Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Dengler rises through the ranks

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 28, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Sandy Dengler doesn't feel any more special than any other hard-working employee who received a well-deserved promotion. But a slight restructuring of the Devil Rays' front office has elevated her to a position of elite company.

Dengler was promoted to director of major-league administration, making her one of just a few women in the game with executive-level responsibilities in the baseball department.

"I think you see more and more women working and it's just kind of a natural progression," Dengler said. "They're interested in sports, they want jobs in sports, they progress through the ranks. It's just a reflection of what's happening everywhere else."

Dengler, 50, had extensive experience in the game before joining the Rays in December 1998 as executive assistant to general manager Chuck LaMar. She spent 12 years as an administrator with management's Player Relations Committee, eight years with the Pirates in their Bradenton office, and 11/2-years as a compliance monitor for the Vermont Department of Corrections.

Her new job includes myriad responsibilities, including the negotiating of contracts with the Rays' less-experienced players. "It's exciting," she said. "It's very cool. It's going to be a lot of fun for me."

Only a few other women have reached such a level in the game, including Kim Ng, who is assistant general manager of the Yankees, and Karol Kyte, manager of major-league operations for the Royals.

"Sandy is one of the fine executives in all of baseball and we're fortunate to have her expanding her responsibilities," LaMar said. "It is a promotion that is well-deserved and she's very capable of handling those responsibilities."

Dengler's promotion was the result of Tom Foley wanting to spend more time on the field. Foley, who had been farm director, will concentrate on duties as minor-league field coordinator. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock, the team's rules and regulations expert, will handle some of Foley's previous administrative responsibilities with help from Mitch Lukevics and Denise Vega-Smith.

ARBITRARY DECISIONS: The Rays may be headed to the first arbitration hearing in team history. "We've never had an arbitration case before, not because we've been afraid to use the system but because I've always believed if there's a deal to be made that satisfies both sides you're better off to stay out of arbitration," LaMar said. "This year easily could be a little different. I won't be surprised to go to arbitration with at least one case this year." Most likely, that will involve pitcher Bryan Rekar, who seeks a raise from $280,000 to $1.75-million after going 7-10 with a 4.41 ERA.

HUDDLE UP: The best baseball player in uniform today might be Ravens backup quarterback Tony Banks, who played a season of minor-league ball with the Twins before sticking with football full time. "No regrets," Banks said. "Especially with the Twins." Something interesting from his summer in Fort Myers -- his roommates were Matt Lawton and LaTroy Hawkins, who both made the majors.

WELL-DONE RIB: David Wells made it clear to Chicago writers he isn't going to take much guff about his weight. "I always look at it this way," he said. "I'm fat and you're ugly. But I can diet."

DIAMOND DUST: Signing Chan Ho Park to a $9.9-million one-year deal pushed the Dodgers' payroll to $103.5-million -- for 18 players. The complete roster is likely to exceed $106-million. ... The Diamondbacks will start seven players 33 or older. ... Sammy Sosa backed out of a commitment to appear at the Cubs Convention next weekend, but his agent says (wink, wink) it is unrelated to their contract stalemate. The latest trade rumor has Sosa going to the Mariners, with the Mets and Braves other possibilities. ... Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki might feel a little lonely in Seattle: "When I left Arizona in 1999, (Ken) Griffey gave me a bat signed "See you in Seattle,' so it seems he lied to me. A-Rod told me not to get married before him, but I did. So maybe he got mad at me and left."

ROCKIES: Second baseman Todd Walker, who had filed for salary arbitration, has agreed to a three-year, $6.55-million deal. The contract was to have been announced Friday, but the team delayed it because Walker had corrective eye surgery. Walker, who made $322,500 last year, had asked for $1.4-million and was offered $950,000.

ROYALS: Infielder Luis Alicea agreed to an $800,000, one-year contract.

Alicea, 35, can make an additional $400,000 in performance bonuses, getting $50,000 for appearing in 80 games and $50,000 for each additional 10 games through 150.

Alicea, who made $1.15-million last year, spent the past three seasons with Texas, hitting .294 last year with 85 runs, 159 hits, six homers and 63 RBI.

The Florida State alumnus has a .260 career average in 10 major-league seasons with 42 homers and 367 RBI.

"Luis will be a great addition that will upgrade our utility role for the 2001 season," Royals general manager Allard Baird said. "He is a switch-hitter with a high on-base percentage."

HOO-RAYS: In addition to marking the start of individual-game ticket sales, the Rays' Feb. 10-11 fanfest also will include autograph sessions, children's activities, a Yard Ball area and the Club MLB Roadshow, which includes batting and pitching cages, interactive computer kiosks, and historical exhibits. ... The annual publicity caravan starts Saturday with stops at Florida Power Park (where Larry Rothschild and Wade Boggs are conducting a clinic), Ridgecrest Elementary school in Largo and Tampa's WestShore Plaza. ... The Trop will be open for prospective season-ticket buyers from 10-2 on Saturday. ... Open auditions for national anthem singers will be held 6-8 p.m. Friday and 3-6 p.m. Saturday at Tropicana Field.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright