May 19, 2025 • 53 mins
We took a break from talking about the Rays this week to talk about the official (and unofficial) retirement of franchise legend Evan Longoria, who will sign a one-day contract in June to retire as a Ray. It's all about Longo on this episode of the pod.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:12):
It's time to raise the roof for our latest regular season
podcast. Welcome back everyone to this
latest episode of the pod. I'm your host, Alex Murphy.
With me, we have a couple guests, members of our Raise the
Roof team who are coming on to talk not about the Rays because
(00:32):
honestly, at some point we just need a break to just not talk
about the team, especially afterwhat happened this weekend.
Understood. Things went really well against
the Blue Jays. They win 2 out of 3, not so much
in Miami, raised loose two out of three of the Marlins.
But we didn't get a chance to talk about it on our last
episode. And it's probably the biggest
news that's happened all season arguably, which is that Evan
(00:54):
Longoria officially announced his retirement from baseball and
announced along with that, this is via Mark Tompkin of the Tampa
Bay Times, announced that on June 7th, he will sign a one day
contract, officially retire as aRay.
There'll be a whole ceremony. There's going to be a T-shirt
giveaway for all fans in attendance.
This is a big deal. We, we, I don't know when we
(01:15):
expected this to happen. I think we all had an inkling
that we wanted it to happen. It's great that it is.
So we're going to have some of our people on from our team to
give their thoughts about Longo,their favorite memories if
they're going to be able to go to the game.
Cuz tickets are now like 100 bucks for it.
So maybe not, maybe yes. But with this right now is one
(01:38):
of our team members Aiden. Aiden, it's been a bit, but how
you doing man? Hey, you know, we're living the
dream, enjoying it and you know,is Longo still available?
We kind of need a right-handed bat right now.
With the after that Marlins series, we can use the
right-handed bat in the middle of the line up.
I mean, I at this point, no it it would be nice, but
(01:59):
unfortunately I don't believe that that is the case.
Question on that one day contract, can he like DH for us
that day? Like, you know, is this a
playing contract? I don't know if I've seen a
contract like that where they'veallowed someone to play with it.
I'm not saying that that couldn't happen, but it would be
funny if that did. Happen.
The only sport that's ever happened in in the NBA in the
(02:21):
early 2000s I believe the Houston Rockets.
I forget who it was, signed someone to a one day contract,
it was in like 2007 and he endedup playing like 23 minutes
scoring like 12 points and getting six boards or something
like. That I was like that works.
Hey, Longo wants to go one for four with a with a dinger.
I'm I'm not gonna complain aboutthat.
I. Think the people would
(02:41):
absolutely love that. But with having you on, you're,
you're a lifelong race fan. I wanted to get your thoughts
about Longo because I'm sure as someone growing up as a race
fan, Longo was probably the first guy that or one of the
first guys that you latched on to in terms of just, you know,
likeable players, icons of the franchise, things of that sort.
(03:02):
The first guys I latched onto inthe organization was the infield
of 2008. I think that's where my mind
goes when you talk to Tampa Bay Rays in the start of my fandom,
you talk about up the middle with Jason Bartlett and Naki.
You Amora. You talk about Carlos Pena and
Evan Longoria on the corners there.
How much more of an iconic infield can you get?
Yes, some of those guys aren't household names.
(03:23):
Jason Bartlett now coaching highschool ball down in Naples, FL.
You got hockey even more spreading the game in Japan back
where he's from. You got Longo who's signing a
one day contract and Carlos Panda, who's probably my
favorite analyst on MLB Network right now, not named Harold
Reynolds or Dan Plesac. So I mean you you talk about
guys who transcend the sport, not just in the area that they
(03:44):
played, but also all around. And you know, Longo was really
the start of that and he is the only guy that you can really say
in Ray's history. Yes, he got traded to the
Giants, but he is forever array.He is probably the the only guy
that you can name and say, oh, let me name this player Evan
Longoria. And you automatically think
Tampa Bay Rays, you talk about consistency, multiple time All
(04:06):
Star Gold Glove winner, Silver Slugger award winner, rookie of
the year winner. Honestly, if he was not playing
during the time of, you know, you talk about guys like Jeter
and Trout, he's probably a multiple time MVP award winner.
Like that's how good he was. And I know he's signing a one
day contract. They're going to honor him.
But if he is not not the next number to go up in the now
(04:30):
ruthless Tropicana Field, there's going to be a problem.
No one else in race history should ever wear the number 3
again. 100% Great. And to that point, I believe
since he's gotten traded, I don't believe anyone has worn
the number 3. And if someone has worn the
number three, it happened reallyearly on because over the last
five to six years I can't think of anyone who's worn Longo's
(04:50):
number. And I think it's, I wouldn't say
it was intentional, but I think it was something that was, I
feel like one of those unwrittenrules are kind of an understood
thing by everyone that like don't wear #3 because it's
eventually going to get retired.And it's probably a good thing
that Longo was the last one to have worn that number.
I know for me, I'm kind of, you know, much weirder in terms of
(05:12):
the Rays scale. But I think I mean to, to your
point, some of my first memories, at least in terms of
the Rays watching them, seeing them, especially in that that
that 2008 season is and call me a bandwagoner as much as you
want, the Rays don't have enoughfans to to to consider me a
(05:34):
bandwagoner. So I'm not going to call myself
that. But with that, like that season
is the season, I feel like a lotof people, if they became race
fans or whatever it is, that wasthe season that they really
latched on to the team more thanany other season to that point.
And Longo was the guy that they latched on to.
He was the rookie at a Long Beach State.
(05:56):
He was the guy that was supposedto be, you know this, you know,
this this generational type talent, he played in the same
infield as Troy Tulowitzki. You know, he was a he was, he
was a highly touted name in thatdraft that he think it was a
2006 draft or 2005 draft that hewas drafted in really, really
highly touted name. And I mean, it was a big deal
(06:19):
when when he came up and he immediately was someone who was
an impact player on the team. And I know the World Series
didn't go as anyone wanted it towith him specifically, but
throughout that playoff run, he was a spark plug in that
offense. He hit a plenty of home runs,
had plenty of key hits, played really great third base.
And that just continued throughout the rest of his
(06:40):
career. And truthfully, it sucks that it
took him as long as it did to get back to another World
Series. Because it's kind of crazy when
you think about it that like basically his last year as a
player, he, because I, I like hedidn't play in 24.
So 23 was really the last year he was a legit player.
So like his first year he went to the World Series, his last
(07:03):
year as an active, legitimately active player, he went to the
World Series. And it sucks that he didn't go
to one in between. And it took him as as as long as
it did to get to both. But again, I mean so many iconic
moments with him. And, and you mentioned Troy
Tulowitzki, dare I say this, andthis is probably to some people
a hot take just because of the mainstream name that Troy
Tulowitzki was, I'd say Longoriahad a better career than
(07:25):
Tulowitzki. I, I mean, I mean, you look at
the stats, the numbers speak forthemselves.
Longoria had the longevity. Longoria had had everything.
He has more Gold Gloves. Tulo had a bigger Tulo.
Tulo maybe had a bigger rise, but his peak was so small where
Longoria was so good for such a long period of time.
He produced consistently. I mean, you talk about the most
(07:48):
iconic raised moments in history, You're talking about
2008. Longoria was on that team.
You're talking about the 2010 or, or part of me 2012 AL wild
card. Dan Johnston hits a home or
Longoria hits the three run homerun to to put the game within
one. Dan Johnson ties it and then
Longoria hits the home run to tosend us to the wild card game.
(08:08):
I mean, that's probably the mosticonic moment in Ray's history,
dare I say? I would say that there's a
couple other moments that I would put up with that.
That's definitely like if there you, if there's even some sort
of a debate, it's 100% on the Mount Rushmore.
It's a it's 100% on the Mount Rush for the best walk offs in
race history. It's 100% on the Mount Rushmore
for the greatest moments in racehistory.
(08:29):
And that's not even a question where we rank that, though I
think most people would rank that number one.
