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Sun setting for MLB in Florida?

(Jun 18) MIAMI (AP) - Before Mike Lowell signed his first contract, he had been to just three major league games - none in Florida, which didn't have a big league team before 1993.

The Florida Marlins third baseman is hoping to have an easier time catching games after his career is over, when he retires to his home town of Miami.

It could be tough, especially with the Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays considered likely candidates to fold or relocate because of declining attendance.

"I believe baseball can work here and in Tampa, but not until we start winning," said Lowell. "Ever since the '97 team, we really haven't done anything. Yeah, we've gotten to .500 now, but until we're in contention for a playoff spot down the road, that's when it will spark interest. You have to earn the fans' dollar and their loyalty."

Neither team has.

Baseball in the Sunshine State looked so promising a decade ago with South Florida, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Orlando all viable options for expansion. But the Marlins and Devil Rays have done little to show they can sustain America's pastime.

Winning is the key, especially for two franchises with problematic ball parks and hardly any baseball tradition.

"We can talk about a new stadium and having generation after generation of dads bringing their kids to the ball park, but winning is more important that everything else," Lowell said. "That's what will make it work."

Despite struggling early in the season and firing manager John Boles for losing control of the clubhouse, the Marlins have their most talented group since then-owner H. Wayne Huizenga ordered big-money stars traded after winning the 1997 World Series. But fans still stay away.

Florida has some of the National League's best young pitchers, a starting staff often compared to Atlanta's Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Steve Avery in the early 1990s. They have sluggers Cliff Floyd, Charles Johnson and Preston Wilson, the only player with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases last season.

They also have two of the best middle infielders in the league with shortstop Alex Gonzalez and second baseman Luis Castillo.

Marlins owner John Henry says he needs a new ball park - one with a retractable roof - to combat the South Florida rainy season and to bring in more revenue to help maintain Florida's increasing payroll. Henry leases Pro Player Stadium and gets a very small percentage of the profits from concession sales and parking.

The stadium issue might not be resolved until January.

Florida's attendance is 28th among the 30 teams, with an average of 15,554, ahead of fourth-year Tampa Bay (15,101) and the Montreal Expos (8,769).

Although the Devil Rays have an indoor stadium, one that is a far cry from the state-of-the-art facilities elsewhere in baseball, they face even bigger problems than the Marlins.

The Devil Rays' owners have been feuding, with limited partners trying to push out controlling owner Vince Naimoli, who was forced to hire Randy Smith as team president, in charge of day-to-day operations. It's possible the current owners would rather force a sale than have Naimoli remain responsible for the team.

Tampa Bay has the worst record in the majors, even after firing manager Larry Rothschild after a 4-10 start. The Devils Rays swept Philadelphia last week to win five of their last six games. But they followed that with three straight losses to Florida.

The Devil Rays have finished at the bottom of the AL East in each of their three seasons and have a stronghold on that spot again this season.

"Last year and this year is the toughest time I've ever had," Devil Rays outfielder Greg Vaughn said. "I hate losing with a passion. Whether it's chess, checkers or PlayStation, I want to win.

"When I struggle I get mad at myself and challenge myself. I don't understand the dropping of the heads and the feeling sorry for yourself because that's the sign of a weakness. And once the other team spots a weakness, they have you."

No major league baseball team has moved since the second Washington Senators went to Texas in 1972, and no franchise has folded since the National League cut from 12 teams to eight after the 1899 season.