PITTSBURGH -- Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella, wearying
after a recent run of blowout losses and embarrassing performances,
ripped the last-place team's ownership Sunday for not caring about
winning now.
Piniella said the New York-based owners who bought a controlling
share of the perennially poor-performing franchise a year ago don't
seem to care about Tampa Bay's current on-field product.
"They're not interested in the present, they're interested in
the future. And that's their right," he said. "But when other
teams are getting better presently, you're going to get your butts
beat and that's exactly what's happening."
Piniella's remarks came barely 12 hours after an 18-2 loss to
the Pirates, the sixth time since May 29 the Devil Rays have
allowed 10 or more runs in a loss. They were outscored 25-4 in the
first two games of the interleague series in Pittsburgh and had
given up a remarkable 50 runs in their previous four games.
The former Yankees, Reds and Mariners manager suggested he is
tiring of constantly giving excuses for the Devil Rays' poor play.
They beat Pittsburgh 7-5 in 13 innings Sunday, but still went 2-10
on a road trip that saw them lose four consecutive games they led
by three runs or more.
"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."
The Devil Rays began the season with a $29,893,567 payroll that
was about $7 million lower than any other major league team. Only
the Pirates ($38.1 million) and Royals ($36.88 million) had
payrolls below $40 million.
A group headed by New York investor Stuart Sternberg bought 48
percent of the team just over a year ago. Former owner Vince
Naimoli owns about 15 percent of the team and remains as the
managing general partner. Limited partners who have no say in
running the team own the remaining 37 percent.
At the time he bought into the team, Sternberg said a major
emphasis would be retaining a core of young players and player
development.
Naimoli, who attended the series in Pittsburgh, wouldn't comment
on Piniella's remarks. Asked about the state of the team, he said
Piniella should answer any such questions.
"When I came here three years ago, we talked about a situation
where we wanted to win now and we were interested in winning now,"
Piniella said. "And you know what? With a small payroll we
[improved] from 55 [victories] to 63 and then to 70. 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."
Piniella, who left Seattle for the chance to manage his hometown
team, clearly doesn't like that direction. It's a major turnaround
from Seattle, which won a combined 300 games in his final three
seasons there from 2000-02, including 116 victories in 2001.
The Devil Rays lost eight of their first nine games in June,
despite playing all games against teams .500 or below. Their 5-28
road record is one of the five worst in the majors at this stage of
a season since 1900.
The 1998 expansion franchise finished last in the AL East every
season until last year, when it finished ahead of Toronto.