.298/.399/.514, Evan Longoria's current line, add 19 homers, 19 doubles, four swipes, and a less than 2:1 ratio strikeouts per walk and you have a 22 year old cornerstone. As has become popular internet charm, at least when dealing with local articles, because we obviously like to read what everyone else is saying about our favorite team, whether it be professional writers, other bloggers, or the community at whole, we've learned a new tidbit; when you really want something done, screw italics, go CAPITAL LETTERS, after all it's worked for the FIRE MADDON people, hasn't it? Therefore I say PROMOTE LONGORIA TO....
TAMPA BAY, not a typo. What perhaps would Longoria heading to AAA make? Even Jae Seo and Kevin Witt have dominated the AAA competition, Longoria doing it for another 50 games seems quite irrelevant, he's likely to be in contention for a job come next spring, may as well give him a few months to catch on, similar to B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist last year.
It would allow for Ty Wigginton to be traded, and Akinori Iwamura to begin learning second base, it also shows the fans that no, you're not always concerned about arbitration clocks, and that these mythical prospects, speaking as a very casual fan here, sometimes do become something. Upton and Young? They were can't miss kids, Longoria's comparison out of college was to Joe Randa.
He's proven that to be wrong, and he'd prove that he's the best third base prospect in the game, Brandon Wood breathing and rotting on the Angels bench or not, if given the shot at 90-95 bats deep down the stretch. Keeping him below that vaunted `Rookie' eligible line would be tempting, after all Delmon Young very well may win the crown this year, Longoria next, and potentially David Price the following? That's tempting, but it shouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker.
22, not a child, he's a fiery guy, remember the reports in instructionals as well as extended spring training about being able to hear him after committing an error, this isn't your Rocco Baldelli / Reid Brignac; You do your job, I'll do mine, let's wear the mask of secrecy and hide our emotions way of performing, this is the B.J. Upton have a few words to say after a close play, got a little swagger in our step attitude that the team has never really had.
Crawford, Upton, Young, Longoria, Harris, Iwamura, Pena; that sounds capable of producing some catastrophic damage night in and night out, perhaps we'll get a tease of next year sooner than later after all.