That can be a different story for another day, but it's at
least there like it is. It is 100% deservingly there for
good reason. With everything that's
surrounded it. The craziness of that game that
cemented it, if there was 1 moment of any that cemented
(08:52):
himself as like, this is the guythat when we look back on the
race history during this time period, this is the guy that we
think about. That's the moment that everyone
gravitates towards, with good reason.
The Rays were 10 games out of the wild card with 28 games left
to play in the season. Him and the pitching staff put
the team on their back and wroteit all the way.
(09:12):
I remember sitting with my dad and I had I had my hair that I
have, I had something just like this.
Well, my dad and I, I wanted a Mohawk and I told my dad.
I said with 28 games left, I said, Dad, the Rays are going to
make it to the playoffs. If they make the playoffs, can I
get a Mohawk? He said sure, and damned if I
remember. He made it.
They made it and I got my Mohawk.
If you're a Rays fan, you can sit here at night, close your
(09:35):
eyes and hear Dave Wells and Andy Freed screaming.
Evan Longoria has just hit the Rays to the American League wild
card. That is a moment that is
entrenched in Ray's history. I couldn't echo that statement
anymore. It's it's someone who is who has
been deserving of everything that he's gotten with the Rays
(09:56):
and and what he's done in the community.
Because again, him getting traded wasn't his doing.
And also, I mean, when you look back at that trade, that trade
was kind of a crapshoot for bothteams because he got hurt with
the Giants a lot. And the Rays didn't get anything
out of Christian Arroyo, and Denard Span was there for like a
month. Hey.
But Denard's fan was good for that month.
Yeah, but he was there for the month.
(10:16):
But he's great on Bally sports with the Rays.
So like I. Understand that, but it was
still there. Yeah.
No, no, I don't disagree. Otherwise they got nothing of it
but but you. Also, you're you're talking
about the community. Even from the time he left, he
still kept his home in Tampa. He still owns his restaurants in
Tampa. He is Tampa Bay.
(10:37):
You you ask, Hey, when you thinkof Tampa Bay sports, who are the
athletes you think of? Mike Evans, Ronde Barber?
Evan Longoria? Steven Stamkos?
Nikita Kucherov? I know I gave you 5 names, but
that's the Mount Rushmore of Tampa Bay sports right there.
And Evan Longoria still kept histies to the community.
He still had his kids grow up here.
(10:57):
He reminds me a lot of Levante David.
So criminally underrated and under appreciated by the entire
smort, but beloved by the local fan base.
And I think at the end of the day, now that he's going to be
officially retiring, I will not be shocked if later this year or
next year we see him involved asa special assistant to the GM,
(11:18):
as a, you know, a field coordinator in the minor
leagues, as a, as a Major Leaguecoach, you know, in some way,
shape or form he is going to be around the Rays organization.
And that's just a fact. Yeah, that was something that
was discussed by Topkin in that article.
I he, he discussed it in the future, that seems like it's
going to be a reality or strong possibility that it's going to
(11:41):
happen. The same thing with the Jersey
retirement. Again, that was something that
was strongly hinted at with something like that.
There is no timetable right now as to when that is going to
happen, but with both of them itseems like it will happen.
It's just a matter of when, not.If so, and I'm not trying to,
what happens with and I'm? Not trying to ruffle any
(12:01):
feathers, I do think this is theright move not to do it now
because you don't want to do it in the stadium you're currently
in and. I and I don't think anyone's
against that. I.
Mean no like, but but here's where it might ruffle feathers.
I say even if we go back to the drop in two years for, for the
next two years, 2026 and 27 and in 28 we somehow get into a new
stadium. I think you wait till 28 and
(12:22):
we're in that new stadium. And the first thing you do,
opening day, new stadium, the first thing we're going to do is
put #3 in the rafters. I don't, I would assume that
they're going to do it when theyget back to the Trop because
it'll be a way to get people to the game again.
Like along with, along with everything that's going on,
these are creating opportunitiesfor people to go to games.
(12:43):
This is, I mean, even a smaller crowd than I'm sure what would
have happened had they did this at at the Trop.
I'm sure it would be close to capacity if not at capacity, and
that's no longer the case playing at a stadium that's less
than twice the capacity of it currently.
And I know we're talking about long ago memories #3 is going to
be the next number retired. But I was having this
(13:04):
conversation with a friend of mine.
The Rays haven't retired many numbers, obviously not a long
history. You don't have many numbers to
retire. 66 is retired for Don Zimmer, 42.
A guy who was there for two years, but he hit his three.
So he and I were having a discussion.
If you're putting numbers into the to retire for the Rays,
there are three numbers. I think you have to retire.
(13:26):
I don't think that there's, and this is me personally, other
than Crawford, I can't think of anyone that's that that would be
deserving outside of him and Longo.
Longoria, Crawford and Madden. I think you have to put Madden.
Madden on the Band. I think I thought I.
Thought you were going to say Kiermeyer and I was like, whoa.
Roe immediately started dissing the Lightning by wearing Maple
Leafs jerseys. So.
(13:46):
I don't think, I don't think he put Kiermeyer in there.
Yes, he was really good defensively.
He was a liability at bat a lot of the time, but we won't even
go there. But I think, I think what the
Rays need to do is start now that we're approaching 30 years,
start touching into your history, have these moments,
have these players put these numbers away.
I mean, it feels weird. Like I, I don't know how I would
(14:10):
react if I saw another player wearing #3 when Caminero wore
13, I was like, this doesn't sitright with me.
Like the, those things just don't sit right as race fans.
And I think, mind you, I don't know.
I, I know on the pod, you guys have touched on it in the past,
but right now, Stu Sternberg is not a light man in Tampa Bay.
Let's, let's, let's call a spadea spade.
Let's let's call a spade a spade.
(14:31):
No, you know, I think that I think that not liked is is the
nicest way of putting, Yeah. I'm trying to be politically
correct a little bit, but the way you regain the trust of some
of these fans and the way you regain some of this fandom,
retire Crawford, retire Longoriaand retire Madden because you
did dirty by those Madden's another situation.
(14:53):
But at least Crawford and Longoria, you didn't exactly do
them right by trading them. I get why you had to do it.
I understand that. I I know the business side of it
and I get what you had. To do agency and you got a bag
in Boston. Didn't they trade him before
that on? Waivers.
No, I'm almost positive. But you still, you still didn't
exactly do right by by those players, put them into the Rays
(15:16):
Hall of Fame with their number retired.
That way you bring back some of these fans.
I guarantee you if you retire those two numbers, you will
bring back some of these fans from 2008, 2010, 2012 that we
haven't seen in a while. Because they see that you're
making an effort to honor the history of the team and you're
making an effort to show the fans that you care.
(15:37):
Well, I will say Bridge is already burned, so I don't know
how many people it's going to help out, but that I mean, at
least from the standpoint of like acknowledging that these
people exist and getting these people recognized.
They've already started doing that with the Race Hall of Fame.
I would assume that they're putting a pause on that this
year because it's not at the trap.
So they're going to, because I haven't heard anything about it.
(15:58):
Or do I think anything's going to happen with it.
So I'm guessing they're just putting a temporary pause on it
because of the fact that they'renot at the trap.
But I mean, yeah, that would definitely help.
I just think, I mean, in terms of, and we don't need to go
anything more into the business side of things other than this.
The bridge has been burned a while ago.
The bridge was burned in March and is never going to come back
(16:18):
until either he actually gets something done or he moves on as
the owner and ends up selling itto another group, whomever group
that might be. But what you said about retiring
numbers, making sure that you'rehonoring history, If you're
going to start honoring history,you've already kind of you like
Boggs was the guy from the 1998 team.
(16:40):
Personally, I think you should also try to retire McGriff if
you're going to retire Boggs because he was basically there.
McGriff was there for a longer period of time.
But if you're going to go by that metric, I would also retire
Mcgriff's number. If like the same metric, they're
both Hall of Farmers. It it works.
And then the next place that youlogically can go is the O8 team.
