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MLB EXPANSION DRAFT


November 17, 1997


Chuck Lamar

Vince Naimoli

Larry Rothschild


PHOENIX, ARIZONA

VINCE NAIMOLI: I'd like to say it's a pleasure to be here. I thought our road with Major League Baseball ended in Phoenix five years ago when we didn't get the Giants. It picked up about two and a half years ago. It's been a very interesting two and a half years, Chuck and staff have done an outstanding job. Have put in tremendous amount of hours, tremendous amount of work in scouting, so we believe that we are prepared in every way for the draft tomorrow. We're looking forward to it. I would like to thank the people in Major League Baseball who have done a great job for us and our fans. We have a great number of fans arriving today, which we're very happy about, and I think the accommodations that Major League Baseball has put together are absolutely outstanding, and I believe we owe them a vote of thanks, as well.

Q. Vince, could you outline the last expansion draft there was a lot of talk about one team trying to win sooner, one team looking at development, can you outline what your philosophy will be tomorrow?
VINCE NAIMOLI: Our philosophy, and I think we've stated it before, is to be as competitive as we can as soon as we can. We've said our modus operundi is through training and development, but certainly we think we give the fans of Tampa Bay a winning product in as short a time as we can get there.

Q. Chuck, do you think it made it easier or harder for you in dealing not only with who you're going to draft about possible deals with other clubs to have the protection list not be made public?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, we were for those lists being made public. I think Major League Baseball missed a golden opportunity for great PR during this time. Every city in the country would have had an accurate list and played rotisserie baseball along with us, leading to the expansion draft and it would have made it much easier for us to make possible trades and the communication with the other clubs, so it's been a very cumbersome situation trying to make those trades. I was on the other side of the fence in 1992 with the Braves, I know how the other clubs feel and the hardships it might create if those lists go out. But we wanted those lists to be exposed.

Q. Chuck, will you be involved in trades tomorrow?
CHUCK LAMAR: Yes, I think there would be some trades. There were two trades for each club in the 1992 Draft. I don't know what the number will be, but going in the first round I think there will with some trades, but they're not consummated until you get your hands on an actual player. You might go in with several options and play the board and see what happens, and we might look up in the first round and have no trades or have several.

Q. Chuck, have you settled on what you're going to do with the first pick yet?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, we have not.

Q. Larry, obviously coming into this so late, what's it been like for you the past week, no sleep?
LARRY ROTHSCHILD: It's not been as hectic as you might think. A lot of work was done before I got here, it's been just a matter of sitting down and going through the board with everybody that's seen every player, getting a feel with where we are as far as what we need to do, players we might have in the Minor Leagues that could help us eventually and what their timetable is. And the input of what I've seen. My eye is what we do on the field next year, and the crossroads we have to meet to fulfill what we have to do to prosper. So it's been hectic, but it's going to be well worth it.

Q. Vince, the Diamondbacks are expected to announce the signing of a free agent today. They seem to have been aggressive from the start, at least in terms of talking and scouting in the free agent market. Where do you expect to be in that regard?
VINCE NAIMOLI: Well, at this point we're not unveiling our plan. I think we've held our cards fairly close to our chest all along, and we intend to proceed in that manner.

Q. Chuck, would you estimate how much you all spent on scouting for this draft and how many people were involved in the scouting process?
CHUCK LAMAR: I'll stay away, from the actual dollars and cents, but it's been the most extensive scouting endeavor that we will ever be involved in. Mr. Naimoli and our ownership group has backed us to the hilt, both financially and philosophically through this. We not only started in Spring Training this year, but with the staff we hired they brought years of experience with the National and American League and the upper levels of the Minor Leagues. There's no way an organization could have put more hours in, and possibly more money getting ready, not only for this expansion draft, because this is just a starting point for us, but getting ready for opening day and the start of building our organization. So for an old scout, it's been the most fun scouting situation as you could ever be in.

Q. As far as the secrecy with the lists go, have you had any bribe offers, money, tangible goods? What have you been offered for the lists?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, there have not been. I've met with every team now, all 28 other teams, that think have been very professional in the way the situation has been handled, that the communication between the two and obviously trade talks, that is more conceptual, if you would, than anything else, because we are not going to reveal the names, and we said that from the start. So we've had no one come up to us at all, even from the media, if you can believe that.
VINCE NAIMOLI: If you'd like to offer a bid, we're glad to discuss it.

Q. What kind of payroll do you expect to open up with, after everything falls in place?
VINCE NAIMOLI: We have a payroll in mind. We're somewhat flexible in it. We have a five‑year plan, including a payroll budget for all five years, as well as our other source of revenue, and the expenses, but it's something that we aren't prepared to discuss.

