Pinella Done?

by Tyler on Jun 12, 2005 2:57 PM EDT

He's complaining about Sternburg not investing money in the club.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2083511

I don't know if he'll last through the season. If he does leave who replaces him? Any thoughts? He sounds like he's upset that Sternburg wants to play the kids and get better that way. Lou seems to want "vertan presence" he loves so much. Thats how I read the article.

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This was supposed to be a breakout year. The problem is we've got a new ownership group here that's changed the direction of where we're headed."

That's absolute crap. The direction the Rays were headed was developing a core of young talent without making short-sighted trades or payroll commitments that will hurt the team in the future. That's EXACTLY what Sternberg has done so far, the problem is that Lou has never really liked that direction. He wants wins now, even if it doesn't mean anything more than being a .500 team. It doesn't matter to him if that's the wrong thing and will hurt the franchise's future, he just wants some wins to make him feel warm and fuzzy right now.

If he left I expect either John McClaren or Tom Foley would be the interim manager and probably would be given the job permanently unless Sternberg or his people stepped in and chose their own.

As for Sternberg not putting in money, it's the same old reasoning. Why would he risk his own money when Chuck Lamar is the one deciding how to spend it?

by Jim Wisinski on Jun 12, 2005 3:18 PM EDT 0 recs

new owners

"The Rays are getting exactly what they wanted out of this season. They wanted to suck to give the younger players time to develop so that we would not suck for the years 2007 and beyond."

by David Bloom on Jun 12, 2005 6:20 PM EDT 0 recs

Tyler

Thanks for diary. I did not see it until I just put my post up.

The direction of the owners and guys who play the field are mutually exclusive. The thing is we are getting so many different messages.

In Spring training Vince was quoted as saying we are expecting big things for team this year. Yeah, right..

Then, we have Lou saying when he met with owners in NY that there is a plan.

Then, you might ask who is Lamar working for? Vince or new owners. Similarly, who is Lou aligned with? Seems nobody in the organization but Huff.

by David Bloom on Jun 12, 2005 6:34 PM EDT 0 recs

join

If you work for someone else and you already don't see eye to eye on things one day you might go into work and put your job on the line.

That is exactly what Lou is doing.

Here and Here

Obviously, Lou does not have much say on what goes on at One DRays Place. Calling out the owners is one way to either get the owners not named Vince to open their ears, or to get off this sinking ship.

What he wants to get done and what the management like to see done are two different things. Lou want some spending money for the grocery list, but the owners want to shop some other day. Lou is about today. The owners are about tommorow.

by David Bloom on Jun 12, 2005 6:36 PM EDT 0 recs

My Take

Lou is being very short sighted here. I really belive that if Sternburg is committed to winning, which I think he will be once Lamar is gone, then the money will come. We will be able to put a division contending team on the field by 2007. 2008 at the latest. Obviously we need to get better pitching, but that can be addressed through the draft, smart trades, i.e. aquiring good prospects for Huff, Baez, and decent prospects for Lugo. With a few million spent on FA, were close though.

If Lou can't see that, then he need to leave anyway. Although if he does leave, I think he'll regret it. Because when we're competing and possibly making the playoffs in 07/08, he won't be the one getting the credit for tuning the Rays' around. We're not the hopeless franchise the world sees.

Bob Abreu for Kevin Stocker....I'll take it- Chuck Lamar

by Tyler on Jun 12, 2005 7:12 PM EDT 0 recs

Vince MUST go (dot com)

"I'm not going to take responsibility for this," Piniella said in pregame remarks to reporters. "If I had been given a $40 million or $45 million payroll, I'd stand up like a man and say it's my fault. Well, I'm not going to do it. So if you want answers about what's going on here, you call the new ownership group and let them give them to you."

...Lou just needs to stick in there and wait out Naimoli. We'll get him out of there....

-------------------- Sign the petition http://VinceMustGo.com

by VinceMustGo on Jun 12, 2005 8:06 PM EDT 0 recs

Blame Naimoli

I can see why Lou is frustrated.

I can see why Sternberg isn't putting money into the team.

It all goes back to Naimoli and his lapdog LaMar.

This situation improves immediately if Naimoli would just get out of everyone's way and retire to chasing raccoons. As it is, this organization is a split personality with no real direction other than stationary because of our lame duck managing general partner. That's no way to effectively run a club.

by RATW on Jun 12, 2005 8:40 PM EDT 0 recs

We Suck and there's a few good reasons

It's sad but right now I would give ANYTHING to see Lou, Lamar, and Naimoli go. As far as Lou goes this board has been saying everything I've felt for the last few years.... he's not that great. He's good at getting his veterns to play for him but that's it. Huff need's to shut up and worry about his 4 dingers!! Lamar is more stinky than the stuff my dog leaves in the back yard, and Naimoli is just plain crazy. When isn't Evers ever talked about? He should have managed this team 3 years ago. If you want to do this youth stuff get somebody who has a track record of development, not what we have right now. God and making it worse is the fact that this team normally plays good ball in the first three innings, give you hope, and then drops a bomb on themselves. Everytime Kazmir has some oddball L put next to his name I worry about the effect it has on his psyche. I'm gonna go vomit now.

by Draysrule on Jun 12, 2005 9:30 PM EDT 0 recs