Principal owner Stuart Sternberg said Thursday - as promised - the Rays payroll will go up next season, though the increase of about 20 percent he talked about would only push the Rays into the $33-$34 million range.

They figure they spent between $28-$29-million this year and Sternberg said they'd go up "20 percent, maybe even a little bit more.'' But much of that increase will be taken up by increases to their current players, so it does not sound like they plan to make any major expensive additions, though they say they always are open to possibilities.

Sternberg also said he expects the Rays, headed toward a ninth last-place finish in 10 seasons, to escape the cellar next season and push toward the top of the difficult AL East division.

"This club is capable of being a playoff caliber club next year unfortunately we are certainly hindered playing in the division that we're in and playing in the league that we play in,'' Sternberg said, "but having said that I know that there will be teams in the playoff this year, and possibily one that wins the World Series, that I would love to have crack at in a seven-game series, or know that we can play on an even or better basis during the season.  ...

"I believe that by April 1 next year if we've done our job we've put our players in a position to contend for a playoff spot. It's not a likelihood, it's not obviously going to happen, but as long as we put them in a position to succeed we'll have done our job and I believe we'll be there next year.''

Also, though not confirming that the recently leaked illustrations of the new uniform designs were correct, Sternberg said the idea of taking TAMPA BAY off the road uniforms would be done to maximize awareness of the team's new branding as the Rays.