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Longoria Enjoying First Big League Camp
by Bill Chastain, MLB.com
March 1, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG -- Evan Longoria has a different look about him than he
did the last time he donned a Devil Rays uniform in St. Petersburg.
The Rays had just selected and signed the slugging third baseman from
Long Beach State (third overall pick of the 2006 First-Year Player
Draft) and brought him to Tropicana Field to show off like a neighbor
would a new Mercedes.
Longoria then took batting practice and the "slugging" third
baseman
hardly inspired anyone with his power, or lack thereof.
Longoria smiled when asked to recall the moment.
"I was just real nervous, that was my first professional baseball
experience," he said. "[I was nervous] to come out and get to
hit with
all the big stars you see on TV. I just wanted to hit the ball. But to
finally get out and play in the Minor Leagues was a relief."
Longoria, 21, quickly got busy on a whirlwind trip through the lower
levels of the Rays' organization. At Class A Hudson Valley, he hit
.424 in eight games with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Class A Visalia
was his next stop and again he excelled, hitting .327 with eight home
runs and 28 RBIs. By the end of the season, Longoria found himself at
Double-A Montgomery, where he finally seemed to get challenged,
hitting .267 with six home runs and 19 RBIs in 26 games.
"[At] Double-A, I was kind of blown away," Longoria said. "From
what I
hear, that is the hardest jump -- from A ball to Double-A, because a
lot of those guys are almost ready for the big leagues. They can make
that jump. It was a shock. Because you go from high A, where you see
one or two really good starters a week, but in Double-A it was every
day, someone throwing 92. It was a little bit different."
Other than reaching the end of his rope by the end of the season,
Longoria found professional baseball to his liking.
"I really liked playing every day, as opposed to practice [in
college]," Longoria said. "I think it's easier to play. Games
are more
fun. That wasn't too much of a shock to me. That was something I was
looking forward to.
"A lot of travel, living out of a suitcase and jumping on planes
and
buses. It was different. [You] go through so many stages, but it was
fun at the same time. [I] got to meet a bunch of guys in the
organization."
Longoria has embraced being in his first Major League camp this spring.
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