Exclusive: Sports analyst JP Petersen discusses Stuart Sternberg's stewardship of Tampa Bay Rays: "He's making a lot of money when he said he's not"

The Tampa Bay Rays are still coming down from their MLB record-tying 13-game winning streak, having lost their first two games at the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend.

Tampa Bay has continued a surprisingly strong run of seasons, having made the postseason in each of the past four years. The Rays have just three losing campaigns since dropping "Devil" from the team's name after 2007.

It's been an incredible run, especially considering the Rays play in the typically strong American League East, against teams like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay is not a huge market, with the Rays playing in an outdated, lifeless domed stadium in front of usually small crowds, and the Rays frequently have among the lowest payrolls in MLB.

And yet, all the team does is win.

Tampa-area sports analyst JP Peterson spoke about the Rays’ streak and the team's principal owner Stuart Steinberg on the "PR Man and The Coach" podcast last week.

Peterson, who admits that he's been "very hard" on Steinberg over the years, spoke of Sternberg's stewardship with co-host Reggie Roberts, saying:

"He's making a lot of money when he said he's not making a lot of money."

Due to the 30-year lease that original owner Vince Naimoli signed before the team's inaugural season in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays are obligated to remain at Tropicana Field through the 2027 season. Sternberg and the Rays have been looking for a new stadium for the franchise for some years.

Among the tactics used was a failed attempt to split the season between Tampa Bay and Montreal, which lost its MLB franchise in 2004.

Peterson spoke at length about Sternberg's dealings as the Rays' owner:

"I don't think he's really been truthful with the constituency in terms of this new stadium that they've been trying to build for a long time. Lot of shady dealings. He's being sued by his partners for fraud.

A group of the Tampa Bay Rays’ minority partners filed suit against Sternberg last summer, alleging that he improperly enriched himself by secretly transferring operational control of the MLB franchise to "Rays Baseball Club," an entity he controlled.

Peterson also said Sternberg takes a good deal of blame for the team's poor attendance. The Rays have not drawn more than two million fans since their inaugural season in 1998, and are often near the bottom of the league at the turnstiles.

Peterson said:

"I think Major League Baseball has told him to start marketing his team better. And I think there's some outside pressure to do that. ... . They still have a $69 million payroll, which isn't ridiculous, ridiculously low, but they're getting it done and you can't complain about what's on the field."

Tampa Bay Rays treating fans to great baseball

Brandon Lowe #8 and Harold Ramirez #43 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate scoring

The Tampa Bay Rays are currently leading the AL East in an attempt to win the division for the third time in the past four years. The Rays have been to two World Series, most recently in 2020.