My Two Cents: Evan Longoria's Legacy Also Means a Lot to Current Rays Players

TAMPA, Fla. — After a debut decade of futility, everything changed for Tampa Bay's baseball franchise in 2008. Following 10 straight losing seasons where they never won more than 70 games, they changed names — from Devil Rays to Rays — and changed perceptions.

Out of nowhere, they won 97 games to earn their first American League East title, and then beat the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox in the playoffs for their first AL pennant. They lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, but the transition was complete. They didn't suck anymore.

Evan Longoria was a big reason why. The third-overall pick in the 2006 draft was a rookie on that 2008 team. He had plenty of help, of course — like Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Carlos Pena and pitchers like James Shields, Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza — and changed the trajectory of the franchise. They've been perennial playoff contenders most every year since.

The 39-year-old Longoria was back in Tampa on Saturday, signing a one-day contract so he could retire as a Ray. Being a part of this organization — one that's played in the postseason nine times since he arrived — means the world to him.

And Longoria, who played in Tampa through 2017 and wrapped up his career in San Francisco and Arizona, means the world to the current players in the Rays' locker room. They know they are part of one of the best-run organizations in the game, and they're grateful to be here and play in this culture. They owe a lot of that to Longoria setting the stage, and they were thrilled to have him back around on Saturday.

“It’s going be a great day. To try to put into words what he’s done for this organization, we’d be here all day talking about him,'' said Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe, who was drafted by the Rays in 2015 and made his major-league debut in 2018, the year after Longoria left. "It’s cool that he wants to retire as a Ray. It’s going to be fun to see him and everything that goes on today.

“He was a little bit ahead of me and I never got to play with him, which is unfortunate. But coming through the minor leagues, he was a guy who was drafted by the Rays and came through the system, so he was somebody that was always brought up to us. Coaches were always saying 'Longoria likes this drill, or Longoria liked doing this.' You always heard it, He doesn’t miss ground balls, and seeing his name on the Gold Glove wall in spring training, his name was always around and he was someone you strived to be like. He’s what the Rays stood for and all that, so you just try to be like that.''

Rays closer Pete Fairbanks has been around a long time, too, joining the Rays in 2019. Last year was the first time he didn't make the playoffs, and he appreciates the type of franchise Tampa Bay is these days. He's well aware that Longoria helped set the stage for all of this.

"The two-arms up home run, we all remember that. I mean, he was the guy,'' Fairbanks said. "I think he’s the first guy to retire as a Ray. I think it speaks volumes to him for everything he did, the first World Series and all, and where we are as a franchise today.

“I think we’re trying to continue that, right? He’s well known throughout the league and it means a lot to us that he wants to come back and be a Ray on his last day. We’ve got guys in this clubhouse who could potentially do this some day, too.’’ 

Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen, who joined the Rays from Milwaukee in 2021, appreciated it all, too. He knows they all have something special here.

“My time as a Ray has been great, and it’s just one of those things where we’re looked at as one of the best teams in the AL, and even all of MLB, as ome of the best-run organizations,'' Rasmussen said. "I think Evan and his group that came through here ins '07, '08 '09, 2010, they were instrumental in building what we see today. 

“It’s one of those things where it took some really foundational players early on to kind of lay the footprints to where we are now, and he was one of those guys. To have him back in the building and have him around, it’s great.The career speaks for itself as a player, but by all accounts, everything I’ve heard about him as a person, he’s incredible. To have him back around and see him what to retire as a Ray, it’s something special.''

A franchise legend, for sure.

At some point, it took a leader who could push a clubhouse in that direction and we are where we are today because of him,'' Rasmussen said. "Not him by himself, obviously, because it takes a group, but a lot of it can be attributed to his efforts.

“Today’s a special day and we’re excited to honor him. When he was drafted and started his career, the organization was still so new and in its infancy. Those things now, because of his efforts and and his talents and his leadership in the clubhouse for so long around here, we now have an opportunity to play with some of the best players in the world and have an opportunity to win.''

Related Rays stories

• LONGORIA PRESS CONFERENCE: Former Tampa Bay legend Evan Longoria signed a one-day contract Saturday so he could retire as a Rays player. He and Rays owner Stuart Sternberg met with the media. Here is the full transcript of their press conference. CLICK HERE

• MARLINS WIN RARE SLUGFEST: The Tampa Bay Rays had won 147 games in a row when scoring 10 or more runs, but the streak ended Saturday when they lost 11-10 to the Miami Marlins. Taj Bradley got roughed up again, but the bottom of the order set a franchise record with four home runs. CLICK HERE

• LITTELL, RAYS BEAT MARLINS (Friday): Zack Littell pitched six innings of one-run ball and for the second game in a row, Tampa Bay drove in two runs without the ball leaving the infield in a 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday in Tampa. They are now a season-high five games over .500. CLICK HERE