(17:03):
So as you mentioned, the guys like like Longo, like Crawford,
like Mad and guys who were iconic figures with the race for
a long period of time. We're not talking about a couple
years, we're talking about decade long 10.
Years and and you talk about andyou know the one thing that you
can say is even when the Rays made the World Series in 2020,
(17:24):
you know that was the next time we got back to the Fall Classic.
Evan Longoria was still cheeringon the team.
You saw him cheering on the teamon social media even though he
wasn't in the park necessarily because of the COVID
restrictions. Evan Longoria, even after he got
traded still loved the rays. He got standing ovations when he
came back, the Rays loved him. He is the only guy who I can
(17:45):
think of who has left the team. Mind you, I know it's a
different scenario, but you see a guy like, let's take for
example, you know, mind you, notas much longevity, but still a
top prospect in a guy like, you know, Brady Singer, who is now
in Cincinnati, he got booed whenhe, you know, he's been booed
multiple times. But you take a guy like
(18:06):
Longoria, he's loved. Tell me any other player who's
been traded that is as loved as he is.
At least in the Tampa Bay area, it's it's pretty tough to find
one. I'll say that.
I'll say that. I don't think you can in
professional sport in general. I think there are some guys off
top of my head, I'm blanking on names, but I think that there
are definitely some guys that would be able to compete, but.
(18:28):
The only guys who I think he compete, who are as beloved in
their place, who have left theirteam, whether in free agency or
trade I. Mean, I was going to say Wayne
Gretzky because he that he won, yeah.
I was going to say, but I'm but if we want to talk baseball
specifically, I think if the only guys who really come to
mind are Albert Pujols in Saint Louis.
I mean, he didn't get traded. It was free agency, but.
(18:48):
Right. But I say I say moved in
general. Yeah, same, but.
Albert Pujols and Ichiro Suzuki in in Seattle.
Those are the only two other names so I can think of who are
beloved in their cities the way Longo is beloved here after even
after leaving. Yeah, I mean, I mean, I I won't
deny you on the on the beloved part.
He definitely is beloved in thisarea and he deserves everything
(19:12):
that that he's going to be getting in terms of retirement,
in terms of getting his number retired.
Hopefully working with the team moving forward.
It's it's going to be the way that I look at Longo is the same
way that I look at David, David Wright is the same way that I
look at Ryan Zimmerman. All of those guys kind of file
into the same head spin in my inmy mind of guys that were
(19:33):
beloved in those cities and either careers just kind of
sputtered out at the end. They ended up moving teams.
It was time for them to retire, whatever it might be.
But it's very coincidental that they all kind of came around and
around the same time. They all kind of became big at
around the same time and they all had iconic moments for their
teams, whatever it might be. David Wright with the home run
(19:54):
of the World Series. Ryan Zimmerman with the first,
you know, walk off Homer for thefirst game for the nationals at
Nats Park. Longo everything that he's done.
I'm like, I, I think that in terms of belovedness, those
three guys fall into the same category around the same time
period. And all three of them will end
up in the hall of pretty good. That's the that's the sucky book
(20:15):
because it goes to the whole debate of what is valuable mean
when you talk about voting for MVP, you know what I mean?
Like that That's a debate is allthis time.
I feel like, because what's yourdefinition of valuable?
Is it the best player or is it who who adds the most to their
team? Well, if we're talking about
fame, their fame level of Wright, Zimmerman and Longoria,
they are very famous. They are Hall of Fame worthy on
(20:38):
their fame, but we've seen it's based on stats, so they will not
end up in there. I think Longo will probably get
all 10 years on the ballot. I think he'll get over the 5%
needed to stay on the ballot each year for 10 years, but I
don't think he'll ever break thethreshold.
He reminds me a lot of like a player who's going through it
right now in Raul Lavanya, who'sbeen on the ballot for like 6
(21:00):
years now and can't get above like 25%.
I think that's going to be the story with Longoria.
Yeah, I mean, it makes sense to me.
Like again, guy who just had a trajectory, at some point the
trajectory didn't work out. I don't even think you can say
the trajectory didn't work out because I think.
Well, he got hurt and then got old, so I would say that.
(21:21):
But but I think if you look at his prime and you look at where
he was good, he was a top five player in the league for four to
five years. No, I agree.
It's just you didn't play for long enough.
And then once the integrated things sputtered out.
So you had you had 10 years of really good consistency.
And then from that point from 2017 on, it's really just kind
of been him trying to put the pieces together, but the pieces
(21:42):
haven't been put together. Yeah, I mean, and it's so sad to
see, you know, it's it's like taking, you know, seeing your
dog grow old. It it sucks, but you knew it was
going to happen. And but what we can say is race
fans and what we can say is media members and what we can
say. Longoria was always never about
himself, always about the team. He never shield away from the
(22:04):
tough questions faced against the media and he was always
there with the timely hit when it mattered.
Agreed. And I mean, he's a Gold Glove
winner for a reason. I mean, this might be a hot
take. I know David Wright is widely
considered a very good defensivethird baseman.
I'd say Longo is the best defensive third baseman of his
generation. I think that that's an argument
(22:25):
that a very good argument that you can make.
I think Longoria has the argument to say best defensive
third baseman and maybe best third baseman period.
Of that generation, the only onewho you may consider a better
third baseman, I don't personally, but I'd say the top
three if you're talking about that generation is probably a
Rod, David Wright and Longoria. Yeah, and a Rod wasn't a third
(22:46):
baseman that entire time becausehe was a shortstop and then he
moved. There was, there was movement
back and forth. But if you want to talk about
pure third baseman, I think Longoria edges out David Wright.
And David Wright will get more of the national media attention
just simply being in New York and captain of Team USA, Yeah.
Yeah, for. Sure.
I mean, I mean, that's just, butyou look at the numbers and
(23:06):
production wise, I hate looking at defensive metrics because I
feel like they're so flawed and it's so hard playing on turf
versus grass versus, you know, each field is different and how
it's arranged and, and things like that.
So I think the metric defensive metrics are a little screwed.
But you want to talk about the eye test, which I can tell you
after we're working in professional baseball, scouts
(23:28):
still use to this day, they trust the eye test more than the
numbers. And that's what general managers
trust. Get me a scout from the time
Longoria was coming out and I guarantee you every single one
of them will say he is a can't miss best defensive third
baseman in that class. For sure.
All right. Well, Aiden, thank you so much
for coming on. We appreciate it, as always.
(23:49):
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first SeatGeek purchase. Thanks so much to SeatGeek for
sponsoring us. And let's get back to this
latest episode of Raise the Roof.
And we're back on this latest episode of Raise the Roof.
We have more people from our team, my Co host Gibby, and also
one of our team members Amido, who's been on the pod plenty of
(24:54):
times are on here to give their thoughts about Longo.
Like I said, the plan of this podcast was to talk to as many
people on our team as possible to just understand just the
effect and the importance that Longo had, Eva Longoria has had
on the Rays, on the Tampa Bay sports community, on the Tampa
Bay Baseball Committee, everything of that nature.
(25:15):
So First off, welcome both of you guys.
Know you guys weren't available last night, but that's not a big
deal because we were able to getyou guys on today.
So how's everyone doing? Pretty, pretty good, Alex.
You know, just chilling. I'm actually on vacation in
Ohio, so I'm a little bit up north.
I wanted to go to the one of theGuardians games but I ended up
not going. I mean, just have enough that
(25:36):
I'm doing good, not wanting to talk about certain things that
are happening right now. I'm very sad.
But you know, it is what it is. Baseball is baseball.
Can't really do much about it. But yeah, other than that, doing
good, you know, I've been at theUSL.
So yeah, fun fun times. Yeah, awesome school.
Yeah. So as I mentioned, you know,
this is really just going to be us giving our thoughts about
(25:57):
long. I've already given plenty of
mine. But I want to hear from both of
you guys. Two people that grew up in the
area, two people that watched, have watched a lot of Rays
baseball. We know a lot of Rays games.
