Agent for chagrined Piniella talks to Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Lou Piniella’s agent met with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Thursday to discuss the frustrated manager’s concerns about the direction of the last-place American League East franchise.

Piniella criticized the team’s new owners last weekend for not doing enough to make the Devil Rays more competitive this year, going as far as to say he would no longer take responsibility for the wretched performance of the club with major league baseball’s lowest payroll.

The Devil Rays have won three of four games since Piniella’s outburst last Sunday, but heading into today’s game against St. Louis, they still own one of the worst records in the majors at 23-43.

General manager Chuck LaMar confirmed meeting with agent Alan Nero to talk about Piniella’s concerns, but did not provide specifics about the discussion.

“As we have on a number of occasions over the last year, we discussed Lou, the organization and our direction for the future,” LaMar said in a statement. “It was, as it has been in the past, a constructive session with Alan. I would anticipate we will continue to share this open dialogue in the future.”

Nero, who three years ago helped Piniella leave Seattle for Tampa Bay with one season left on his contract, also thought the two-hour session went well.

“No decisions were made. No decisions are imminent,” Nero said. “I don’t think there is the sense of urgency in this that everybody seems to believe. We’re going to continue to talk … and try to improve the situation.”

LaMar said earlier in the week that there had not been any discussion about the possibility of buying out Piniella’s contract, which runs through 2006.

The manager is earning $3.5 million this season and will make $4.5 million next year. The Devil Rays also owe him more than $1 million deferred from 2003, Piniella’s first season with his hometown team.

Asked if the meeting were aimed at trying to get Piniella out of Tampa Bay, Nero said: “Absolutely not.”

Piniella’s comments in Pittsburgh before the finale of a road trip on which Tampa Bay lost 10 of 12 games were targeted at New York investor Stuart Sternberg and others in a group that purchased 48 percent of the Devil Rays last year.

Although the payroll, just less than $30 million when the season began, has increased the past two off-seasons, it still lags well behind the rest of the majors.

Part of Piniella’s frustration stems from what he perceives as the new owners caring more about the future than winning now.

The way the team has been losing – blowing leads late in games and failing to compete at all in some lopsided defeats – is taking its toll, too.

The Devil Rays won a franchise-best 70 games last year, but are nine victories behind that pace through 65 games this season.