Tampa Bay Devil Rays Late Making Payments

AP ^ | July 18, 2002 | BEN WALKER and RONALD BLUM

[jern]

Thu Jul 18, 9:52 PM ET

By BEN WALKER and RONALD BLUM

NEW YORK (AP) - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, said to be having cash-flow problems earlier this year, were more than two weeks late before making nearly $1 million in deferred payments to Steve Trachsel and Gerald Williams, several baseball officials told The Associated Press.

AP Photo

Trachsel, now pitching for the New York Mets, was due $428,571.43 on June 30 under a contract he signed with Tampa Bay two years ago. But the Devil Rays did not direct deposit that amount until Wednesday, according to four management and player sources, who all spoke on the condition they not be identified.

"I don't think it's anybody's business," Trachsel said after the Mets' 2-1 loss Thursday at Montreal. "I'm not going to ask you what deposits are made into your account."

Williams was owed $526,875 by the Devil Rays on June 30. The outfielder's overdue payment was received Tuesday by his agents, two of the sources said.

Williams began the season with the New York Yankees, later played in the St. Louis system and recently joined Triple-A Louisville, a Cincinnati affiliate. He did not return a call to the clubhouse in Rochester, where Louisville played Thursday night.

Devil Rays owner Vince Naimoli denied there had been any problem with the payments. Both players are represented by Sam and Seth Levinson.

"The check was cut on the 28th of June," he said after Tampa Bay's 4-3 loss to Boston on Thursday. "If Mr. Trachsel and his agent want to produce the check, you'll see it was cut on the 28th of June."

Trachsel's account, however, was not credited with the payment until July 17.

"I was told by the agent that it was an administrative foul-up," union lawyer Gene Orza said. "My understanding is the club said the checks went out at the appropriate time, but somehow they came back and that the delay was not occasioned by them not having the money on time."

The union, though, is awaiting a decision by the agents on whether to seek back interest on the late payments.

Trachsel's situation appeared to attract more attention because the Devil Rays had been late with payments to him in the past, the sources said. Tampa Bay had owed him money on March 31 and did not pay it until April 4.

Commissioner Bud Selig, trying to gain concessions during bargaining with the players' association, has been saying for two years that baseball needs major economic changes.

During last week's All-Star break he said one major league team was in danger of not making payroll on July 15 and said another club had so much debt it might not be able to finish the season.

Selig did not identify the imperiled teams. But a top official of a major league club, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Devil Rays and Detroit Tigers had cash-flow problems earlier this year. Both teams denied they were having financial trouble.

All 30 major league teams made their payrolls on Monday.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

So? I just wish they would all go on strike so this abomination of a sport (not the sport itself, the owners and players who have polluted it) could start over.

[Brimack34]

It figures one of if not the lowest paid team is going to run away with it's division. (MN. TWINS) And they are going to go on strike and ruin everything.

[Sonny M]

you know the lowest paid team in the league, the Twins has the richest owner (person, not company) in baseball. Plohl is actually a multi billonaire.

[staytrue]

even a billionaire owner does not have to be obligated to lose money just so a city has a winning baseball team

PS. the athletics are also a low salary team doing well

[Sonny M]

He doesn't have to lose money, but I don't believe he is losing money. Minnesota was one of the first teams in baseball to draw over 2 million fans, and I believe they may have been the first to ever hit 3 mill. Its pure mismanagement if the team isn't doing well, and the owner here has stated he wants a new stadium. If he wants it, let him pay for it, and if he is unhappy with his team, then let him sell his team, instead of threating contraction to his own team (he made vague refernces to moving, but seemed to like contraction better).