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Longoria Latest Ray To Be Honored

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2008

Never mind his difficult World Series. Evan Longoria had a sensational rookie season, without which the Rays probably wouldn't have been in the World Series.

It came as no surprise Monday that the power-hitting third baseman was named the American League Rookie of the Year, giving the Rays their first national Baseball Writers' Association of America honor.

"I would have loved to have played well [in the World Series] and to have helped the team, but it didn't happen that way," Longoria said Monday. "But I don't think this award has anything to do with taking any distaste away from the fact we didn't win the World Series or that I didn't play well. It's more of a personal success for me."

Longoria, 23, was a slam dunk. He was listed first on all 28 ballots and is the first unanimous AL rookie selection since Boston's Nomar Garciaparra in 1997. Chicago second baseman Alexei Ramirez finished a distant second.

Voting was conducted before the postseason, during which Longoria hit six home runs and drove in 11 runs in the Division Series and American League Championship Series but went only 1-for-20 with two RBI and nine strikeouts in the World Series.

During the regular season, the 2006 No. 3 overall pick batted .272 and led AL rookies in home runs (27), RBI (85), total bases (238) and extra-base hits (60) – numbers that are even more impressive when considering that he wasn't called up from the minor leagues until April 27 and missed five weeks after breaking his wrist Aug. 7.

Defensively, Longoria helped make the Rays' infield one of the most improved areas on a team that went from having the worst record in baseball to winning 97 regular-season games.

"It's so special, it's tough to put into words," Longoria said of the award. "There's so many emotions that come to my mind when I think about it, and it just means a whole heck of a lot more now me going through the journey that I have."

Longoria's award was the second major honor for the Rays in a week, following first baseman Carlos Pena's Gold Glove last Friday. Another should come Wednesday when Joe Maddon is expected to be named the AL Manager of the Year.

The Rays also picked up a lesser-known award Monday when Maddon was named the Chuck Tanner Major League Manager of the Year. That one comes courtesy of the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh.

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