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Thursday, October 09, 2008

Evan Longoria is Baseball Jesus

Even so, Longoria knows that the Rays will need not just fearlessness but consistent production out of his cleanup spot if they are to dethrone the Red Sox, against whom he hit .245 with one homer in 49 regular-season at-bats, in the ALCS. “When I get the ones I need to hit, I gotta hit ‘em,” he said in the victorious visitors’ clubhouse at Chicago’s U.S. Cellular field on Monday night, as the rest of the Rays bathed each other in champagne. “I need to make the plays on defense and do everything right to help the club win.”

His teammates have little doubt that he will do just that. “I’ve seen some pretty darn good rookies, but I’ve never seen anybody of his caliber,” says 39-year-old reliever Troy Percival. “It doesn’t matter what the situation is, it doesn’t look like he has a heartbeat.”

“I laugh when I think about what this city’s going to see for nine years,” says veteran outfielder Cliff Floyd, in reference to the six-year, $17.5 million contract extension (with three additional club option years) that Longoria signed in April. “I can’t say enough about him without feeling like I’m his dad.”

Then there’s the view of Upton, who, as he walked by the throng of reporters that surrounded Longoria’s locker after his Game 1 heroics, said to no one in particular, “This kid is Jesus in cleats.”

Is Evan Longoria the son of the Baseball Gods? Discuss.

Gamingboy Posted: October 09, 2008 at 10:20 AM | 15 comment(s)
  Related News: GeneralTampa Bay

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   1. I Love LA (OFF) Posted: October 09, 2008 at 11:21 AM (#2975163)
Go Dirtbags!
   2. flournoy Posted: October 09, 2008 at 11:34 AM (#2975169)
“It doesn’t matter what the situation is, it doesn’t look like he has a heartbeat.”


Where I come from, this is not good.
   3. OPS+ Posted: October 09, 2008 at 11:39 AM (#2975173)
Is anyone surprised that they found Jesus right after getting rid of the Devil?
   4. The Orodruin of DOOM Posted: October 09, 2008 at 11:46 AM (#2975181)
JESUS (colome) SAVES
   5. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: October 09, 2008 at 11:50 AM (#2975188)
Jesus favors the meek, so I expect Longoria to bolt for the Royals as soon as he enters free agency.
   6. Cabbage Posted: October 09, 2008 at 12:25 PM (#2975219)
Jeff Smardizjaisjaisazzzia frowns upon these shenanigans.
   7. Stinky Pile of Neifi Posted: October 09, 2008 at 02:02 PM (#2975313)
Silly strat-o-matic question:

Anyone have any thoughts as to who they'd rather have over the next 4 years: Longoria or A-Rod?
   8. Walt Davis Posted: October 09, 2008 at 02:50 PM (#2975362)
AROD as a hitter for sure. Obviously one never knows how he'll age and how much he'll be able to stay in the lineup, but I'd gamble on him.

I don't think Longoria has a lot of room for improvement in his numbers. He hit 370/730 on-contact. That's already huge, especially for a rightie, It is nearly AROD-esque (385/730). So he's unlikely to do better than that in the future and there's a good chance he'll do worse. The most obvious place for growth will be a higher walk rate which is probable given his power and that he already has a decent walk rate. But significant growth can pretty much only come from a fairly substantial improvement in his K-rate. It's not horrible by any means (about 1 per 4) and if he can get it to about 1 per 5, then he'll start putting up AROD type seasons regularly.

But that starts to be a lot of ifs. If he really is an outstanding on-contact hitter (or gets even better) and he can start walking 90-100 times a year and he can get his K-rate near to league-average and of course he stays healthy, then he'll be as good a hitter as AROD is these days.

Not every 22 year-old improves and I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up being among Longoria's better seasons by a rate stat perspective.

Or he'll give Schmidt a run for his money as greatest 3B ever.

One of those two. :-)
   9. A Surfeit of Peaches Graham (SdeB) Posted: October 09, 2008 at 04:02 PM (#2975431)
There's only one Baseball Jesus, and he plays for the Cubs.
   10. flournoy Posted: October 09, 2008 at 04:12 PM (#2975438)
No, Maddux doesn't play for the Cubs anymore.
   11. Jack Flynn Posted: October 09, 2008 at 04:18 PM (#2975444)
Silly strat-o-matic question:

Anyone have any thoughts as to who they'd rather have over the next 4 years: Longoria or A-Rod?


Over the next four years? A-Rod. His card is better in every facet of the game for next year, and there is enough difference to believe that, with normal progression from Longoria and normal regression from A-Rod, the cards probably won't meet in value until 2011 or so. I have Longoria on my team now, and the only 3B I would trade him straight up for is A-Rod.
   12. Stinky Pile of Neifi Posted: October 09, 2008 at 06:56 PM (#2975532)
Thanks for the input, Walt and Jack.
   13. phatj Posted: October 09, 2008 at 08:50 PM (#2975631)
So Longoria can't hit a curveball?
   14. Cabbage Posted: October 09, 2008 at 11:14 PM (#2975732)
#13 - very nice.
   15. Joe Dimino Posted: October 10, 2008 at 04:00 PM (#2976196)
“I can’t say enough about him without feeling like I’m his dad.”


Would that make Cliff Floyd God?
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