Copyright. "The Thought Spigot"
Evan Longoria is the third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays, and he is also one of the poster boys for major league baseball. He is a five tool player (hits for average & power, runs, fields, and has a sizzling arm across the diamond), and he is drawing major comparisons to a Hall of Fame third baseman, Mike Schmidt. Longoria is a Tampa Bay favorite, is active in charity work, plus he is a man among men, when he steps between those chalk lines.
Today, where the headlines bleed stories on HGH, steroids, "greenies" (speed pills, allowing players to be "fresh" everyday), players putting themselves over team ("Manny being Manny" & A-Rod articles looking like a soft porn shoot), Longoria is far away from the scrutiny and works to be the best player he can be (naturally, no less). One example, of Evan's dedication and differential from other ball players, is in his pre-game regiment. The T. B. third base coach and Evan have a routine, after all of the other drills are done. He hits Longoria 10 ground balls, as hard as he can. If Longoria fields all 10 of the balls without any mistakes, then the coach makes him a "smoothie." However, if Longoria bobbles, drops, or flat out misses any ball, then Longoria is the "smoothie maker." Quite a difference, from "Manny being Manny," riding a three wheel bike (when he has a pulled hamstring, at Dodgers spring training) for the cameras.
The whole Rays staff and coaches (some older players and announcers) are drawing a flattering comparison, "Evan Longoria looks like a young Mike Schmidt, but better." Mike Schmidt, the Hall of Fame third baseman (for the Philadelphia Phillies), was nothing short of an offensive monster and a perennial "Gold Glove" winner, so this is high praise for a player who has just one season under his belt.
Statistics do not lie:
Mike Schmidt's 1st Full Year (1973):G-132, AB-367, Hits-72, Runs-43, 2B-11, HR-15, RBI-52, SB-8, AVG-.182, SLG%-.373
Evan Longoria's 1st Full Year (2008)G-122, AB-448, Hits-122, Runs-67, Doubles-31, HR-27, RBI-85, Avg-.272, SLG%-.531
Looking at these eye popping numbers, in a rookie season (compared to Schmidt and other Hall of Fame players thru the years), the only thing possibly to side rail Longoria, is injury, or Longoria himself. Over the course of a 20 year career, there is going to be bumps, bruises, or some other act of God. However, Evan Longoria is the real deal, now.
It is very early to call him a Hall of Famer, but Longoria is on the fast track (with David Wright). On the Ray's roster, with the table setters of Carl Crawford, B. J. Upton, and the stability of power hitters around him (Carlos Pena, Matt Joyce, & Pat Burrell), he is in the best of situations. Only time will tell, on the injury front, but this smooth handed, laser armed, power hitting phenom has nothing except sunny days and big numbers ahead of him. In twenty years, he could be the best "true third baseman" (A-Rod came up and split his career at shortstop) to play the game. He is that good!
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