From the sounds of it, the Devil Ray owners and Lou have a different perception about what has taken place and what was promised to him three years ago. Bottom line is the front office has not gone to bat for Lou in three years he has been on the books. I would not be surprised if Lou walks unless there are significant changes:
"Winning is a mind-set the same way that losing is," Piniella said. "The problem is that it's easier to lose and it's harder to win. It takes more of a commitment to win.
"And I'm not talking about players alone. ... It takes a commitment from the entire organization to win - from the ownership group to the front office to the manager and the coaches and to the players. Total commitment. And it doesn't come easy. It's not easy. But once you get it on track and you start doing it, now you expect to do it and you keep doing it. ... Which is what happened in Seattle. We got it going and we kept it going. We stepped up over there."
"And I'm not talking about players alone. ... It takes a commitment from the entire organization to win - from the ownership group to the front office to the manager and the coaches and to the players. Total commitment. And it doesn't come easy. It's not easy. But once you get it on track and you start doing it, now you expect to do it and you keep doing it. ... Which is what happened in Seattle. We got it going and we kept it going. We stepped up over there."
Lou is definately not happy about what has taken place here:
"Let me tell you what - I came here because I thought it could be done," Piniella said, voice rising. "I didn't come here just to be home. Being home and getting your a-- beat wears off pretty quick. You know? It wears off. I came here to win
Aubrey Huff shows his frustration too:"I've been here four years now and every year there's a promise to spend more money and it just doesn't happen," Huff said. "It's like okay, next year, next year, next year, and it just doesn't seem to happen. I don't know what the problem is. It just gets to the point where it gets a little frustrating. It really does.
"Everyone on this team is trying their a-- off. We're battling. We're doing the best we can, trying as hard as we can. But what do you expect when you've got 35-year-old All-Stars playing against guys that just came up. The experience factor is always against us and the payroll factor is always against us. ...
"I'm ready for a commitment to win here. That's what I want to do now is win. I've been here too long to not see more improvement than we have. And, like Lou said, it does start in the front office."
"Everyone on this team is trying their a-- off. We're battling. We're doing the best we can, trying as hard as we can. But what do you expect when you've got 35-year-old All-Stars playing against guys that just came up. The experience factor is always against us and the payroll factor is always against us. ...
"I'm ready for a commitment to win here. That's what I want to do now is win. I've been here too long to not see more improvement than we have. And, like Lou said, it does start in the front office."