The Tampa Bay (not Devil) Rays front office deserves a pat on the back for making a move that fans hate. Evan Longoria might not only be the Rays best prospect, but the best offensive prospect in baseball. When it came time to make roster moves the Rays sent Longoria to Triple-A Durham, even though Longoria is a leading Rookie of the Year candidate. By not promoting Longoria until after May 1st the Rays will be able to keep him under contract until 2014, as opposed to 2013 if he started the season in the Major League. It is no secret that the Rays will not be a playoff team this year (or at least until 2010), but with the amazing young players they have, they are looking like the Cleveland Indians of the 1990’s. Is one month now really worth taking the chance of a top player becoming a free agent a year early when you could be a World Series contender?
Evan Longoria will be in a battle with Jacoby Ellsbury, Daric Barton, and Joba Chamberlin for the American League Rookie of the Year award. Starting the season in the minors will hurt Longoria’s chances, but the twenty-two year old can benefit from a few more Triple-A at bats. Longoria is an amazing hitter, but he still struggles at time with off-speed pitches. Last year Jacoby Ellsbury could have started the year in Boston but he was sent to Double-A. Ellsbury hit well over .400, and then was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket where he became a more polished hitter. When the Red Sox needed Ellsbury he was ready, as he was a major contributor to the Sox stretch run and World Series Championship. Longoria would fit in the Rays lineup on opening day, but is a chance at winning the ROY really worth keeping him in the big leagues? No. Longoria will be a better player when he is recalled, and the Rays will not be missing anything without him in the lineup.
The Rays may have an abundance of talent, but it will take some time before they are able to pass the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays for a chance at the playoffs. Giving their young talent a chance to mature will only benefit the franchise in the long run. Fans may want to see prospects in the Show ASAP, especially when the playoffs don’t seem like an option. Too many players have been rushed to the Majors, only to struggle and never live up to their potential. Giving Evan Longoria more time in the Minors may annoy fans, but when the Rays are in the playoffs in a few years due to Longoria, that one month wait back in 2008 will seem like a great idea.
Vining Sports'
The Rays'll always be the Rays. Things on the surface may on appearance have changed for the better.
But it's still the same ol' Rays.
Silverman, Friedman and Sternberg though on the surface are astute businessmen are just like fish out of water playing amongst the big boys..... They ought to give the kid a chance to see what he can do. Instead they're afraid of setting of his arbitrarily binding cba should he play amogst the "bigs" right away.
The Rays will be better in the future, they have already started to bring up the influx of talent they received from being a bad team. Josh Hamilton and Roco Baldelli haven't worked out well in TB, and they haven't done well drafting pitchers, but they do have a very deep and young organization.
The Rays might not be able to bring in the big name free agents, but neither could Cleveland. What players did they develop? Manny Ramirez, Richie Sexon, Brian Giles, Carlos Baerga, Bartolo Colon, Jaret Wright, etc. They taded prospects for established players and made a World Series. The Rays will probably be able to use the same formula.
Since the Rays need the best picks available, leaving Longoria in the minors for only 20 or so games won't make a difference in the long run. If Longoria started in the majors and slumped would they be able to justify sending him down? Why not let him stay in the minors, be able to keep him for an extra year, and then promote him when he is ready? He might be ready now, but the first month usually has very few 4th and 5th starters to hit against, so he will be facing the best pitchers from day one. Give him some time, he is still only 22 and has 15+ years ahead of him. A month means nothing.
ViningSports'
This is all about 'em being financially expdient and nothing else. They most certainly don't want to trigger his arbitrary
major league position. In not doing so they'll save themselves money. But at the same time they've wasted money on a bust like Baldelli. It tells moe significantly that the Rays'll remains the Rays for the foreseeable future. They're certainly not going to be finishing third within their division. That's just optimism on their part and not much more than that. And should they finish above .500 that'll be what they're going to consider to be a successful season. And that's what they're equating as success ?
This syndicate ownership is barely noticeable than that of Vince Naimoli. Except from the fact Naimoli was an insufferable as*shole !
I am a die hard Boston sports fan (a proud Mashole living in Rhode Island) and the founder of www.sportspun k.com. I am into Baseball - Football - Fantasy Sports - Basketball - Hockey - Soccer - Wrestling. My opinion will always be correct. You are warned.
http://www.so cialvibe.com/ ?r=253191
