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Sternberg Says Success Is Sustainable

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 2, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays won the AL East with a payroll of about one-fifth that of the New York Yankees and one-third that of the Boston Red Sox.

Even though a large disparity is likely to continue, principal owner Stuart Sternberg believes the Rays will be able to keep fielding competitive teams.

"I expect to, yeah," he said Thursday. "Is it possible to win 97 games year in and out? I doubt it. But we're sure going to try."

Sternberg, rarely seen at Tropicana Field during the regular season, held court on the field before Game 1 of the ALDS. He reiterated previous comments about attendance, saying season ticket sales will have to improve for 2009.

He said offseason moves will be made with the goal of sustaining this year's success.

Asked if he's concerned that the Yankees, left out of the postseason for the first time since 1993, will spend even more than this year's $209 million on players, Sternberg said he doesn't think it will make a difference.

"Whether it's $200 million, $170 million, $230 million, it's sort of the same," he said. "When you get to numbers that large, it's kind of hard to overcome. A lot of it has to with [who has] an up year, a down year, if guys are getting hurt and if guys are playing above their heads.

"We just have to worry about ourselves."

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