ESPN is reporting that the Mariners will hold a press conference in the next few days and "they're not coming out to say he's staying as manager"....supposedly Piniella wants to work closer to his Tampa home, where his parents, children, and grandchildren reside -- although keep in mind the Mets have also expressed STRONG interest in louring Lou (former Yanks player and manager) back to NY.

Apparently the M's are willing to let Piniella go but only in exchange for compensation (players?) and ONLY to the Devil Rays (i.e., NOT the Mets??) which is particularly interesting considering the fact that the D'Rays are also in the A.L. and have been rumored to be one of the teams being considered for relocation (despite the fact that they have a long-term lease at atrocious Tropicana Field)....I can understand Lou's desire to work close to home but the DEVIL RAYS? -- they have the WORST talent in the league, pitiful attendance, and on the surface this would appear to be a LONG rebuilding job before the D'Rays could even HOPE to be competitive in the challenging AL East (and you can bet the mortgage that Steinbrenner and the new Red Sox ownership will not exactly be "standing still" waiting for Tampa to catch up to them in the standings)....this move, if it turns out to be accurate, is certainly intriguing on a number of levels.

So, DuckBoy, gp, or any Outsporters in Seattle -- is there anything more to this story and what is the reaction to Piniella's potential departure among the vocal M's supporters?

Piniella leaving the M's?

It makes sense for Piniella to bail on the Mariners.

The Mariners aged very rapidly in September. They just looked old and tired and spent in the first half of September. Their pitching, especially, is very ancient and in need of an overhaul. (Jamie Moyer, for example, must be, like 87 years old.) They also play in the toughest division in baseball ... and Buck Showalter being hired by the Arlington Rangers just made it tougher.

Given that they've probably maxed out on payroll -- and the fact that the ownership refused to spend the bucks to plug the huge hole in left field (the easiest hole to fill on a major league team) -- it's tough to see how this old and aging team will avoid going into a decline. Lou might as well bail before he gets any blame for the inevitable and immediate decline.

It also makes sense for Piniella to retire to St. Petersburg. His family lives there and home's important. And, as far as managing the Devil Rays, if he wins 70 games with this team, he's Manager of the Year. He's also worth more to the D-Rays since he's cheaper than any big name player/free agent and he'll generate some desperately needed excitement for that contractable franchise. If they lure Piniella to Tampa Bay, watch season ticket sales double, maybe even triple. All the way up to 50 or so.

[ October 12, 2002: Message edited by: Charlie in the Trees ]

I agree, gp, that Gillick would prefer that Piniella NOT leave (which is what he expressed to the media immediately after the season ended) but it appears that he has lessened his stance and conceded that if Lou's heart is in Tampa with his family he will reluctantly let him out of the final year of his contract -- but ONLY in exchange for compensation....as far as the four players you mentioned are concerned, I think it's obvious the M's would be wise to retain all of em (both for "public relations" relations reasons and even moreso for the benefit of the team)....there is no doubt that Olerud and Wilson have quite a few productive years left -- Olerud is only 34 and hit .300 again this year with 22 HR and 102 RBI and while Wilson is not recognized as one of the premier offensive catchers in the league he is still only 33 and hit a more than respectable .295 with 6 HR and 44 RBI.

As far as Moyer and Edgar are concerned (both of whom are 39 now) the media has been trying to convince the public that both of them are "finished" for years, especially in the case of Moyer....I picked up a couple of fantasy baseball mags. prior to the 2000 season when I first joined ESPN's fantasy league and I recall reading THEN that Jamie was past his prime and due to have a horrible season....hell, the Orioles (not exactly known for their expert talent evaluation -- after all, Gillick himself told them to take a hike after less than two years as their GM) gave up on Moyer 10 YEARS AGO because then GM Roland Hemond thought he was "past his prime"....even at age 39 this past season, Jamie "only" pitched 230 innings while compiling a 13-8 record with a 3.32 ERA....admittedly father time may be catching up with Edgar as he missed nearly half the season due to injury and only played in 97 games while seeing his average drop to .277, which I imagine is probably the lowest in his career....but I think the M's still owe Martinez at least one more year to see what he can still do if healthy -- not to mention as a show of loyalty considering what he has meant to the organization for so many years.

Getting back to the original topic, based upon Gillick's most recent comments (supposedly they came from a report in the Seattle Times, gp) I would put my money on Piniella managing back east (probably Tampa) in 2003 and the M's receiving compensation in return -- geez, is there anyone on the D-Rays roster that Seattle would even want?

Interesting story from this morning's NY Times:

Three years ago, Seattle Mariners officials flew across the country for what would become a sad routine for the franchise. Another postseason took place without the team and the organization was forced to try to persuade one of its stars to stay. In 1999, the star was Ken Griffey Jr. The next year, it was Alex Rodriguez. Yesterday, it was Lou Piniella.

