that have lingered in the business community. Maybe he will decide to invest the kind of money this team has desperately needed.
The reality is the Rays have seen virtually no additional investments since the team was created. The budget has been completely dependent on revenues, which have been far lower than anticipated.
The previous partners were unwilling to support Naimoli, and he was unable to carry the burden alone. The result is the franchise has been held together by the most fragile of circumstances.
They purport to be building through player development, but the Rays actually have one of the lowest baseball operations budgets in the majors.
They have cut back in too many areas. Extended spring training, international scouting, instructional league. They have passed on potential draft picks and skimped on minor-league budgets. Areas that are never noticed by fans until players fail to show up in the big leagues.
It is no way to run a franchise. By keeping costs at a minimum, the Rays are doing the same for expectations.
Eventually they need to make a greater commitment.
