Devil Rays’ Payroll Could Be Jeopardized

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays denied that a dispute among owners of the team could jeopardize the club’s ability to pay players and employees this month.

The New York Times, citing a source close to major league baseball’s hierarchy, reported Saturday that even if the team meets the payroll Tuesday, “It looks like they’ll miss it at the end of the month.”

John Higgins, Devil Ray senior vice president, told the St. Petersburg Times that the report was “completely untrue.”

The New York Times said a rift between former managing general partner Vince Naimoli and his partners is at the heart of the potential financial crisis.

Naimoli announced two weeks ago that he was stepping aside as managing general partner to become chairman of the team. The club plans to hire a chief operating officer to take over daily affairs that Naimoli has handled since the inception of the franchise.

Naimoli said at the time that his partners had not forced the move. However, the New York Times report said a conflict among the owners has flared again and that the others have told baseball officials that they will provide money for the payroll only if Naimoli is ousted completely.

The Arizona Diamondbacks placed right-hander Armando Reynoso on the 15-day disabled list to allow him to rest his strained right shoulder. They recalled reliever Erik Sabel, also a right-hander, from triple-A Tucson. . . . Third baseman Jeff Cirillo of the Colorado Rockies, on the disabled list since May 1 because of back spasms, joined the team’s minor league Colorado Springs Sky Sox for a brief rehabilitation stint.