Sunday, June 12, 2005
LOU IS PO'D
Lou Piniella has had enough of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' frugal ways.
"They're not interested in the present, they're interested in the future. And that's their right. But when other teams are getting better presently, you're going to get your butts beat and that's exactly what's happening."
[...]
"I'm not going to take responsibility for this. 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."
[...]
"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. 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."
The Devil Rays (21-42) are currently in last place in the A.L. East, 15.5 games behind first-place Baltimore. Is Lou fed up enough with the Devil Rays' situation that he leaves the ballclub before the end of the season? I wouldn't put it past him.
Just don't expect the Mariners to give Lou his own statue for the 1995 10th Anniversary celebration, if he were to leave the Devil Rays before this season is up. If the M's wouldn't give Randy Johnson his own statue, what makes anybody think that they'll honor Lou?
I miss Lou.
More importantly, I also miss winning baseball.
"They're not interested in the present, they're interested in the future. And that's their right. But when other teams are getting better presently, you're going to get your butts beat and that's exactly what's happening."
[...]
"I'm not going to take responsibility for this. 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."
[...]
"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. 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."
The Devil Rays (21-42) are currently in last place in the A.L. East, 15.5 games behind first-place Baltimore. Is Lou fed up enough with the Devil Rays' situation that he leaves the ballclub before the end of the season? I wouldn't put it past him.
Just don't expect the Mariners to give Lou his own statue for the 1995 10th Anniversary celebration, if he were to leave the Devil Rays before this season is up. If the M's wouldn't give Randy Johnson his own statue, what makes anybody think that they'll honor Lou?
I miss Lou.
More importantly, I also miss winning baseball.
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