Rays Recall Longoria

[Lark11]

Man, what a terrible job handling their top prospect! Just when it looks like the Rays have turned the corner as an organization, they completely mishandle Longoria.

They stated all along that Longoria would have a chance to win the job out of spring training. Unfortunately for them, he CLEARLY did win the job. However, the Rays never intended to give Longoria a shot to win the job, but rather wanted to send him down for 2 months to push back his aribtration/free agency arrival date.

It's fine to make the decisions for financial reasons, but just be up front about it. Now, due to injury, they have to bring him right back up anyway. If Longoria does well and the Rays are dead set on keeping him in the minors for two months, then they'll have another problem when Willie Aybar comes off the DL.

It'll be interesting to see how the Reds handle Jay Bruce. Given the way C-Pat is swinging the bat and the fact that the Reds gave him $3M for reasons passing understanding, I could easily see Bruce in the minors until September, barring injury.

[bkleo504]

Yeah, I can't blame them for doing this, but maybe it's to show they're committed to winning ASAP. That sends the right message to the fans, but at the same time, if that's the message, then Longoria should have been up since day one. Then again, Longoria didn't really wow spring training with his batting average, so perhaps the Rays felt he didn't win the job, and they're not as concerned about arbitration as we all think. (Even though they should be...)

I agree about Bruce though. He's going to have to work hard to find a way up here.

[jsmith]

I agree with you in that they should have said from the beginning of spring training that he was heading to AAA for more seasoning. I think that holding him down for a couple of months would have been the smart thing for that organization to do. They almost have to wait for a window of opportunity for the Sox and Yanks to be down cause of the way baseball is ran--(another story I won't get in to now).

I do think they should have been forthright in the first place--why play games with one of the best hitting prospects in the game? I think the Rays are doing things the right way to compete someday for the most part, but saying he had the chance to EARN the 3B job, when he clearly did not was not a good move.

I think sometime this summer, Jay Bruce will get called up due to an injury, and at that point will never have to get on the bus for a road trip again in his career. He is basically ready, and I like the fact he is in the minors for a spell more cause when he does get the call he will understand that nothing is being given to him.

My only fear in my scenario is Dusty......

[Deleted]

uhh, please tell me why i should give a rats a$$ about what the Rays are doin' with some punk-a$$ kid.

don't we have enough problems at home?