I'm sure I've seen plenty of Evan Longoria on the field,
whether that be in spring training, whether that be on the
road, whether that be at the chop, wherever either one of you
can start. But like, what are your first
like is trying the right word for it?
(26:19):
When you think about Ray's baseball, is, is Longo one of
the first people that immediately comes to your mind?
Is that one of the first people that you immediately associate
with him or with? So, yeah, I mean, for me, first
of all, we share a first name and you know, that's, that's,
that's a blood bond right there.The Evan Coalition right there.
I'm sure Evan Lynch, our other Co hosts, he feels exactly the
(26:39):
same way. But so that's, that's numero Uno
right there. But also, I mean, there was no
relative of the raise to the like the local population really
are, or at least in my consciousness where, you know,
my consciousness kind of comes in that like 2005.
So, you know, at that point, like there was nothing really,
really going on much with the raise.
(27:02):
And, you know, although they didhave some some guys, you know,
like notably maybe like Carlos Benji at the time.
It wasn't really until Evan Longoria arrived and the playoff
push that coincided with his, you know, rival that really kind
of brought the Rays into my consciousness and, you know,
allowed me to become a way bigger baseball fan at that
(27:24):
point. Yeah.
Because before that, I mean, there was, we talked about it
all time. I mean, it's the most known
thing about the Rays. There was nothing to celebrate
really before 2008 besides a dude who spent 95% his career
outside Tampa Bay getting his 3000 pit.
That was about the only notable thing that happened with the
(27:45):
Rays before. So I mean that that huge rebrand
and that huge playoff push, it just felt like a fresh new team,
a fresh new face. Everything just kind of
coincided at the same time. And they're able to get to the
playoffs. And I mean, and he was just a
catalyst of that, obviously. I mean, he had had a spectacular
(28:05):
year and he really showed like that.
He was a face that the race could finally have like they
could keep for for for a long time.
And you know, a lot of people thought that would be forever.
That wasn't the case. But his best years were here and
his best times were here. And I mean, Alex, when we we
(28:25):
went up to the press box and that was during Longo's first
comeback last season. And that was super cool moment.
He was, I mean, feet away from us.
I mean, and like, that's my childhood hero right there.
And and it was that was a surreal experience, like him
coming back and being able to see him be like really close to
(28:46):
him. And here is answers to all these
questions. And yeah, I mean, he and he's
just, he was just always a professional, even though, you
know, sometimes he had disgruntledment ownership, which
who doesn't, you know, I, I cannot follow him in for that,
for what he's had to say in the past.
So I think he just he always loved the area and he was just
(29:08):
such a Tampa guy. And you know, he's he's the
best. He's Evan Longoria.
I mean, he's gonna hopefully I'm, I'm fingers crossed for for
Hall of Fame, but it's not looking good.
But yeah, I love Evan and yeah, that's all that's all I got to
say. I mean, it's, it's a he was,
he's the player, he's the race player.
(29:28):
And I don't think it's going to take someone a really long time
to take that moniker away from him.
Yeah, I agree. And I will echo your statement
before I get to a meet. I will echo your statement about
being able to, you know, listen to him up in the press box when
when we went down there was I didn't even know that it was
happening until it did happen orI think I might have found it
out maybe. Yeah, I mean, we were super
(29:49):
lucky. Yeah, I mean, it was very great
timing with it. But I I could tell within that
interview that there was maybe I, I think that there was a
sense of him that still wanted to play, but I could also tell
definitely seemed like he was ready to step away.
Like this was the point in time he had his ability to officially
come back to Saint Pete, which he didn't have the ability to
(30:12):
do, unfortunately, when he was with when, when, when he was
with San Francisco and when he was with Arizona, they they
just, the times didn't overlap to where he was able to come
back. And now that he finally did, I
feel like that was his ability in closure before everything
else kind of happened. Yeah, and I think I think
something that's really underrated in sports and through
(30:34):
athletes is quitting on your owntime.
You know, you still, he still had the ability.
I mean, he was still on above average MLB player by the time
he's gone. I mean, and he could have come
back, but he just knowing when and taking control of that.
And it's not it just it just feels better for for for you.
And it's a very brave thing to do rather than letting the
(30:56):
wheels fall off, just going amicably and on your own terms.
So close to him. And God, I still want to see him
one more time. Yeah.
All right, Amita, again, you're someone who grew up in the area.
You're someone who's, you know, was born and raised in Saint
Pete. So you lived in, you know, in
(31:17):
the vicinity of the Chop for basically your entire life.
What are your earliest memories of Longo?
And is that someone that you most closely associate as you
know, a guy who represents the race?
Yeah, I mean, I started being a baseball fan in 2013 when I was
about 12 years old or so. So my brother and cousins were
(31:39):
sports fans. They brought me into it.
It's interesting. I mean, he has a he has a really
big market, even with people whodon't even know baseball.
And I love the fact that, you know, for him, I mean, he wasn't
my first favorite player becauseI loved Sam fold first before
her liking him secondly, but I still love him, you know, and
for somebody who's been in the area for all her life, like he
(32:03):
was somebody who was like so dedicated to being in this area
for a long time, Like I he didn't want to leave, obviously,
but he with all of our years being bad between those times,
like between 23rd until the timethat he left, I mean, he could
have been any player who made money and asked to leave, but he
didn't want to leave until it was time for him to leave.
And I respect him so much for that.
(32:24):
And and the fact that he like still wants to and, you know,
he's been investing in this area.
He has he had duckies for so long up until now, you know, and
it was a staple of our city of Tampa and everything.
And I love that he still has a heart for being here.
He's always he was still invested in our team even when
(32:45):
he wasn't on the team. And his family loves being here
and he knows that. And so just having that impact
not only in just like baseball, but the community as well, it
means so much. And it's really bittersweet
because a lot of people like just seeing him retire and
seeing him, you know, growing up, watching him being the face
(33:05):
of our franchise for so long, it's just crazy.
And I love that we had someone like him because like a lot of
other teams have their people. Like they'll always have someone
to look up to where they have their person.
But like for us, I feel like fora long time, like it's going to
be him. And maybe like, you know, maybe
now it's going to be Junior, whatever, you're fine.
(33:26):
But like for the longest time and probably for forever, like
face of the franchise will always be him.
And like when you walk, when youwalk through the walls of the
trop, like you see him on the arts all the time and like
that's who you always think of. And it's like, I I just love
that so much and I love he was always going to be one of my
favorite players, like forever. And though I can't really like
(33:48):
think about it so much in perspective of because I can't
really remember like everything,but I think he was just amazing
for what he did. I mean, Gibby really summed it
up pretty well and he had similar thoughts like I did.
And I think the fact, but he just the all the things that he
did for baseball and this community, I have never seen an
athlete put that much like love and support into a community
(34:10):
like this compared to like Mike Evans from the Bucks.
So I appreciate him for that a lot too.
Yeah, that's a really good point.
Another thing I was curious to ask was, are there any, Now we
all know the different memories that Longo has brought us, the
different moments that he's brought us.
As a race fan, is there anythingthat stands out to you
(34:31):
specifically? It could be Game 162.
It could be something that maybehe did individually at a game
that that you guys saw somethingdifferent than that.
It like what stands out the mostwhen you think about moments
from him, whether that be thingsthat you saw on TV or
experiences that you had in person.
(34:52):
Yeah, I mean, obviously game 162is huge and I think there's and
I mean, that's like one of his his best baseball moment, like
in particular. But I think a lot of people, you
know, they just have, he was always involved locally, just
like what Amita said. And those are a lot of his
(35:13):
greatest moments too. And, you know, I, I compared,
you know, I just really liked in2008, you know, winning when we
got to the playoffs and, and he's just, and the kind of
celebration that just kind of happened after.
And that was like really a moment of triumph for the city
because I mean, it didn't come easy for the Rays franchise
(35:34):
wise. Like compared to their sister
franchise, the Arizona Diamondbacks, they got a World
Series and playoffs pretty fast.I mean, this was a 10 year
triumph to get this team over. And you know, that moment with
Aki Mara and everyone celebrating and him, him
included, I mean, not just one of the greatest moments.
