Arizona third baseman Evan Longoria, 38, is a 16-year veteran of the major leagues.
The California native was drafted by Tampa Bay in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Two years later, in 2008, Longoria made his big league debut and opened his era with a bang, winning the American League Rookie of the Year award.
Since then, his steady defense and long bat have earned him four All-Star selections and three Gold Glove awards for the best defender. His former team, Tampa Bay, signed Longoria to a massive nine-year, $44 million contract. Before that deal was up, in 2012, the team rewarded him with a six-year, $100 million extension that began in 2017. He was then traded to San Francisco in 2018 and then to Arizona this year.
Longoria is classified as one of the few players in the league who has both money and fame. However, he still has one thing missing. A World Series (WS) championship.
“I love being in this ballpark,” Longoria told StarNews at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on the last day of the regular season. I love playing baseball, but I’m really happy and enjoying the process of coming out early, doing physical training, taking batting practice and getting ready for the game. If I didn’t enjoy it, I would quit,” he said, explaining why he’s been playing for 16 years.
“I’m happy that we’re getting to where we wanted to be at the beginning of the season with the team winning more than my individual performance,” he said, “and I’m happy to be a part of this team.”
With all the money and fame that comes with being a Major League Rookie of the Year, a Gold Glove, and a long-term contract, Longoria still has a goal he wants to accomplish, and he says it without hesitation: winning a World Series.
“When I started playing baseball and was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, I was so excited and happy that my whole family got together and had a party, but after I turned pro, I was very happy to experience the World Series with Tampa Bay in 2008 (we lost to Philadelphia in four games),” he said. “I want to feel that feeling again this year, and I want to do my best to accomplish my last personal goal, which is to win the World Series,” he confided.
Longoria’s team, Arizona, narrowly missed the postseason this season, earning the sixth seed with an 84-78 record and a .519 winning percentage. However, after being labeled an “underdog,” Arizona rallied to upset No. 3 seed Milwaukee in the best-of-three National League Wild Card Game (NLWC) to advance to the National League Division Series (NLDS). Longoria started both games and went 1-for-8 at the plate.온라인바카라
According to Arizona Central, “Longoria played in 74 games this season, batting .223 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs. While his numbers don’t match up to the flashy slugger of yesteryear, the veteran’s leadership on and off the field, bringing the younger players together, is exactly what Arizona needed.” Longoria has a .264 career batting average with 342 home runs and 1,059 RBIs in 1986 games in the big leagues.
Arizona begins the NLDS on April 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s one step closer to fulfilling Longoria’s final dream: reaching the World Series and winning a championship.