The Devil Rays took a lead on the Mets yesterday, but the Lou Piniella Derby is far from over.
In fact, Mets officials feel that by as early as today they may have a compensation package the Mariners find acceptable, enabling them to begin negotiations they expect will lead to landing the manager “we want” – perhaps by the end of this weekend.
Tampa Bay reached acceptable compensation with Seattle yesterday and received permission to begin negotiating with Piniella, which seemed to set back the Mets. However, Piniella’s agent, Alan Nero, said late yesterday afternoon that no interview had been set up, and it’s possible the Mets could still swoop in before Tampa Bay has a chance to land Piniella.
The Mets and Mariners have come to an understanding that none of the Mets’ four crown jewels – Jose Reyes, Aaron Heilman, Justin Huber and David Wright – will be included in the two-player compensation for Piniella. Instead, the Mets have made available to Seattle a Column A of very good prospects and a Column B of good prospects, from which the M’s will take one each.
As of last night, Seattle had agreed to the player from Column A, and Mariners president Chuck Armstrong told the Mets he would get back to them today about the secondary player. The players the Mets have offered are not established major leaguers such as Timo Perez or Roger Cedeno.
The Mets’ best secondary prospects include pitchers Pat Strange, Jeremy Griffiths, Neal Musser, Phil Seibel, Jason Saenz and Jae Seo, and position players Craig Brazell, Jason Phillips, Esix Snead and Ty Wigginton.
A person close to the talks said Wilpon was not over-reacting to the Devil Rays being granted permission or hastening his approach because the World Series will begin today, and Commissioner Bud Selig wanted this matter settled before Game 1. The Mets think they will work out an offer acceptable to both the Mariners and Piniella.
A major league official familiar with the negotiations said, “I don’t think the Tampa Bay thing means anything. I still think he ends up with the Mets.”
Nevertheless, the Devil Rays have at least complicated matters. Armstrong and Tampa Bay owner Vince Naimoli reached a compensation agreement yesterday afternoon. Theoretically, Piniella no longer has to wait to see what the Mets do and could sign with the Devil Rays. But Tampa is such a poor organization it appears to behoove him to wait to hear the Mets’ offer.
Nero, asked if he hopes the Mets will get their business done with the Mariners, responded, “We certainly hope so. We’re not privy to those internal happenings, but I know Mr. Wilpon is committed to this from what I read. I’m sure the Mets will work it out. That’s what my experience tells me.”
Nero added: “Lou is serious about being close to home and Tampa Bay is pretty close to home. But he also wants to negotiate with the Mets.”
Selig has continued to try to influence the Mets and Mariners to work out a deal before the World Series. He said yesterday by phone he probably would not allow any team to make an announcement during the World Series, but that the sides could continue to negotiate.
Tampa Bay has persisted in interviewing managerial candidates, including Ken Macha yesterday. The Devil Rays, though, need a high-profile move to revive baseball in their city. A few GMs speculated that All-Star outfielder Randy Winn was being dangled as the compensation, a sign of how serious Tampa Bay is to get Piniella.
The Seattle front office could be trying to keep Piniella from high-profile New York. Several people who have talked to Mets’ decision-makers believe the Mariners are steering Piniella to his hometown franchise.
“Who’s the Metsies’ alternative?” Seattle GM Pat Gillick asked a reporter yesterday. “You don’t think Bobby V. would come back, do you?”
No, Bobby Valentine is not coming back, but despite what Tampa Bay did yesterday, the Mets had much more than a Ray of hope that they’d secure Piniella.