Stuart Sternberg is a Godsend

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 20, 2009 12:32 PM EDT

The one area where Sternberg might get an argument is the back end of the bullpen, but he said flatly, "If we spend more money, it's not going to be on a closer."

Adding a closer is about the 34th thing this team needs. Sternberg also states there isn't a glaring hole, and it's more about performance to date. Which is exactly right. I would argue catcher as well, but Navarro really shouldn't be this bad moving forward. Of course, that's a backhanded compliment at this point.

Also, we have an owner that understands how baseball works. This team is quite lucky.

Other notes:

Rays Prospects has the latest minor league moves.

Former Ray Josh Wilson has yet another new home.

Dave Allen with some fantastic, fantastic HitFx analysis.

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Comments

I'm in the Jersey airport and a little kid is running around in a Mets outfit.

Should I trip him?

by Erik Hahmann on Jun 20, 2009 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

Yes

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 20, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Sternberg

The more I read him, the more of a penny pinching prick I think he is. He can stay in New York and gobble up his “tradition” and his double entendre hypocrisy and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. I call bull on him. He does somethings when it suits him and then wants to blackmail the fans when attendance is up 30%.

I want to like Stu, and he has given me every reason for me to think he is continuing to distance himself from the team when he should be embracing the area. Sorry, but that is the way I feel.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 20, 2009 1:45 PM EDT reply actions

uh we don't need a closer.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions

and owner shouldn't be involved with DTD operations...that is what the GM is for.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

This.

Just go look at the Houston Astros and Drayton McLane.

"You end up with a name like ‘Outman,’" he said last week. "What else are you going to do? You’re going to get people out, man." ~ Dallas Braden

by Blicks on Jun 20, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Perhaps

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 20, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

You're a very disturbed person

by Erik Hahmann on Jun 20, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

If only we had a good owner, like John Henry, who screwed entire fanbases in the past.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 20, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not exactly sure why baseball owners should be different from business owners...

Why should Stu relocate his life to Tampa? Because he purchased a baseball team?

Sternberg has shown time and again that he is a great business owner who purchased a flawed product and turned it around. He’s been up front with the community since day one and has given no reason to think he isn’t loyal to this area in regards to the Rays.

by tallyray on Jun 20, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

He's a hypocrite

If he loves New York the way he does and still does, then he should embrace it. Give the Rays to someone LOCAL who won’t parce and mince words with civic leaders and politicians. Don’t “blackmail” me. That’s the gist of my anger.

If we don’t need a “closer”, what about quality bullpen depth? Timely hitting helps but gee freakin whiz?! I don’t want to be marginalized.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 20, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

Uh...

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 20, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Perhaps you are insane

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 20, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Perhaps?

In the words of Jim Mora…“You think you know but you don’t know.” That is Stu Sternberg. He is murky at best.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 20, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

In the words of Christopher Wallace

“If you don’t know now you know….”

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jun 20, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Because he doesn't live in the area?

Sternberg has done nothing to suggest he’s going to “blackmail” the fanbase.

Stop creating reasons to hate him and Silverman.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 20, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Namoili

by walkoffwalk on Jun 20, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Chucky LaMar

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Jun 20, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

you want Naimoli back?

Sternberg has been a great owner

by RaysOfHope on Jun 22, 2009 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions

bullpen depth=Bradford back most likely next week and shouse waiting in the wings

by RaysOfHope on Jun 22, 2009 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, because having the owner in the yard everyday and overtly hands on always works out well.

Signed,

Jerruh Jones
George and Hank Steinbrenner
Al Davis

Sign the checks, and do some occasional media things…..and let us use your toilet.

What's on my mind

by Jason Collette on Jun 20, 2009 8:46 PM EDT reply actions

Not what I meant

Stu is TOO distant from the Rays. His “distance” in my mind has created discontent especially in trying to get support for a new ballpark. Of course I don’t want him meddling around, but he could try harder to one, strike the right balance, and two, have people around him instead of telling him what he WANTS to hear, telling him what he NEEDS to hear.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 21, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

"have people around him instead of telling him what he WANTS to hear, telling him what he NEEDS to hear."

Elaborate please.

by nolesblogger on Jun 21, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions

I.E.

He seems to be an emissary for the quips of men like Robert DuPuy, MLB’s COO and obviously Bud Selig. He forms a “company line” view in regards to our area and community, and I don’t think he offers any independence from the opinions or edicts of Selig, DuPuy or Rob Manfred. The WANT is guys like Michael Kalt, who don’t have an iota of how the Bay area works, thinks or operates.

Don’t get me wrong, the Rays have OUTSTANDING day-to-day people running the operations, from the ballpark to gameday and baseball operations. What I am faulting is the overall mission and strategy and the implementation as there is ambiguity and a egotistical desire to FORCE change rather than a collaborative effort to go to the people instead of sources like Jeff Lyash who may have money and influence, but are DISTANT from the true fans themselves.

When I say Stu is too distant, he simply doesn’t live here. Hence, I say he is getting told what he wants, and not what he needs. Its a huge distinction. And its the root of my problem that Stu isn’t a “godsend” as a lot of people think he his. Is he better than Naimoli, obiously the answer is yes, but not exponentially better. Whoever his sources are don’t talk to the people. For me, the road uniforms is a SYMBOL of my passion that illustrates Stu being told what he wants instead of what he needs.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 21, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions

"Is he better than Naimoli, obiously the answer is yes, but not exponentially better."

This is ridiculous. He stays out of management’s way for the most part, let a bunch of “inexperienced” guys have full control from day one, has never ordered for payroll to be slashed, and has spent a ton of money in forming an international presence. Plus upgrading the Trop.

Stop letting one issue turn Sternberg into a villain for you. Maybe you slept through the Naimoli era, but this is exponentially better.

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 21, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Uhhh

He did slash payroll his first full year as owner…Yes, it was for a reason, but don’t think he can’t….or won’t again….and justify it.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 21, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

getting rid of those bums was trimming the fat, not slashing payroll.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 21, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Not saying it wasn't

But he can do it again if he has a “reason” to

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 21, 2009 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions

so who cares if he is trimming payroll if trimming payroll makes the team better?

by walkoffwalk on Jun 21, 2009 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions

The point is

He would trim payroll. Not questioning why or what reason, the fact that he would do it is the only suggestion

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 21, 2009 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions

i think he was speaking more from a business perspective and less from a baseball perspective.

by yeseggs on Jun 21, 2009 12:28 AM EDT reply actions

I can understand why someone would be dissapointed in Stu's comments

There’s basically 3 routes he can go:

1. ’We’re going to replace these bums’…the Steinbrenner route
2. ‘We are evaluating a lot of things, and don’t like to talk about personnel decisions’
3. ’ No, we ain’t spening it until fans show up’…the Huizenga route.

I’d have preferred he chosen option #2, regardless of the Rays plans.

by GomesSweetGomes on Jun 21, 2009 8:02 AM EDT reply actions

That's a fair assumption

It’s the choice 3 why I am disappointed. Of course we have polyanna media that is in Stu’s hip pocket, so he will not be chastised for anything. I think Stu really needs to learn to be more media saavy and even more important, showcase some empathy for what fans he does have.

Put Tampa Bay back on our road uniforms!!

by joedobr on Jun 21, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions