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Rookie Longoria Shines On Defense

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2008

OAKLAND, Calif. - Evan Longoria has experienced plenty of frustration at the plate the last couple of weeks, but he hasn't carried it into the field with him.

Despite being mired in a 12-for-62 (.194) slump at the plate - numbers that actually improved after a 5-for-12 showing in St. Louis over the weekend - the rookie third baseman's play in the field has been exemplary.

He entered Monday leading American League third basemen with a .977 fielding percentage, second only to Washington's Ryan Zimmerman (.984) in the majors. He had committed just two errors in 96 total chances and had been involved in nine double plays, also the second-best total in the majors.

"I've been playing real good defense," Longoria said before Monday's game. "It's just kind of been what my career has gone like - if I'm not hitting, I tend to step up my defense. I work a little harder, put a little more pressure on myself to help the team in some way if I'm not hitting."

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he has been "so impressed" with Longoria's ability to separate his hitting and defense and has spoken to the 22-year-old about it. Longoria makes it sound like his approach is old hat, though.

He said his college coaches at Long Beach State did a lot of work on the mental side of the game and he has established a system that helps him leave his frustrations at the plate in the dugout.

"There's a period of time where, if I have a bad at-bat and I'm the last out of the inning or I'm on the bench and there's two outs, I won't take my batting gloves off until I've let my at-bat go," said Longoria. "Or, I won't go out onto the field until I've said whatever I needed to say, maybe slammed something or whatever - got it out of my system. Then, as soon as I go out onto the field, everything's gone and it's time to play defense."

HOT AKI: The Rays have seen Akinori Iwamura get on a roll at the plate before - he was almost unstoppable last April before a muscle strain put him on the shelf for a month - and he's got that look about him again.

"When he gets hot, he gets super-hot, and he's kind of there right now," said Maddon. "Line drives everywhere - two-strike, hard line drives, not just putting the ball in play."

Iwamura entered Monday with seven multi-hit games in his last nine and at least one hit in 15 of his last 16 games. His 28 hits in May led the American League, helping to raise his average from .202 to .276.

LINEUP LOBBYING: Eric Hinske started in right field Monday night despite some ugly career numbers against A's starter Joe Blanton.

"Hinske's 1-for-15 against him," said Maddon. "However, if you talk to Hinske, a lot of them were line-drive outs. So I'm going to go with his integrity on this one."

Jonny Gomes is expected to start tonight and Wednesday, either at DH or in right. SS Jason Bartlett was back in the lineup after missing Sunday's game with flu-like symptoms.

REMEMBER ME?: The abundance of close games and Rays victories lately has made RHP Jason Hammel the most well-rested pitcher around. Hammel has made only two relief appearances since joining the bullpen April 30, the most recent coming May 7 at Toronto.

"I've got to get him out there, I understand that," said Maddon. "It's just, the situation hasn't presented itself and to his credit he doesn't complain about it, he stays ready, he does his work. That's just the lot he's got for right now."

NOTEWORTHY: IF Andy Cannizaro, who was designated for assignment by the Rays a week ago, cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Durham. ... Rays president Matt Silverman was at McAfee Coliseum for Monday's game.

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