Q. Should we guess at about 40 or 30?
CHUCK LAMAR: If you'd like to guess, that's fine.

Q. Chuck, how much on the eve of the draft, how much of an advantage was having all this extra time, I think in the preparation?
CHUCK LAMAR: Extra time in the second year?

Q. Yes.
CHUCK LAMAR: I think it's through scouting and player development, it's given us an extra year in the June draft, and next year they'll be at the high A‑level. The Rockies and the Marlins haven't had that advantage. The closer I get to tomorrow, the smarter those organizations get, what they did in a shorter period of time and what they've done over the last five years, I don't think the people in the media truly appreciate what those folks have done in an expansion situation.
The other area is the Tropicana Field, that we've gone through 70 million dollars of renovations for that facility, and I'm not so sure we could have done those renovations to make it as nice a park as it's going to be without that extra time. So from a pure scouting standpoint, I'm not so sure that second year had that much impact. We might draft a player or two going on '96 reports versus '97, but 95 percent of the time you're going to go with the reports you have over this year.

Q. Chuck, you said you haven't settled on your No. 1 pick. What will determine that? Is it a matter of a possible trade for that No. 1 pick or you want to take all the time you have to decide who really is No. 1?
CHUCK LAMAR: In the war room, itself, we're down to two or three names, from a conventional standpoint that we could draft No. 1 tomorrow. And then the trade situation, that with the No. 1 pick, and we made it very clear that we are not planning to trade our No. 1 pick unless it's advantageous to us over the long haul, but we're going to take all the time we need to make that decision. So the trades probably affect why we haven't announced No. 1, as much as deciding on who we wanted to select from draft board.

Q. Could somebody come in and knock you over with a deal, if you can get so and so as your No. 1 pick, we'll give you these players?
CHUCK LAMAR: We've had extensive talks with several clubs concerning that No. 1 pick, whether at the end of the day or the midday tomorrow, whether we decide to go with somebody off that board or trade someone to another club, that's yet to be determined, but those talks have taken place.

Q. Chuck, do you feel that both your team and the Diamondbacks have financial advantages that other expansion teams haven't had, and do you think that will make you be able to compete quicker?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, I don't think we have a financial advantage over the other clubs. Both teams going in, the Rockies spent a tremendous amount of money over their first three years at the Major League level, the Marlins spent money in scouting and development. It's how each organization wants to spend that money. As Mr. Naimoli said, we've been very flexible with the money we've spent, and we think we've been opportunists in that area, we have signed three young pitchers that have may have an impact on the Major League level, but it's hard to give Major League pitching that kind of money. Whether it's an advantage or not, I think the last two expansion clubs had to spend 40 plus million dollars to get to the playoffs, and I'm not so sure we have any more advantage financially than they do.

Q. Vince, what type of ‑‑ will you be like a Peter Angelos or Dick Jacobs?
VINCE NAIMOLI: In all the businesses I've been involved in, I believe what you do is hire the best people and let them do the job. I think, and I don't want to embarrass Chuck, Chuck is an outstanding general manager and will do an outstanding job, and I'm not going to do his job for him. I think Chuck, speaking for him, and I probably shouldn't, I think Chuck would have the same opinion on Larry.

Q. You're going to be a hands‑off guy?
VINCE NAIMOLI: I wouldn't say hands off. I'm going to be involved, but I'll be involved in various aspects as I have in the past, certainly have been involved with building the stadium, and the sponsorship and the overall discussion of the budget and things like that.

Q. Will you be involved in the No. 1 pick?
CHUCK LAMAR: It's a consensus, but at the end of the day, it's Chuck's choice.

Q. Chuck, when the draft's done, I guess the first task at hand, you've got to formulate your 40‑man roster. If trades take place where you get two or three prospects in the trade for a player you draft, then you have other players, I guess, already in the organization you have to put on that 40‑man roster if you want to keep them. How complicated is that going to be?
CHUCK LAMAR: It gets a little complicated. Even tomorrow throughout the draft, whether we need to ask waiver on a certain player, how many options they have, takes effect on the second and third round, especially. You've got the financial considerations and where that player is. And I think there will be some trades that are made. We have to draft 35 players tomorrow, and yet if we want to be active in the rule 5 draft, if we want to be active in the free agency, possible waiver claims, in the first months when we get the first picks to take those waiver picks. To start at 35, we get to 40 quick. I think you'll see some movement on that 40‑man roster.

Q. Chuck, a lot of baseball news is going to be developed at 8 or 9 or 10 o'clock tomorrow night, a lot of stuff that doesn't involve you two expansion teams, is there any concern that the news involving, for example, Martinez or Sheffield arrested or whatever it is will obscure the news from the two expansion teams?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, as Mr. Naimoli said, Major League Baseball has been a tremendous help, and I think we'll get maximum exposure. I think this is going to be the most covered baseball event we've had in recent memory. Everyone talks about the expansion clubs being prepared, I think every team in baseball is more prepared. I don't think it's going to take anything away from us, it's good for baseball. And this is a starting point. It's a big day tomorrow, but it's truly a starting point in our organization, and we've got a long way to go. Whatever news is good news for the game of baseball.

