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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Sternberg talks Price, stadium issue, attendance, payroll

Posted Mar 10, 2013 by Roger Mooney

Updated Mar 10, 2013 at 12:34 PM

ROGER MOONEY
PORT CHARLOTTE Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg arrived at Charlotte Sports Park this morning and addressed the media.

Here are some excerpts:

On the possibility of keeping 2012 American League Cy Young Award pitcher David Price, who will make $10.1125 million in 2013, beyond this season:
“(Executive vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman) said and correctly that there is no question that we can handle a contract like David’s, but what are you able to put around him? But right now, and correctly, David is focused on this season and we’re focused on this season and speculatively it’s way too early for people to be focused on what’s three years from now, four years from now. David is an enormous part of this organization and has been so through all the success from 2008 to 2013.”

On the widely popular belief that the Rays will be forced to trade Price after this season:
“We haven’t had those thoughts. Others have speculated. There’s been speculation but we haven’t had those thoughts at all.”

On whether the Rays can keep Price next year:
“Oh yeah, sure. Absolutely.”

On the stadium talks with St. Petersburg mayor Bill Foster:
“The mayor and I had a meeting, a nice cordial conversation and we’ll see. I’m optimistic. Nobody wants to hear me talking about stadium things, so let the major and I handle that and everybody else can focus on what’s important, which is baseball.”

On the Rays attendance, which was last in the major leagues last season:
“The attendance, everybody knows the number. Last is last, so we’re anticipating an improvement on that, but we really don’t have any goals. We don’t try to set any goals. We want to be average in attendance and well above average in on-field performance. We’re right now settling for well-above average on on-field performance, and that’s the important thing.”

On the 2013 payroll, which is above $60 million, higher than what Sternberg said it should be based on attendance:
“We’ve had a couple of years where it was lower than it should be, and we’ve had a number of years when it was higher than it should be, and this is one of those years.”

On his expectations for the season:
“Really good. Unfortunately, last year we felt incredible about the team, and the last time we felt that way was coming into ’09, and they were the only two years we didn’t make the playoffs, however winning the number of games we won last year (90) is nothing to sneeze at.”