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Longoria Will Join Field For HR Derby

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 12, 2008

CLEVELAND - Major League Baseball just can't get enough of Evan Longoria, apparently.

A day after Longoria was voted into the final spot on the American League roster for the All-Star Game, he accepted an invitation to participate in Monday's Home Run Derby. He'll be the first Rays player to take part in the showcase, and the first rookie to do so in 11 years.

"I guess they needed another guy, but I guess they wanted me to do it just because of the amount of the fan votes that I got," said Longoria, who got a call from MLB around 4:30 p.m. "I guess I'm pretty popular with the fans, so they wanted me to get in there and, I don't know, show what I can do."

To hear him tell it, the fans shouldn't expect much.

"I'm just going to try to hit one out, to be honest with you," Longoria said. "I don't want to get donuted."

And the Rays don't want Longoria to get too fired up and lose the groove he has been in lately. Manager Joe Maddon admitted to some concern about that Friday.

"There's a lot of energy involved mentally, and also physically," he said. "I would not want him to get out of his swing."

Maddon pleaded with Longoria to try not to pull every batting-practice fastball he'll see Monday night.

"Yeah," Longoria assured him, "gap to gap."

He would revise his story a moment later, turning away from Maddon.

"Little does he know that we play home run derby here at 5:00 every day," Longoria said. "We'll be all right."

Longoria will be the sixth rookie to take part in the Derby, and the first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997. There are some other big names on that list: Mike Piazza ('93), Mark McGwire ('87), Jose Canseco ('86) and Wally Joyner ('86).

FEELING THE HEAT? In an interview with USA Today published Friday, Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner dropped this little nugget about his Tampa-area neighbors:

"There's a lot of excitement around here from the Rays fans, but almost to a point of arrogance. They better be careful. They'll learn this stuff can change real quick."

Maddon acknowledged he had read the story but said that's not exactly how he would characterize the Rays' fan base.

"I just love the fact that they're there, and that they're recognizing us and starting to show up," Maddon said. "I don't know that 'arrogance' is the word, as much as we have a newfound group of fans and we're very happy to have them and we want to keep them."

FARM FACTS: According to the Montgomery Advertiser, RHP Wade Davis and C John Jaso will be promoted to Durham next week. Both are slated to play in the Southern League All-Star Game on Monday.

Davis is 9-6 with a 3.85 ERA in 19 starts for Montgomery, while Jaso is hitting .270 with 13 doubles and seven homers and has walked 61 times against only 33 strikeouts.

REHAB WATCH: Closer Troy Percival (strained left hamstring) will throw what Maddon described as a "light" side session today, his first time pitching off the mound since going on the disabled list 10 days ago. ... SS Jason Bartlett (sprained right knee) took some swings and fielded grounders Friday. Maddon said he "should be pretty close" to coming off the DL for the first game after the All-Star break. ... RHP Al Reyes (shoulder tendinitis) topped out at 89 mph in his rehab outing Thursday. He's off today and will pitch Sunday and Monday.

Marc Lancaster

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