Rays, Longoria reach deal - 9 years, $44-million

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, left, and Andrew Friedman, Rays executive vice president for baseball operations, answer reporters' questions at a Tropicana Field news conference today after announcing Longoria's new contract. [SCOTT KEELER | Times]

Update, 2:36 p.m.:
Longoria's salary starts at $500,000 this season and maxes out at $11.5-million in his ninth season if the Rays pick up the option. The breakdown:
2008 - $500,000
2009 - $550,000
2010 - $950,000
2011 - $2-million
2012 - $4.5-million
2013 - $6-million
2014 - $7.5-million or $3-million buyout
2015 - $11-million or $1-million buyout of two-year option.
2016 - $11.5-million
Longoria will also donate up to $725,000 during the contract to the Rays Baseball Foundation.

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The Rays have signed 3B Evan Longoria to a long-term deal that could be worth more than $44-million over nine years. The first six years are guaranteed for $17.5-million ($14.5-million in salary and a $3-million buyout on the first option) and the Rays hold a one-year option for 2014 and a two-year option for 2015-16, when Longoria would likely be a free agent for the first time.

"This signing further signifies our commitment to developing and retaining the nucleus that we have in place and reaching our ultimate goal of winning a championship,'' Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said at a 1 p.m. press conference at Tropicana Field. "And we feel like Evan is the kind of player and person that can help lead us to that goal.''

Longoria, 22, is considered among the game's elite prospects. He was called up last weekend, and has played just six major-league games, hitting .300. The deal is unusual, if not unprecedented, for a player with such little major-league experience, but Rays officials said it was in place and would have been announced even if he had not been called up from Triple-A.

There were questions raised when Longoria was sent to the minors during spring training if the Rays were more concerned with his arbitration or free-agency eligibilty, but they said at the time those were non-issues because they planned to pursue a long-term deal with him at some point.

"I'm really excited to be part of what's going on here,'' Longoria said.

Longoria, as other players in his situation, opted for the security of the long-term deal in exchange for the potential to earn more money in the future, especially during his arbitration-eligible seasons.
"Obviously that comes into the question, at the same time it's fair for what's going on right now,'' Longoria said. "If I want to play in a place that I enjoy, I'm willing to take whatever that little price cut or whatever to play somewhere I enjoy.''

The Rays are guaranteeing $17.5-million to a player who two years ago at this time was still in college and a week ago was in the minors. As for the risk? "Obviously with a guy that has seven days of (major-league) service, (it's) performance,''  Friedman said. "But, again, we believe in Evan as a person and as a player or we wouldn't do this.''

Comments

[Bill]

Why are Baseball stories always front page news at the St Pete Times? How many people care that much about this boring sport that costs us all so much.
If you don't think it hits your wallet consider the cost added to products for huge adverting endorsements. And how about the taxpayer supported stadiums and other facilities. I sometimes wonder what business interest the SPT has in all this.

I think of professional sports as show business. Nothing more.

[Hollow Man]

Hey! That’s not fair... where’s BJ's long-term deal?

[Amanda]

CharlieRay-
General consensus is that the Bonds rumor is total B.S.

[Dennis]

I can't understand why someone would write, "why pay him now", the same with Shields. These are calculated risks, but if they waited with Carl Crawford a few years back, they might not have been able to sign him when the time came. Locking them up when they are young guarantees your cost between now and then. If Longoria win ROY and a batting title, it won't matter, his price will be fixed. Wake up and see that this is a good thing, good players under managable contracts is something the Yankess wished they had with A-Rod. Is he really worth ALL OF THE RAYS (almost)? That is the type of cost uncertainty that the Rays have to guard against unless you want any player you loved watching gorw with this team leave for a huge contract with NY or Boston. In 6 years, this could be the best 17 million ever spent, and while it is hard for the lay person to say 17 million over 6 years, it is less than 3 million per year, who would you trade for right now that plays 3rd base and makes less than 3 million per year, I have not researched it, but I would guess such a player does not exist and if they did, you could not trade for them becuase the team that has them thinks they are getting a huge bargain.

[Gene]

CW, take a Zanax and relax! Yes, your points have some validity, but something does not happen just because you want it to! BJ is still young and thinks he can make every throw. Remember that he has only one year total CF experience. As much as it aggrevates me, I'll keep his bat in the lineup and hope that the veterans in the clubhouse will have an effect. This team has had so many MAJOR needs for so long, like getting players with EL's skills, that they have not had the luxury of game subtlties. They have come further in Joe's two plus years than at any other time in club history.

[Dave]

Seriously? I'm as optimistic about Longoria's future as anyone, but come on, he hasn't proven anything in the major leagues yet. Can't the Rays at least wait until he has a good season or two before giving him a huge contract? What's the rush? This sets a dangerous precedent...

[CharlieRay]

I heard that there is a deal with Bonds brewing also. I'm not sure that's good or bad?

[cw]

"Major Announcement"? My only hope is that Friedman finally comes to his senses and cans our clown of a manager who can't seem to teach fundamentals (throwing to the correct base, plate discipline, bunting, stealing bases, etc.) to our young players.