(35:57):
And his contributions to that 2018 were just mind boggling.
And like, when you just look back at it, it's like it's just
the genesis of a man who would raise so many people as Tampa
Bay fans for four years to come.And like, you know, I I talk
about 2008, Abita talks about 2013, which is an equally like
(36:21):
magical year of it's in itself. So or 2011?
2013, yeah. Well, 2013 was still a big year
because I remember that was the year because they had missed the
playoffs in 12. That was the year up playing
that extra game one. I'm pretty sure that was the one
where they played like game 163.Yeah.
(36:42):
They played that. Against the Rangers, right?
Yeah, And then he hit the home run in that game against the.
Rangers, yeah. Which was a big moment to get
them to, yeah. David Price for the.
Complete game and then they wentto the wild card game and won
the wild card game and then everything happened from that
point forward. But yeah, I mean, 2013 was
equally important in terms of moments.
From him, Yeah, yeah, I mean it.It just proves like his staying
(37:05):
power. I mean, he he was here for 10
seasons, nine seasons, just our franchise player and no one's
it's going to be really hard to replace him or for anyone to
kind of catch up to him at this point.
You know, I mean, there's guys who are on the trajectory, but,
you know, it's hard. It's hard to catch that amount
(37:25):
of greatness and to be the firstto do on the team.
But really being like the forefather of the team, you
know, he's on, he's on, he's forever on the Mount Rushmore
of, of Rays, you know, So yeah, all the, all his great moments,
every time. Into that and I mean my moment
was going to be 2013 too, not just because of being generic
(37:46):
and whatnot, but like also because again, like I said
earlier, 2013 was like the firstyear I was a full baseball fan.
And so just to be able to watch that tiebreaker game and being
and you know, tiebreaker games are like very rare, like we
haven't seen tiebreaker game in a while and it's like do or die
in that game. And like that second inning
where second third inning, I can't remember where he hit the
(38:07):
two run Homer, like very iconic.Like I can't even.
And I remember seeing that and Iwas so excited.
And just the fact that like he gave, he gave our team a chance.
Like I think that's also one of my favorite memories is that the
fact that like he just like I said earlier, he could have left
whenever he wanted to being a franchise player.
I mean, we haven't made the playoffs since like I think 2008
(38:31):
or 2000, I don't remember. I think it was 2010.
I can't remember before. 20. 13 yeah, 2011 and then after 2013
it was kind of like a shaky moment for a few years or so up
until 2019. So like I said, you know, he
could have left if he wanted to.Like any other player probably
would have wanted to sing the performance and everything and
being like, OK, our team is not doing anything.
Like I could just go to another team, big team like the Dodgers
(38:53):
or something who could be betterthan that.
But he gave us a chance and he stayed and he did what he did
and he still gave us his moments.
And I think one other thing thatI will also love and appreciate
is, and I'm sure that everyone will too, is his walk up song,
you know, down and out with the violins and everything.
So that's obviously one of my favorite moments as well is
(39:16):
whenever he would come out everytime and that play, that song
would play like everyone in the crowds playing their violins.
So I will, I feel like, you know, maybe we'll see that
probably in the retirement game too.
They might when he walks up, they might play that song, which
will be iconic. I hope they do, but yeah, that's
probably one of my few moments as well.
I don't want to be generic and say 1-6 game 162 because I know
(39:38):
everyone's favorite is 162. But that specific moment in like
the tiebreaker game, especially when it's like do or die.
Like I think that's the first moment where like race fans
actually felt like this is what it's like to be in a real
playoff game after so long. And so, yeah, I mean, I know
he's, like I said, very iconic guy.
(39:59):
It's hard to. Put face to anyone else for the
franchise and he's done a lot here so.
Yeah, I have AI have a fun moment too with Longo.
I will say when he threw out thefirst pitch and when I heard it,
I hadn't heard that song played for him probably since like
2016. Because I hadn't, you know, I
(40:21):
hadn't been to any of his games on the road and seen him play in
a different uniform. So the last time I remember him,
if anything was like spring training, because I hadn't
really been to a lot of Rays games outside of like Baltimore
and Philly. I hadn't really been to a lot of
games in Saint Pete in between that time.
So it would probably, if there was a time, it was probably like
(40:43):
spring training. So I hadn't heard that in a long
time. And when I did, I got
goosebumps. Like I was like, Oh my God, like
no one has heard this since 2017, him wearing a Ray's
uniform, which is pretty surreal.
There is a funny moment that I have.
It was, I believe it was 2016 was when I was there.
So that would have been my senior year of high school if
(41:05):
not in. And around that time, the Rays
were playing the Blue Jays in Dunedin in for spring training.
And I wanted to get along those autographs, so I waited down the
line, ended up getting his autograph, and I saw him
wearing, 'cause he's a New Balance guy.
So I saw him wearing his New Balance cleats.
They're really nice cleats, I'm not gonna lie.
So I said, hey, Longo, nice cleats.
(41:26):
And he said thanks. And then he left and I was like
that little MO. And I was like, Nah, that's so
cool. But I'm not gonna lie.
The cleats were really. Nice, I wanted to like hop in
too 'cause I don't like. I'm sure locals will remember
this if they hear it, but there used to be times where like the
Rays would always do like playerappearances with their sponsors,
(41:46):
whoever it was. So I remember like every single
time there would be like a player appearance, like whether
it was at like a dealership or anywhere else.
Like the lot for him specifically line would be long.
Like I remember waiting in line and I was afraid that like I
wouldn't get a chance to see himor at least get an autograph
because, you know, long line andthere's only like a short period
(42:09):
of time. But I remember just like briefly
seeing him that and then saying,oh, like, I love you're like one
of my favorite players love whatyou do.
And he's like, oh, thank you. And you know, like gave, I think
like they had, they would have like a picture of them, like a
it's like a postcard type thing.And they would have like a
picture of the player. And then they he just signed
that off. So I still have that.
(42:30):
And it's this picture from, I think it's this picture from
game 162. But yeah, like I miss when they
used to do that. Honestly, I miss when they used
to do player appearances at likestores or dealerships or
whatever. But anyways, past the point or
point being is that like that moment specifically when he
would do all that stuff? It was fun and I have that card
still somewhere in my room but and I know my brother has one
(42:51):
too. Yeah.
And the game that he came back, the game that that that we saw
him last July, I went to go see what the line was like because
there was like an hour or so where people could get
merchandise by him signed insideof the team store.
And the line stretched out of the team store and went past way
(43:11):
past ballpark and rec. Like there were so many people
in line waiting to go get his autograph, which was insane.
And like I say that now thinking, yeah, duh, of course
there would be that many people.But in the moment, you're like,
this guy hasn't. Again, this guy hasn't worn any
Rays related merch since 2017. And I still remember, I remember
(43:34):
the exact place I was. I remember the exact moment when
he got traded in, the exact emotions that went through my
mind. But that's beside the point.
But all of that, like, it's justinsane to have seen it in
person, to have seen the impact that he has live.
And Gibby, I mean, you were there too, so you witnessed it,
you saw it, you had the ovation from people about it.
(43:57):
I mean, it was, it was like a very, it felt very nostalgic and
it also just felt it felt fitting at the same time.
Is that a good way of describing?
It yeah, I mean, I don't, Alex, I don't know if if any other
player could come back in six orseven years and have that sort
of ovation. You know, there's not, there's
not many, at least in the raisedworld that that could have that
(44:19):
impact, you know? No, I agree.
IIA 100%. Yeah.
Do you guys remember where you were when he got traded?
Like do you have like a distinctmemory of that day?
I, I just, you know, I just remember the time around it when
everyone in and their mom knew that it was going to happen,
that he was going to get traded.And then, you know, I remember
(44:40):
his stuff kind of after he got traded when it was like, oh,
we're paying his contract, you know, or, or, or big portion of
his contract still. So that was most of the stuff I
remembered. But yeah, it was, you know, it
was not a proud time to be a team based sports fan when he
did get traded, you know, because everyone knew it and the
(45:03):
return wasn't, wasn't as promised.
