ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – First, the Devil Rays' on-field problems cost their manager his job. Now the struggling team needs help in the front office as it explores a possible sale.

Managing general partner Vince Naimoli said Friday he will assume a new role as chairman and hire someone from outside the Tampa Bay organization as chief operating officer.

Breaking his silence on plans for the team's future, Naimoli said discussions are under way to retain an investment banker to advise the club about "strategic alternatives, including the possible sale of the club."

The announcement came little more than a week after manager Larry Rothschild was fired following three last-place finishes and another poor start this season.

While stressing that he is not giving up control of the franchise, the 63-year-old Naimoli said he is ready to allow someone else to handle day-to-day matters.

He said the death of his brother two years ago and the realization that working 18 hours a day, seven days a week leaves him little time to enjoy himself outside his job – not a feud with others in his ownership group – influenced the move.

"Certain events in my personal life have transpired over the last several years that cause me to want to get out of the day-to-day and have a little more time to enjoy the benefits, which I am grateful to have been blessed with," Naimoli said.

He declined to speculate on when a decision might be made to officially put the team up for sale.

"This is not a boom-boom process. ... This is not like selling a house," Naimoli said.

"Every partner has the option of selling his shares or not. I'm not saying what decision I'm going to reach, (although) there's an old saying that everything is for sale at the right price."

Commissioner Bud Selig issued a statement supporting the moves.

"Major league baseball is pleased with these moves to strengthen the Tampa Bay franchise for the benefit of the club and the community. It is particularly important to us that Vince Naimoli, who is a highly regarded and well-respected member of the baseball family, will continue to remain in a leadership role as the baseball control person.

"Vince deserves enormous credit for bringing major league baseball to the Tampa Bay area. While he has encountered some difficulty, as has everyone who has ever run a major league franchise, he has handled the situation with dignity, intelligence, and class."

The Devil Rays have 26 years left on a lease to play home games at Tropicana Field, an 11-year-old facility that was built in anticipation that Tampa Bay would land a major league team long before Naimoli was awarded an expansion franchise in 1995.

The stadium received an $80 million facelift before the Devil Rays finally began play in 1998, but the building's location in downtown St. Petersburg – instead of Tampa – has made it a tough sell for fans reluctant to make the 25-mile trek between the neighboring cities.

After drawing 2.5 million during the team's inaugural season, attendance slipped to about 1.5 million each of the past two cities. A three-game series against the Kansas City Royals that ended Thursday attracted the three smallest crowds in franchise history – 11,056, 11,083 and 11,119 – and the club is averaging 17,338 through 12 home dates.

Naimoli and his partners paid more than $130 million for the franchise. Forbes Magazine recently estimated the value of the club to be about $150 million – 25th among 30 major league teams.

While it had been rumored for months that Naimoli and his partners were at odds, the managing general partner continued to operate the team while the others maintained their usual low profile.

He was joined at a news conference Friday by general manager Chuck LaMar and John Higgins, the team's general counsel.

Naimoli described his relationship with general partners Bob Basham, Chris Sullivan, Mark Bostick, Daniel M. Doyle Sr., and the Griffin Family Trust as a "good one."

"Have we had discords and disagreements at meetings? Absolutely. ... There are some points where we've agreed and some points where we've agreed to disagree. But at the end of the day, everyone's always saluted the flag."

Naimoli said the search for a chief operating officer has been under way for some time. He said there's no definitive timetable for filling the position.

"I have someone on the horizon. I can't tell you if I can put it together with that person or how soon, but I'd like to do it as soon as I can," Naimoli said, declining to identify the candidate.

"It's a person, and I'm not going to say he or she, but it's person who's very well versed and well respected in baseball. I'm not going to say more because I don't want to tip my hand. It's someone who I think truly will be a great plus for us."