Evan Longoria starting in AAA

[converge241]

The St. Petersburg Times speculates that Evan Longoria will begin the season at Triple-A, with Willy Aybar starting at third base for the Rays.

Longoria has certainly played well enough this spring to claim the job, but the Rays may have made their minds up before camp opened. An official decision is expected to come later this week, but even if he heads to the minors Longoria figures to make his big league debut by the All-Star break.

Many expected it, but just passing along

[mannin52]

well that sucks for all those early drafters

[converge241]

For the real drafts I have done so far for mixed, I have seen him go 6,9, and 13

and only one of those was a keeper league !!

[rib217]

The question now becomes if he is worth hanging onto? Or do we drop him in hopes to pick him back up before any other league mates? Stashing him for half the season seems a bit long, is he really not expected till All-Star break?

[zevon]

The key words in the article are "speculates" and "may".
I think I can afford to sit on him until something official is announced.
I do see him getting cut en masse every day on Yahoo, probably has a lot to do with Auto picks.

Not trying to say he's not going down, but jumping ship on him today seems a bit premature.

[rib217]

The key words in the article are "speculates" and "may".
I think I can afford to sit on him until something official is announced.
I do see him getting cut en masse every day on Yahoo, probably has a lot to do with Auto picks.

Not trying to say he's not going down, but jumping ship on him today seems a bit premature.

I agree, i wasnt thinking about dropping him until official word. I was meaning more of if he does in fact start in AAA is he worth waiting on?

[bracesj]

I really do not think the Rays would send Longoria down to AAA, especially after his home run that ruined COle Hamels' perfect game. THey would not jeopardize the potential, and likely rookie of the year season Longoria has ahead of him.

[etraum]

I have longoria on my bench as Zimmerman is my starter. I will hold onto to him as I would expect him to join the club in June if he does start in AAA. I would hate to drop him even if I did not have another 3b to start in fear someone else will pick him up. He is the real deal!!!

advice: stash him on the bench if he starts in AAA

[livinginarizona]

From what I have heard watching the Det/Washington game today on ESPN, Peter Gammons was saying that the issue has nothing to do with his performance up in the major leagues but is rather one of $$$s. If he is on the roster to begin the year, he would get arbitration one year earlier than if he starts the year at AAA (essentially they would be allowed to be cheap 1 year longer and would get him on the cheap for this year).

I agree, not a good reason to keep him down, but the Rays are notoriously cheap and would do such a move to delay paying him for yet another year. Thankfully he's not on my team and it's giving me an opportunity to trade away my 3b surplus to the owner of Longoria.

[Captain Furtah]

12 team (or less) redraft, I drop him...

Keeper (any size) you have to keep him. Some say the next Braun in terms of rookie potential. I wouldn't go that far, but anything close and you still have a steal!!