Rays Wisely Extend Longoria until 2023 - Gary Armida's Blog

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Rays Wisely Extend Longoria until 2023 Stuck

Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:10 AM.

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The Tampa Bay Rays are the epitome of a small market club. They don�t have great revenue streams. They don�t have a great stadium. Their attendance is one of the lowest in the game. Because of all those factors, they don�t have much room for error. Since owner Stuart Sternberg gained control of the team in 2005, they haven�t made many errors. The focus of the farm system began to pay off in 2008, coincidentally when the Rays dropped the �Devil� from their name. They made the surprising run to the World Series and have been a winning team ever since.

Since 2008, the Rays have averaged 92 wins per season. They have had that success despite playing in the American League East and never having a payroll over $72 million. Unlike other small market clubs, the Rays haven�t overpaid for players. They let franchise star Carl Crawford sign with the Red Sox rather than overpay for the sake of public relations. They decided, as their Manager Joe Maddon likes to say, �to find a different way.�

And, they�ve continually done that. They have gone from a team that scored over 800 runs in 2009 and 2010 to a team that didn�t even crack 700 runs scored last season. Yet, they continue to win because they have developed their own elite level pitching, which has allowed progressively less runs in each of the last three seasons, including just 577 last year.

No matter how adept a franchise is at developing talent, there always comes a point when the organization has to make a decision of who to invest in. In the ideal world, money shouldn�t matter, but for the Rays and other small market franchises, it most certainly does. The Rays can�t sign every player who hits the free agent market. They can�t even keep players who are eligible for arbitration. That�s why Crawford was allowed to leave, Matt Garza was traded, and BJ Upton is ready to sign elsewhere.

In order for the franchise to continue to win, they must develop talent and then project what talent to invest in. That�s why the Rays signed Matt Moore to a five year deal, plus two club options until 2019. It�s why Ben Zobrist has one of the most undervalued contracts in the sport or why Wade Davis locked up at a cost effective rate.

And, it�s why Evan Longoria will be a Ray for life.

The Rays announced early Monday morning that they signed their cornerstone third baseman to a six year contract extension for an additional $100 million. Longoria was the first player that was drafted under the Sternberg ownership and by General Manager Andrew Friedman. The Rays already had Longoria under team control through the 2016 season because of the contract they signed him to approximately a week after he made his Major League debut back in 2008. With the remained years plus the extension, Longoria will be paid $136 million over a 10 year period.

That is precisely why the Rays continue to win. 10 year contracts have become somewhat taboo in today�s world because of Alex Rodriguez�s deal or even the one Joe Mauer received from the Twins. But, there are a few major differences. First, Longoria is just 27 years old. This contract will run out in when he is 37, making him five years younger than Rodriguez will be when his deal expires. And, quite frankly, Longoria left a ton of money on the table. The Rays budget will not be hampered by one player. On average, Longoria stands to make what the Kansas City Royals will be paying Ervin Santana this season.

Longoria is exactly the type of player a small market franchise should invest in. He is an elite level player in all areas. Since entering the league, Longoria has posted an average season of .276/.361/.516 with 32 doubles, 26 home runs, 91 RBI, and 7 stolen bases. That average even includes his limited 76 game 2012 season. Since coming into the league in 2008, few third basemen have been as consistent--the list is short: Adrian Beltre, David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman. In fact, only 10 other players in Major League Baseball have averaged 25 home runs and 90 RBI since Longoria came to the Majors.

He is also an elite level defender. Taking out last season because he was limited by a torn hamstring, Longoria has posted a UZR over 10 in each of his four full seasons. And, he has posted a DRS of 19 or more in three of four seasons. Only Adrian Beltre has been a better, all around defender.

The Rays now have one of the best third basemen in the sport signed to what basically is a career deal at a team friendly cost. Their offensive foundation is set and now they can plan long term around his salary. Again, this isn�t the Twins signing Joe Mauer as a significant portion of their payroll or a deal predicated on a new stadium agreement. This is a smart organization making a smart move and keeping a franchise player. The signing will not hamper the rest of their plan. It will not force them to trade anyone.

�Evan has all of the attributes we seek in a player,� said Rays Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman. �His determination and work ethic inspire others around him. He is devoted to his craft and strives to improve himself every year, and he defines success in terms of team performance and achievement. It�s exciting to know that Evan will be manning third base for the Rays for many years to come.�

There is little risk and perhaps the best news of all: Longoria is just now entering his prime seasons. Few organizations ever get to sign a player to a team friendly deal in the player�s prime. Yet, that is exactly what the Rays have done.

�We drafted Evan in 2006 with the belief that he and the organization would grow with each other and together accomplish great things,� said Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg. �That is why the Rays and Evan signed a long-term contract in 2008, and it is why we are extending our commitments today. Evan has clearly become a cornerstone player and a fixture in our organization. We are proud of what we have accomplished these past seven years, and I expect the best is yet to come.�

Of course, this is all happens because Evan Longoria likes the organization enough to not mind skipping out on being the highest paid player in the sport. Obviously, the Rays have made him happy enough to stay there for less money. While the player�s union may not be that happy with all of this, one should just ask Mark Buehrle or Jose Reyes how they feel about their bank breaking deals now being in Toronto after signing in Miami. Longoria is getting paid good money, is a key personality in the community, and is the face of the franchise. Sometimes leaving some money on the table for a good situation is the wise move.

Now the Rays will continue to build not just for 2013 but for the long term. They still have the same complicated decisions to make. Do they trade or invest in David Price? Is James Shields worth trading right now? Who should they bring in to protect Longoria and Zobrist in the lineup?

But, they now have their best all around player for his prime and the rest of his career. The most difficult aspect of being a small market team is retaining its elite talent. The Rays did that, but they did it in a way that will allow them to address other areas. That is precisely why they will still be legitimate contenders in a division with some of the biggest spenders in the sport.

Gary Armida is a staff writer for Operation Sports. You can read more of his work on fullcountpitch.com or be a part of the conversation on twitter @garyarmida.