The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are expected to hire former Houston general manager Gerry Hunsicker as a team executive, the latest move in their front office makeover. The Devil Rays, who began discussions with Hunsicker last month, scheduled a Thursday afternoon announcement "regarding the team's new baseball operations department." Tampa Bay is looking for a new general manager, but it's unclear what role Hunsicker would fill. Indications are that he would not assume the title of GM, a position that has been vacant since the Devil Rays fired Chuck LaMar last month. Hunsicker, who was with the Astros for nine seasons before resigning last year, did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. Hunsicker helped assemble a Houston team that reached the NL championship series in his final season of 2004. The Astros won the pennant this year before being swept by the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. New principal owner Stuart Sternberg took over control of the Devil Rays from former managing general partner Vincent Naimoli last month. Among Sternberg's first moves were to fire LaMar and expand the duties of young executives Matt Silverman and Andrew Friedman.