Piniella leaving the D-Rays....

[Skerik]

ST. PETERSBURG - Two baseball sources have confirmed to The Tampa Tribune that Tampa native Lou Piniella will not return to manage the Devil Rays in 2006.

Both sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of a confidentiality agreement between Piniella and the organization.

Piniella will accept a $2.2- million buyout of the $4.4 million he was to have received in the final season of his four- year contract. In addition, the Rays will pay Piniella $1.25 million in salary deferred from his first season in 2003.

Piniella will be free to take any job he wants - be it in broadcasting or with another major-league organization. He also has indicated that he wouldn't be averse to taking a season off.

When asked about his immediate future with the Rays, Piniella said only, "I can't talk about it.''

http://rays.tbo.com/rays/MGBTSAT3WDE.html

Lou gave it a good go in Tampa, but he had a tall order trying to compete in that division with that payroll. It'd be nice if he chose to hang with the organization in another position so he could see that good young nucleus develop.

[Beantown]

Re: Piniella leaving the D-Rays....

Just saw this on SC...TB wont go anywhere, even with a new manager, if they don't spend some money.

[SPTO]

Re: Piniella leaving the D-Rays....

Well apparently there will be new ownership in T Bay so things can change. I've also heard that Chuck Lamarr will be gone too.

Watch Uncle Lou go to Baltimore.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: Piniella leaving the D-Rays....

Well apparently there will be new ownership in T Bay so things can change. I've also heard that Chuck Lamarr will be gone too.

Watch Uncle Lou go to Baltimore.

Nothing will help Baltimore, and nothing good will happen to the O's until Angelos sells or dies.

[Matteh]

Re: Piniella leaving the D-Rays....

Well apparently there will be new ownership in T Bay so things can change. I've also heard that Chuck Lamarr will be gone too.

Watch Uncle Lou go to Baltimore.

What you've heard is most likely true. Earlier this month an article came out in the St Pete Times about Namoli stepping down and Sternberg taking over sometime this offseason. It's very good news if it happens because Namoli does not care aobut putting a competitive baseball team together, he only cares about getting a profit (which isn't a bad thing to care about, but he should care about his franchise winning and its reputation). Rumors were that Pinella and Lamar would not be back in that same article. This could be a sign that the article is in fact true.

I really liked Lou as a manager here in Tampa. He really seemed to do well with the kids here like Kazmir and Cantu. They've come a long way in the last year and I think Lou played a part in that. If Namoli had cared enough to spend more in the payroll, he could have turned the team in to a .500 or better club.

[TarHeelMan]

Re: Piniella leaving the D-Rays....

If this would have happened last year, all signs would have pointed to Lou joining the Mets... I've heard some speculation that Lou would go to the Yankees if Joe Torre were to either be fired or resign.

[Stu]

Re: Piniella leaving the D-Rays....

Its pretty ridiculous that he's getting a buyout. Lou has pretty openly been trying to get fired for much of this season. Some of the decisions he's made have been just awful and he seems to be getting more and more eccentric as the years go by. TB needed a manager that was willing to patiently teach their young players and Lou was not it. I understand his frustration in not being able to field a winning team, but he should have handled it like a professional.