It was it was it was OK. But, you know, yeah, I mean,
there was just it, it wasn't a good time, you know, there
wasn't good feelings involved. You know, I, I, I probably
forget the exact moment it happened for for that reason, I.
I hate that I remember exact theexact moment.
(45:24):
I'll tell it after a meeting. Do you have any memories of
exactly where you were in aroundthat time?
I feel like I remember, I mean, kind of like, you know, kind of
like if you said like I feel like it was the moment that
everyone was just like if they knew it was going to happen,
just didn't know when and like, like holding on to the hope that
it wasn't actually going to happen.
Like and. Yeah, 'cause it had been, it had
(45:45):
been talked about like years prior too, so.
So we're just like, no way. Like they can't do that to the
franchise player, can they? And then like, I, I think I was
in class, like I'm not gonna, I was in class.
I was, AI was a sophomore at thetime maybe or junior in high
school. But I think I was in class and I
was like, no way. That's crazy.
And like seeing the return for it.
(46:06):
I mean, you know, I remember everyone was upset about it
'cause it's like this is not even worth it.
Like you're trading away all these players for nothing.
And what? Was it Christian?
Arroyo, yeah. Christian Arroyo Dennard.
Span Dennard. Span that's.
Yeah, I mean, hey, thankful. To denars I.
Love Denars fan, I mean thankfulfor him for coming back to our
(46:28):
Oregon, you know, working with us on that fun stuff.
But that was just an insane moment.
I think I was in class and I remember I think I had like I
was on Twitter too, I think at the time and just seeing
everybody's reactions, they wereso upset.
Like not a single soul was like,no, I'm like not a single soul
was like man, like how come thishappened or whatever.
(46:48):
Like everybody was so mad like. Yeah, just a general aura of
sadness. Yeah, so my distinct and you
guys are going to laugh at this,so feel free.
I was waiting in the queue to goinside of the country bear
Jamboree inside magic room. I was there on vacation with my
family. My friend snapchatted me and
(47:11):
said that Longo got traded and Isaid this isn't real.
You're, you're messing with me because he's a Yankees fan.
So. Oh yeah, not sure.
I, I mean, I, I understand, I, we've been friends for way
longer than that. So it's I, I, it is funny seeing
him like get all hype for the Knicks, but that's a completely
Side Story. So he texted me that and I was
(47:32):
like, you're, you're messing with me.
And then I went on Twitter. It happened.
It was real. All of it was real.
And then that entire show again,this is one of my favorite
things at Disney. I cried through the entire
thing. No crying at Disney, dude.
No crying. That's crazy.
The idea of Longo getting traded, it was demoralized.
(47:54):
It was like his divorce. It felt like amount of I mean,
my parents were like trying to console me because they knew
that I was in so much pain and it was so impossible for them to
do so. Just the fucking how old were
you? Like 1718.
I was like a senior in high school in and around.
(48:15):
OK. Yeah, yeah.
I was like a senior in high school, freshman in college.
Yeah, it wasn't good. I'm not proud of it, but.
Actually, it's understandable. College you.
It's understandable. I wouldn't want to have been at
Disney when that happened. It was, man, the happiest place
on Earth. That's a lie.
They lied to you. But yeah, that was probably, you
(48:35):
know, around that time was probably when I was watching the
raise the lease too, because, you know, it just wasn't things
weren't, you know, going too well other other than when I
would go to the games, I wasn't watching too much and.
So it's OK because they're not doing well now.
So now you can go back and relive your past.
Yeah, exactly. But you know, eventually that
did birth, you know, our our five year run playoffs and.
(48:59):
Yes, that is true, That is true and I I do wish, like
truthfully, I do wish that he was there for that, but he he
got chances here. He got 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013
playoff appearances, plus everything else that he did.
I don't want to take up too muchmore of your time, but like any
parting thoughts, any last thoughts about Longo?
I don't know if either of you guys are going to be there on
(49:20):
June 7th when he has his one dayretirement in the ceremony
that's going to happen, which isgoing to be weird inside
Steinbrenner. And I'm glad they're probably
they're going to be doing and I would assume that they have to
be doing things outside of that point.
But just any last words about Longo and his legacy with the
team? I will be there.
I will be. So I unfortunately will not be
(49:41):
there because I have a wedding that weekend.
So lovely for the Rays to schedule.
Yeah, I'm I'll be in silly I I don't think I'll I'll be too
busy. So if the Philly's an example
will not be able to yes, you do.I will not be able to catch a
game up there because I will be too busy.
But shout out to the whoever scheduled this while I was gone
(50:02):
because my brother and I really wanted to go.
But honestly, I think it's just really bittersweet that this is
the way his chapters ending. And I really do appreciate the
fact that, I mean, I'm all before I go into this, actually
like when he went to the Giants,like it was still a young group
of guys over at the Giants. So they kind of needed that
veteran presence and I think they really enjoyed having him
(50:25):
over there as well. Like in San Francisco, Like his
veteran presence was like they really enjoyed it.
And you know, giant stands are nice too.
Like I didn't see any of them complaining even though he
wasn't there for long, as long as he was with us.
Like, I I didn't see any of themcomplaining and being like, oh,
why won't he retire Giant, you know, like how some other people
would be. But yeah, like, I think it was
really nice that, you know, being on the Giants.
(50:48):
He also added the same presence as he did with the Rays with
that veteran touch and teaching young, you know, have giving
advice to the young guys. And it's like it, you know, it
is bittersweet. It's an ending to this chapter
being here. But the fact that, you know,
he's one of the only players really that I know in sports
that really enjoys being in his town and area and providing like
(51:11):
any sort of like help for the community or or even like still
watching Grays games as much as he can and just like being there
to support. Because I don't even know any
other like race player, like past or present that's left the
Rays that's appreciated this team as much as he does even
after leaving. And it's just really nice to see
(51:32):
that because it sucks that, you know, some other players may not
feel that same way. But I know the like the race
hospitality has treated him well, like he took it
professionally and that's the way that you should, you know,
take things. And he still has love for the
area and the team and everything.
And it's it just feels really nice to have someone like that.
And it'll be, like I said, bittersweet to have his ending.
(51:54):
But I'm really glad it's here and not anywhere else and can't
wait to see what he does for ourarea to going forward from here.
Both you guys, I appreciate you for for coming on really, really
do and for everyone listening that's going to conclude things
on this latest episode of Raise the Roof.
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(52:14):
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(53:18):
always, raise up. Raise up baby.
It's time to raise the roof for our latest regular season
podcast. Welcome back everyone to this
latest episode of the pod. I'm your host, Alex Murphy.
With me, we have a couple guests, members of our Raise the
Roof team who are coming on to talk not about the Rays because
(00:32):
honestly, at some point we just need a break to just not talk
about the team, especially afterwhat happened this weekend.
Understood. Things went really well against
the Blue Jays. They win 2 out of 3, not so much
in Miami, raised loose two out of three of the Marlins.
But we didn't get a chance to talk about it on our last
episode. And it's probably the biggest
news that's happened all season arguably, which is that Evan
(00:54):
Longoria officially announced his retirement from baseball and
announced along with that, this is via Mark Tompkin of the Tampa
Bay Times, announced that on June 7th, he will sign a one day
contract, officially retire as aRay.
There'll be a whole ceremony. There's going to be a T-shirt
giveaway for all fans in attendance.
This is a big deal. We, we, I don't know when we
(01:15):
expected this to happen. I think we all had an inkling
that we wanted it to happen. It's great that it is.
So we're going to have some of our people on from our team to
give their thoughts about Longo,their favorite memories if
they're going to be able to go to the game.
Cuz tickets are now like 100 bucks for it.
So maybe not, maybe yes. But with this right now is one
(01:38):
of our team members Aiden. Aiden, it's been a bit, but how
you doing man? Hey, you know, we're living the
dream, enjoying it and you know,is Longo still available?
We kind of need a right-handed bat right now.
