Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training Notes; Longoria WBC Update

Lancaster has some notes to pass along.

Evan Longoria hasn't heard from Team USA in over a week and is assuming that he will not be on Team USA.

"I’m just going under my own assumption that I’m not going to play and I’m going to take the necessary time to get ready for the season,” Longoria said.

Longoria expects David Wright and Chipper Jones to be the team's third basemen.

“I think it’s just going to go based off seniority,” he said. “Those guys were chosen before me and I think if they want to play they’re probably going to be the two guys that’ll be on the roster.”

If this is true, the Rays will only be missing Akinori Iwamura(Japan) and J.P. Howell(U.S.A).

All positions players(minus Iwamura) have now arrived in camp. Ray Olmedo reported a date late after experiencing Visa issues.

Ray Olmedo is here, as expected—and seems to be a popluar guy around the clubhouse. He spent quite a bit of time sitting over in the corner chatting with Carl Crawford. 

Finally, a follow-up quote to R.J's post on Carl Crawford speed/health.

"Compared to last year, like night and day," said Crawford, who tipped the scales at 225. "It's better than I felt in a long time. I needed to do what I could to be on the field as much as possible."