Piniella's exit is finalized

The manager agrees to a buyout that will allow him to leave the Rays after the season.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published September 22, 2005

	[Times photo: James Borchuck]
	Lou Piniella, in a cheerful moment during Wednesday's win, could sit out next season but would likely be pursued by several teams if he opts to manage.

ST. PETERSBURG - Manager Lou Piniella has completed a deal to get out of the final year of his contract with the Devil Rays but will finish the season in the dugout, the Times has learned.

The deal was expected as the Times reported Aug. 31 that talks already were under way. Piniella signed the deal last weekend when his agent, Alan Nero, met the team in Baltimore, and it is expected to be announced during the Rays' season-ending series Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Tropicana Field.

Piniella will pay heavily for the privilege of leaving, giving up half his $4.4-million salary for 2006, though he will have the freedom to take a job of his choosing or sitting out the season.

Piniella would not confirm or deny Wednesday that an agreement was reached.

" ... I'm not going to comment about this at all until the end of the year," he said. "My primary concern here is our team and our players. I don't want any distractions. So when the time is appropriate, we'll comment about my situation."

The team issued a similar statement: "In echoing the sentiments expressed by our manager Lou Piniella, we will have no comment on this matter until a more appropriate time, if that should present itself."

Several Rays said the news was hardly a surprise.

"It's not like it caught us off-guard," leftfielder Carl Crawford said. "We knew it ws a possibility it was going to happen. You hate to see the way the whole deal worked out."

Piniella's departure, negotiated by Nero and senior vice president/general counsel John Higgins, is the first step in what could be a massive shakeup of the Rays organization.

Managing general partner Vince Naimoli is considering an offer to turn control of the team over to general partner Stuart Sternberg, perhaps shortly after the end of the season. If that happens, general manager Chuck LaMar and other, perhaps many, front-office employees are expected to be fired or reassigned.

The Rays coaches also face an uncertain future. All, plus senior adviser Don Zimmer, are signed through 2006 but are expected to be told they are free to pursue jobs with other teams if they want or can wait to see what assignments the Rays offer.

"As far as we know we're coming back," third-base coach Tom Foley said.

Several members of the staff, including Foley, Billy Hatcher, John McLaren and Zimmer, along with Triple-A manager Bill Evers, could be candidates for the manager's job.

Piniella, 62, signed a four-year, $13-million contract to return home and manage the Rays in 2003 expecting to lead the team into contention, but it did not turn out to be a happy homecoming as the Rays are headed to their second last-place finish in his three seasons.

He has repeatedly expressed his frustration and displeasure with the team's major league-low payroll, and in June he questioned ownership's commitment to winning.

"It's not a big surprise with all the things that happened around midseason with him talking about ownership and stuff," rightfielder Aubrey Huff said. "All the players have been talking about it."

Piniella has also expressed a preference to finish his managing career with a contending team and, though he will give serious consideration to sitting out next season, he is likely to be a candidate with several high-profile teams that may have openings, including the Yankees, Orioles and Marlins. If hired, he could take several coaches with him.

If Piniella decides to sit out, he will receive $2.2-million. If he wants to work, the Rays agreed to give him the freedom to choose his destination rather than trade him or seek compensation for the right to hire him, as the Mariners did when he left Seattle, with a year remaining on his contract, to come to Tampa Bay.

But that doesn't mean the Rays won't get anything out of the deal. If Piniella takes a managing job or any position with another team, the Rays would only have to pay him if he makes don't have to pay him the $2.2-million and would receive financial compensation for anything he makes above that. The Rays also owe him $1.25-million in deferred salary that he gets in any circumstance.

Overall, Piniella has a .537 winning percentage (1,319-1,135) as manager of the Yankees, Reds and Mariners and took five teams to the postseason, winning the 1990 World Series with Cincinnati. With nine games left in his third and final season with the Rays, he has a .414 winning percentage (197-279).

[Last modified September 22, 2005, 06:34:23]