With the after that Marlins series, we can use the
right-handed bat in the middle of the line up.
I mean, I at this point, no it it would be nice, but
(01:59):
unfortunately I don't believe that that is the case.
Question on that one day contract, can he like DH for us
that day? Like, you know, is this a
playing contract? I don't know if I've seen a
contract like that where they'veallowed someone to play with it.
I'm not saying that that couldn't happen, but it would be
funny if that did. Happen.
The only sport that's ever happened in in the NBA in the
(02:21):
early 2000s I believe the Houston Rockets.
I forget who it was, signed someone to a one day contract,
it was in like 2007 and he endedup playing like 23 minutes
scoring like 12 points and getting six boards or something
like. That I was like that works.
Hey, Longo wants to go one for four with a with a dinger.
I'm I'm not gonna complain aboutthat.
I. Think the people would
(02:41):
absolutely love that. But with having you on, you're,
you're a lifelong race fan. I wanted to get your thoughts
about Longo because I'm sure as someone growing up as a race
fan, Longo was probably the first guy that or one of the
first guys that you latched on to in terms of just, you know,
likeable players, icons of the franchise, things of that sort.
(03:02):
The first guys I latched onto inthe organization was the infield
of 2008. I think that's where my mind
goes when you talk to Tampa Bay Rays in the start of my fandom,
you talk about up the middle with Jason Bartlett and Naki.
You Amora. You talk about Carlos Pena and
Evan Longoria on the corners there.
How much more of an iconic infield can you get?
Yes, some of those guys aren't household names.
(03:23):
Jason Bartlett now coaching highschool ball down in Naples, FL.
You got hockey even more spreading the game in Japan back
where he's from. You got Longo who's signing a
one day contract and Carlos Panda, who's probably my
favorite analyst on MLB Network right now, not named Harold
Reynolds or Dan Plesac. So I mean you you talk about
guys who transcend the sport, not just in the area that they
(03:44):
played, but also all around. And you know, Longo was really
the start of that and he is the only guy that you can really say
in Ray's history. Yes, he got traded to the
Giants, but he is forever array.He is probably the the only guy
that you can name and say, oh, let me name this player Evan
Longoria. And you automatically think
Tampa Bay Rays, you talk about consistency, multiple time All
(04:06):
Star Gold Glove winner, Silver Slugger award winner, rookie of
the year winner. Honestly, if he was not playing
during the time of, you know, you talk about guys like Jeter
and Trout, he's probably a multiple time MVP award winner.
Like that's how good he was. And I know he's signing a one
day contract. They're going to honor him.
But if he is not not the next number to go up in the now
(04:30):
ruthless Tropicana Field, there's going to be a problem.
No one else in race history should ever wear the number 3
again. 100% Great. And to that point, I believe
since he's gotten traded, I don't believe anyone has worn
the number 3. And if someone has worn the
number three, it happened reallyearly on because over the last
five to six years I can't think of anyone who's worn Longo's
(04:50):
number. And I think it's, I wouldn't say
it was intentional, but I think it was something that was, I
feel like one of those unwrittenrules are kind of an understood
thing by everyone that like don't wear #3 because it's
eventually going to get retired.And it's probably a good thing
that Longo was the last one to have worn that number.
I know for me, I'm kind of, you know, much weirder in terms of
(05:12):
the Rays scale. But I think I mean to, to your
point, some of my first memories, at least in terms of
the Rays watching them, seeing them, especially in that that
that 2008 season is and call me a bandwagoner as much as you
want, the Rays don't have enoughfans to to to consider me a
(05:34):
bandwagoner. So I'm not going to call myself
that. But with that, like that season
is the season, I feel like a lotof people, if they became race
fans or whatever it is, that wasthe season that they really
latched on to the team more thanany other season to that point.
And Longo was the guy that they latched on to.
He was the rookie at a Long Beach State.
(05:56):
He was the guy that was supposedto be, you know this, you know,
this this generational type talent, he played in the same
infield as Troy Tulowitzki. You know, he was a he was, he
was a highly touted name in thatdraft that he think it was a
2006 draft or 2005 draft that hewas drafted in really, really
highly touted name. And I mean, it was a big deal
(06:19):
when when he came up and he immediately was someone who was
an impact player on the team. And I know the World Series
didn't go as anyone wanted it towith him specifically, but
throughout that playoff run, he was a spark plug in that
offense. He hit a plenty of home runs,
had plenty of key hits, played really great third base.
And that just continued throughout the rest of his
(06:40):
career. And truthfully, it sucks that it
took him as long as it did to get back to another World
Series. Because it's kind of crazy when
you think about it that like basically his last year as a
player, he, because I, I like hedidn't play in 24.
So 23 was really the last year he was a legit player.
So like his first year he went to the World Series, his last
(07:03):
year as an active, legitimately active player, he went to the
World Series. And it sucks that he didn't go
to one in between. And it took him as as as long as
it did to get to both. But again, I mean so many iconic
moments with him. And, and you mentioned Troy
Tulowitzki, dare I say this, andthis is probably to some people
a hot take just because of the mainstream name that Troy
Tulowitzki was, I'd say Longoriahad a better career than
(07:25):
Tulowitzki. I, I mean, I mean, you look at
the stats, the numbers speak forthemselves.
Longoria had the longevity. Longoria had had everything.
He has more Gold Gloves. Tulo had a bigger Tulo.
Tulo maybe had a bigger rise, but his peak was so small where
Longoria was so good for such a long period of time.
He produced consistently. I mean, you talk about the most
(07:48):
iconic raised moments in history, You're talking about
2008. Longoria was on that team.
You're talking about the 2010 or, or part of me 2012 AL wild
card. Dan Johnston hits a home or
Longoria hits the three run homerun to to put the game within
one. Dan Johnson ties it and then
Longoria hits the home run to tosend us to the wild card game.
(08:08):
I mean, that's probably the mosticonic moment in Ray's history,
dare I say? I would say that there's a
couple other moments that I would put up with that.
That's definitely like if there you, if there's even some sort
of a debate, it's 100% on the Mount Rushmore.
It's a it's 100% on the Mount Rush for the best walk offs in
race history. It's 100% on the Mount Rushmore
for the greatest moments in racehistory.
(08:29):
And that's not even a question where we rank that, though I
think most people would rank that number one.
That can be a different story for another day, but it's at
least there like it is. It is 100% deservingly there for
good reason. With everything that's
surrounded it. The craziness of that game that
cemented it, if there was 1 moment of any that cemented
(08:52):
himself as like, this is the guythat when we look back on the
race history during this time period, this is the guy that we
think about. That's the moment that everyone
gravitates towards, with good reason.
The Rays were 10 games out of the wild card with 28 games left
to play in the season. Him and the pitching staff put
the team on their back and wroteit all the way.
(09:12):
I remember sitting with my dad and I had I had my hair that I
have, I had something just like this.
Well, my dad and I, I wanted a Mohawk and I told my dad.
I said with 28 games left, I said, Dad, the Rays are going to
make it to the playoffs. If they make the playoffs, can I
get a Mohawk? He said sure, and damned if I
remember. He made it.
They made it and I got my Mohawk.
If you're a Rays fan, you can sit here at night, close your
(09:35):
eyes and hear Dave Wells and Andy Freed screaming.
Evan Longoria has just hit the Rays to the American League wild
card. That is a moment that is
entrenched in Ray's history. I couldn't echo that statement
anymore. It's it's someone who is who has
been deserving of everything that he's gotten with the Rays
(09:56):
and and what he's done in the community.
Because again, him getting traded wasn't his doing.
And also, I mean, when you look back at that trade, that trade
was kind of a crapshoot for bothteams because he got hurt with
the Giants a lot. And the Rays didn't get anything
out of Christian Arroyo, and Denard Span was there for like a
month. Hey.
But Denard's fan was good for that month.
Yeah, but he was there for the month.
(10:16):
But he's great on Bally sports with the Rays.
So like I. Understand that, but it was
still there. Yeah.