Q. Have you been talking to agents for free agents, and if so, do you feel you're close on anybody?
CHUCK LAMAR: We have had discussions with agents about free agents, but whether we're close or not is yet to be seen.

Q. Larry, Buck Showalter, of course, has been intimately involved with this club for a while now, and you're on the scene. Do you feel ‑‑ are you enjoying getting involved now or are you a little jealous that Buck has so much longer?
LARRY ROTHSCHILD: I've been asked that question a lot and my answer is simple. My perception from the field is important, because that's how I was brought up in baseball, if you will, so I'm glad I had the perspective the last two years of seeing other teams play from the field because that's what I'm used to, and that's where I'm the best judge of talent and that's where I get the best information. For me, personally, I'm glad I've been on the field for the last two years, and I get a better perspective for myself. Sitting in the stands, I don't think I would have had that same perspective. If I had done it the other way, I would have been happier that way, maybe. But with the work done here before I got here, all the information that's been accumulated, I don't know if I could have done anymore by going around to all the Minor League towns and Major League towns than what's already been done. So the perspective from the field was important for me, and the information I got was very important.

Q. Larry, how well does your evaluation of the players from that perspective measure with the evaluations that are already on the board coming from the scouting department?
LARRY ROTHSCHILD: Well, I think anytime you put a lot of baseball people in a room you're going to have a difference of opinion, which I think is important and is encouraged. I see things differently on the field as I think a lot of field people tell you. There's got to be a meeting of the minds at some point, when you're going to make a decision, but it's just more information to make that decision in the proper way, and that's the input I've had and will continue to have.

Q. Chuck, have you guys spent much time studying what mistakes and successes the '92 teams made with their picks, or have you been focused ahead on your picks?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, I've asked as many questions about expansion draft history as I possibly could. The best examples we have are the Rockies and the Marlins, and as I said earlier we couldn't have two better examples than what they've done, whether they went different directions or not, all I know is after five years of Major League play they both have made the playoffs, one has won a World Series, they've done it with class, and they've got a good group of players, and they've got a chance to be competitive for years. You can back for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Royals, sure, they made mistakes, this is not an exact science, we're going to make some tomorrow night. But they've been helpful in helping pick their brains.

Q. Is it scary that the two No. 1 picks in '92 didn't pan out?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, not at all. David Nied happened to come from the organization that I was with at the time, I thought it was an outstanding pick. Had a chance to be a fine Major League pitcher, he's a great makeup person, all the pieces were there, and it didn't work out. I'm sure the same with Nigel Wilson, you've got to keep drafting them and if you stick with the philosophy you're going to hit on some of those guys.

Q. What's going on in Florida, so many teams signing financial rosters, why would someone who is successful want to do something like this, own a baseball team?
VINCE NAIMOLI: We have a unique situation. I think one of the reasons other teams have financial losses is the stadiums dealings are not as good as ours. Over 300 million dollars a year, it creates about ten thousand jobs, and subsequently a favorable lease is the minor part of the economic impact that's going to occur. I think the other part is we have a tremendous area with fan support. It's been a baseball area since 1915. We've had overwhelming success in selling season tickets and selling sponsorships and over the air TV ads.

Q. Is it possible to make money as the owner of a baseball team?
VINCE NAIMOLI: Absolutely.

Q. How much do you intend to make?
VINCE NAIMOLI: I'll give you a partnership brochure if you'd like to invest.

Q. Have you learned anything from the City of Phoenix as to what they've done with their downtown economic development with the stadium, because it seems they're doing a lot of things there.
VINCE NAIMOLI: I first came out here in 1988 when America West was in its formative stages, and I've seen a tremendous transition here. We see the same in Denver after Coors Field was built. I'm sure in our area we're going to see a similar transition. In fact this week a major company came in and bought a smaller hotel and is going to double the size of it and the reason they did that was because of the impact baseball will have.

Q. Chuck, obviously I'm not asking for names, but could you characterize those two or three possibilities for No. 1 as either Minor League prospects, young Major Leaguers or Veteran Major Leaguers?
CHUCK LAMAR: The best way I can categorize them is we think we could look back and five years their having an impact at the Major League level for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Whether it's an up and coming Major Leaguer or whether it's a prospect, we think we'll look back in five years and the gentlemen we select has a chance to be with us and still have an impact.

Q. Chuck, have you talked directly to any of the people you might pick to sound out how they might feel for playing with an expansion team?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir.

