Should the Rays Hold Back Longoria?

John Romano suggests sending Evan Longoria to Durham after spring training: If Longoria is on the roster on March 31, he will probably be eligible for free agency after 2013. If he is in the minors until late April, he won't be a free agent until after 2014. That means the Rays could either keep Longoria for a month in 2008 when he is just beginning his career and the team is not a contender, or they could hold on to him for an entire season in 2014 when he will be in his prime and the team might just be in better shape to contend...So, yes, the Rays cannot afford to alienate Longoria. If they do send him to Durham, they cannot get cute and try to keep him down until June or July so they can also avoid an extra year of salary arbitration. At this point, they can at least make the claim that ? with only 104 at-bats above Double A ? he could use a little extra seasoning. Here are some comparable young players Romano cited along with another example he didn't: Alex Gordon Age L...