As Buck Showalter was being introduced in Texas yesterday as the Rangers' new manager, Piniella was meeting with Mariners General Manager Pat Gillick and the team president, Chuck Armstrong, in Tampa, Fla., where Piniella lives, presumably to discuss Piniella's future with the team, two baseball officials said.

The meetings with Griffey and with Rodriguez eventually resulted in their departures from Seattle. Even though Piniella still has a year left on his contract with the Mariners, the Mets are hoping he wants to be closer to his home on the East Coast. With Showalter now scratched off the list to fill their managing vacancy, the Mets were waiting last night to learn whether they could add Piniella's name to the mix. If he is available, he will immediately become the front-runner to replace Bobby Valentine, who was fired two days after the end of the regular season.

One of the baseball officials said yesterday that the Mariners would probably hold a news conference in the next few days, and "I assume it's something different than what they have been promoting" for more than a week.

As speculation has swirled about Piniella's intentions, Gillick and Armstrong have been adamant that Piniella will return next season, and Armstrong has refused to say what it will take to get Piniella out of his contract. "They're not coming out to say he's staying as manager," the official said.

If that is the case, the Mets' fortunes may have turned. Ever since their search for a new manager began, they have viewed Piniella as their top choice, interviewing other candidates because they were unsure if he would be available.

Giants Manager Dusty Baker is reportedly their second choice, but his team is leading the National League Championship Series, 2-0, so the Mets will be unable to determine his level of interest for at least another week. Baker's contract expires at the end of the season.


The Mariners will let Piniella out of his contract if he asks out, but they will want compensation, probably in the form of players, said a second person close to the Mariners. Seattle believes that part of what makes Piniella such a good manager is his emotional edge, and it further believes that if his heart is not in the job, he will not have the enthusiasm that makes him so good. "If he really wants out, he could get out," the person said.

If he left Seattle, Piniella would be following a trail that was blazed by Griffey and Rodriguez. They, too, had grown weary of the team's inability to advance to the World Series, and of Seattle's distance from their homes. Griffey, Rodriguez and Piniella all live in Florida.

After the 1999 season, Gillick led a group of Mariners officials to Florida, where Griffey told them he would not sign a contract extension even if Seattle were to win the World Series the next season. He said he wanted to be traded closer to his Orlando home, and the Mariners traded Griffey to Cincinnati in February 2000.

Days after meeting with Griffey, Gillick flew to Las Vegas to meet with Rodriguez, his star shortstop, and the agent Scott Boras.

After the 2000 season, Gillick and a group of Mariners officials went to Miami to talk with Rodriguez, who became a free agent and signed a $250 million contract with the Texas Rangers.

The Mets' situation would be enticing to Piniella, and not only because of his popularity and success in New York. Fred Wilpon, the Mets' owner, has shown he is willing to spend money to improve the Mets, during the season and at the trading deadline, one complaint Piniella had with the Mariners this season.

Showalter had interviewed with the Mets and the Cubs. With Piniella and Baker still unavailable, he was the most experienced candidate on the Mets' list.

Showalter, who worked for ESPN as a baseball analyst the past two seasons, met with the Rangers this week. One baseball official said yesterday that "it was his job to lose before the interview."

Showalter received a four-year deal worth $6 million.

"I was hoping there was somebody who would want me as much as I wanted them," Showalter said at a news conference in Arlington, Tex. "I'm flattered and honored to have this opportunity."

Even when the Mets learned that he had an offer — as of late Thursday night, the Mets suspected that Showalter had not received one — they were reluctant to increase their pursuit. They were convinced that Showalter, a former manager for the Yankees and the Diamondbacks, wanted a job that would give him maximum control.

The Rangers, who are coming off their third straight last-place finish, landed a man who helped build the Yankees and the Diamondbacks. His record over seven seasons was 562-505.

He led the Yankees from 1992 to 1995 and was Arizona's first manager, from 1998 to 2000.

Why would Piniella want to go to the Mets unless he got some control over personnel issues? Their GM wrecked the team. Why would things be much better no matter who manages?

[quote]Originally posted by gamecock:
As far as Moyer and Edgar are concerned (both of whom are 39 now) the media has been trying to convince the public that both of them are "finished" for years, especially in the case of Moyer....

Getting back to the original topic, based upon Gillick's most recent comments (supposedly they came from a report in the Seattle Times, gp) I would put my money on Piniella managing back east (probably Tampa) in 2003 and the M's receiving compensation in return -- geez, is there anyone on the D-Rays roster that Seattle would even want?

---

I think Martinez would even play for less money to finish his career here in Seattle. The last thing I want to see is Edgar in another uniform, I'd like to see him be the first Mariner to get his jersey retired and the first statue outside the Safe. Its great to see a whole career on one team. Moyer will get 20 wins for the M's again next year.

The D-Rays have nothing the M's would want

[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]