Oct 16 2008
Longoria rises as his homeruns keep coming…Rays one win away from going to World Series
One thing interesting, but scary about Evan Longoria is he is only 22 and in his first major league season. Longoria was overlooked in Southern California and went undrafted out of high school and had no scholarship offers. After playing at Long Beach State, Longoria went third overall in the draft in 2006 to the Rays and he was the guy that everyone missed. Now look at him, cleanup hitter and starting third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008. Longoria has already had a stellar start to his career in clubbing 27 homers as a rookie, getting an All-Star nomination, participated in the All Star Homerun Derby, and has now set a rookie record in homeruns in the postseason with 5. And he is also the youngest player to do so. And he has helped to setup his Tampa Bay Rays for a World Series title, as they are one win away from going to the World Series and square off in game 5 against the defending World Series Champs’ Boston Red Sox. All I can say about Evan Longoria and the Rays is ‘Wow!’ This team never ceases to amaze me. And I can’t believe guys like B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria are only 22 and 23, around my age, and doing the things they are doing. I think professional baseball is entering a new ERA where the young kids dominate the game of baseball and the experienced veterans are moving for these young rising stars.
Now Longoria, the presumptive AL rookie of the year, a franchise player who – just six days after being called up to the big leagues in April – signed a six-year, $17.5 million contract that includes three option years that could add $30 million to the deal.
But Longoria did not reach the big leagues with a chip on his shoulder.
“I don’t hold any resentment against anybody,” said Longoria, now 6-2 and 215 pounds. “I’d be the first to tell you that coming out of high school, even junior college, I wasn’t ready. … I was skinnier, and as I grew physically, I grew baseball-wise.”
In addition to his compact, powerful swing and Gold Glove-caliber defensive skills, Longoria has impressed the Rays with his maturity, character and leadership. And that is the kind of player that the Rays need to take them all the way and Longoria has almost completed that mission and fulfilled that need for them. Only time will tell if they get a chance to contend for the title in the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. If they get chance, you better believe it Longoria will have something to say with his bat, arm, and glove in that series.