Q. Were you allowed to contact any of them?
CHUCK LAMAR: Allowed?

Q. Yes.
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, those people are still property of a Major League organization. Just because they were not on a protected 15, they are still a member of another Major League organization, it would be tampering if I contacted anybody.

Q. You guys have a lot of security, did anyone try and find business, did anyone try and get in there?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, I've been there since last Saturday, and it's funny, everybody has had a good laugh about the security that we've had, but it's a very unique situation, the expansion draft being held not in a neutral site as it was last time. And I feel very safe in saying that if this situation was taking place anywhere else, there would be security from both organizations.

Q. Can you give us a description of the kind of security you've had, what has it cost you?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir, the cost has been minimal. We have a gentleman that's going to be in charge of it in St. Petersburg, and he makes sure that people come in and out, people that belong in that area are there. We didn't want somebody from outside ‑‑ it wasn't the baseball people we're concerned with, because I've bet within 50 yards of our war room I've met every organization in baseball. We didn't know this area, and we wanted to make sure the people that should be in that area were in that area.

Q. Has he been on guard 24 hours a day at the door?
CHUCK LAMAR: No, sir. As far as I know, he went out to dinner and he took a good rest every evening. No, sir, it hasn't been quite that tight of security.

Q. Does he have a gun? (Laughter.) Chuck, you had a certain ‑‑ you espoused a certain kind of drafting philosophy when you were involved in the June draft, will you be carrying that athleticism above all into this draft?
CHUCK LAMAR: I hope I bring the philosophy that builds a championship organization. You take people that have a chance to have impact at the Major League level, whether that's pitching, whether that's position players with athleticism. And the makeup to do that. You know as well as I do, that the players that separate themselves at the Major League level have that in distinction and the makeup to use that ability. I don't know if we can be that choosy tomorrow, because the other organizations did a tremendous job in protecting their players, as both Mr. Gebhart and Mr. Dombrowski told me they would. Yes, we're looking for championship players, if that equates to athleticism or high ceiling ability, the answer would be, yes.

Q. Vince, you've been saying the last three or four days you're ready to go, what's tonight going to be like for you?
VINCE NAIMOLI: It's probably going to be the same as the past week has been, I keep dreaming about rosters, and waking up at 3 o'clock in the morning, and it doesn't matter what time I go to sleep, so I think it will be the same tonight.

Q. Chuck and Larry, given the shortage of Major League pitching over the last few years, what's the impact going to be of adding a minimum of 20 more, what kind of stats can you expect?
CHUCK LAMAR: I think it truly emphasizes that championship organizations have to develop their own pitching staffs, unless you have a tremendous amount of money to go out in the free‑agent market and buy experienced pitching the other teams are not going to trade for it, they have to hold onto it. And if you look at the common denominator with all the organizations they have developed their own pitching. With Matt White, and emphasizing pitching in the last two drafts. It's going to take time to get there, but it's truly the only way you can compete and develop pitching in your own world.
LARRY ROTHSCHILD: I think it speaks volumes for what you have to do, given the fact the that if you can bring pitchers along, you're going to be that much further ahead of the game. And whatever you have to do, develop from within, add pitches to people that might come over from teams or subtract, whatever you have to do you need to get it done, if you can do that, you have a good chance to win.

Q. We had a lot of stadium issues here, with the building of the ballpark, anti‑tax sentiment versus baseball and whether this is the right way to do it. What kind of issues did you have to contend with with your stadium? I know you didn't have to build a whole new one.
VINCE NAIMOLI: A long time ago, before I got involved there were issues on building a stadium, but those were resolved in the early '80s, so we never saw that. There is in Florida, an abatement of sales tax which is set up for Major League franchises, and the Dolphins enjoyed it, the Buccaneers, the Jaguars, and the Marlins all enjoyed it. So we had the advantage of that. We also had the advantage of monies from a city and county convention bureau tax, which had to be passed, but it passed. It was an existing tax, but a reallocation of funds. Where we're entering a new situation is in the realization we'll come up about 35 million dollars short, and I didn't have the heart to go back and ask the taxpayers for that money, so we had a meeting of the investors in our group and we decided that our team would put up the 35 million. Had we not made that decision, we may have had more problem, going back and asking for it, but in my heart of hearts, I didn't feel it was right to go back and ask the taxpayers for that.

Q. Chuck, you used the word cumbersome to describe trading. Can you elaborate on what makes it so cumbersome, and describe an example?
CHUCK LAMAR: Well, the other teams, they can throw out all the names they want to, it's we, the expansion clubs, that cannot break the rules. And we cannot call by name, if you would, anybody, whether he's on the protection list or off the protection list. So you deal ‑‑ you deal in generalities. What are your needs in this organization, what are the payrolls, what kind of salaries are you looking for to fill those needs, and you really have to deal in that framework, rather than just saying you look for that need, well, I can get my hands on this guy, you can't be that direct with the names.

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