No, no, I don't disagree. Otherwise they got nothing of it
but but you. Also, you're you're talking
about the community. Even from the time he left, he
still kept his home in Tampa. He still owns his restaurants in
Tampa. He is Tampa Bay.
(10:37):
You you ask, Hey, when you thinkof Tampa Bay sports, who are the
athletes you think of? Mike Evans, Ronde Barber?
Evan Longoria? Steven Stamkos?
Nikita Kucherov? I know I gave you 5 names, but
that's the Mount Rushmore of Tampa Bay sports right there.
And Evan Longoria still kept histies to the community.
He still had his kids grow up here.
(10:57):
He reminds me a lot of Levante David.
So criminally underrated and under appreciated by the entire
smort, but beloved by the local fan base.
And I think at the end of the day, now that he's going to be
officially retiring, I will not be shocked if later this year or
next year we see him involved asa special assistant to the GM,
(11:18):
as a, you know, a field coordinator in the minor
leagues, as a, as a Major Leaguecoach, you know, in some way,
shape or form he is going to be around the Rays organization.
And that's just a fact. Yeah, that was something that
was discussed by Topkin in that article.
I he, he discussed it in the future, that seems like it's
going to be a reality or strong possibility that it's going to
(11:41):
happen. The same thing with the Jersey
retirement. Again, that was something that
was strongly hinted at with something like that.
There is no timetable right now as to when that is going to
happen, but with both of them itseems like it will happen.
It's just a matter of when, not.If so, and I'm not trying to,
what happens with and I'm? Not trying to ruffle any
(12:01):
feathers, I do think this is theright move not to do it now
because you don't want to do it in the stadium you're currently
in and. I and I don't think anyone's
against that. I.
Mean no like, but but here's where it might ruffle feathers.
I say even if we go back to the drop in two years for, for the
next two years, 2026 and 27 and in 28 we somehow get into a new
stadium. I think you wait till 28 and
(12:22):
we're in that new stadium. And the first thing you do,
opening day, new stadium, the first thing we're going to do is
put #3 in the rafters. I don't, I would assume that
they're going to do it when theyget back to the Trop because
it'll be a way to get people to the game again.
Like along with, along with everything that's going on,
these are creating opportunitiesfor people to go to games.
(12:43):
This is, I mean, even a smaller crowd than I'm sure what would
have happened had they did this at at the Trop.
I'm sure it would be close to capacity if not at capacity, and
that's no longer the case playing at a stadium that's less
than twice the capacity of it currently.
And I know we're talking about long ago memories #3 is going to
be the next number retired. But I was having this
(13:04):
conversation with a friend of mine.
The Rays haven't retired many numbers, obviously not a long
history. You don't have many numbers to
retire. 66 is retired for Don Zimmer, 42.
A guy who was there for two years, but he hit his three.
So he and I were having a discussion.
If you're putting numbers into the to retire for the Rays,
there are three numbers. I think you have to retire.
(13:26):
I don't think that there's, and this is me personally, other
than Crawford, I can't think of anyone that's that that would be
deserving outside of him and Longo.
Longoria, Crawford and Madden. I think you have to put Madden.
Madden on the Band. I think I thought I.
Thought you were going to say Kiermeyer and I was like, whoa.
Roe immediately started dissing the Lightning by wearing Maple
Leafs jerseys. So.
(13:46):
I don't think, I don't think he put Kiermeyer in there.
Yes, he was really good defensively.
He was a liability at bat a lot of the time, but we won't even
go there. But I think, I think what the
Rays need to do is start now that we're approaching 30 years,
start touching into your history, have these moments,
have these players put these numbers away.
I mean, it feels weird. Like I, I don't know how I would
(14:10):
react if I saw another player wearing #3 when Caminero wore
13, I was like, this doesn't sitright with me.
Like the, those things just don't sit right as race fans.
And I think, mind you, I don't know.
I, I know on the pod, you guys have touched on it in the past,
but right now, Stu Sternberg is not a light man in Tampa Bay.
Let's, let's, let's call a spadea spade.
Let's let's call a spade a spade.
(14:31):
No, you know, I think that I think that not liked is is the
nicest way of putting, Yeah. I'm trying to be politically
correct a little bit, but the way you regain the trust of some
of these fans and the way you regain some of this fandom,
retire Crawford, retire Longoriaand retire Madden because you
did dirty by those Madden's another situation.
(14:53):
But at least Crawford and Longoria, you didn't exactly do
them right by trading them. I get why you had to do it.
I understand that. I I know the business side of it
and I get what you had. To do agency and you got a bag
in Boston. Didn't they trade him before
that on? Waivers.
No, I'm almost positive. But you still, you still didn't
exactly do right by by those players, put them into the Rays
(15:16):
Hall of Fame with their number retired.
That way you bring back some of these fans.
I guarantee you if you retire those two numbers, you will
bring back some of these fans from 2008, 2010, 2012 that we
haven't seen in a while. Because they see that you're
making an effort to honor the history of the team and you're
making an effort to show the fans that you care.
(15:37):
Well, I will say Bridge is already burned, so I don't know
how many people it's going to help out, but that I mean, at
least from the standpoint of like acknowledging that these
people exist and getting these people recognized.
They've already started doing that with the Race Hall of Fame.
I would assume that they're putting a pause on that this
year because it's not at the trap.
So they're going to, because I haven't heard anything about it.
(15:58):
Or do I think anything's going to happen with it.
So I'm guessing they're just putting a temporary pause on it
because of the fact that they'renot at the trap.
But I mean, yeah, that would definitely help.
I just think, I mean, in terms of, and we don't need to go
anything more into the business side of things other than this.
The bridge has been burned a while ago.
The bridge was burned in March and is never going to come back
(16:18):
until either he actually gets something done or he moves on as
the owner and ends up selling itto another group, whomever group
that might be. But what you said about retiring
numbers, making sure that you'rehonoring history, If you're
going to start honoring history,you've already kind of you like
Boggs was the guy from the 1998 team.
(16:40):
Personally, I think you should also try to retire McGriff if
you're going to retire Boggs because he was basically there.
McGriff was there for a longer period of time.
But if you're going to go by that metric, I would also retire
Mcgriff's number. If like the same metric, they're
both Hall of Farmers. It it works.
And then the next place that youlogically can go is the O8 team.
(17:03):
So as you mentioned, the guys like like Longo, like Crawford,
like Mad and guys who were iconic figures with the race for
a long period of time. We're not talking about a couple
years, we're talking about decade long 10.
Years and and you talk about andyou know the one thing that you
can say is even when the Rays made the World Series in 2020,
(17:24):
you know that was the next time we got back to the Fall Classic.
Evan Longoria was still cheeringon the team.
You saw him cheering on the teamon social media even though he
wasn't in the park necessarily because of the COVID
restrictions. Evan Longoria, even after he got
traded still loved the rays. He got standing ovations when he
came back, the Rays loved him. He is the only guy who I can
(17:45):
think of who has left the team. Mind you, I know it's a
different scenario, but you see a guy like, let's take for
example, you know, mind you, notas much longevity, but still a
top prospect in a guy like, you know, Brady Singer, who is now
in Cincinnati, he got booed whenhe, you know, he's been booed
multiple times. But you take a guy like
(18:06):
Longoria, he's loved. Tell me any other player who's
been traded that is as loved as he is.
At least in the Tampa Bay area, it's it's pretty tough to find
one. I'll say that.
I'll say that. I don't think you can in
professional sport in general. I think there are some guys off
top of my head, I'm blanking on names, but I think that there
are definitely some guys that would be able to compete, but.
(18:28):
The only guys who I think he compete, who are as beloved in
their place, who have left theirteam, whether in free agency or
trade I. Mean, I was going to say Wayne
Gretzky because he that he won, yeah.
I was going to say, but I'm but if we want to talk baseball
specifically, I think if the only guys who really come to
mind are Albert Pujols in Saint Louis.
I mean, he didn't get traded. It was free agency, but.
(18:48):
Right. But I say I say moved in
general. Yeah, same, but.
Albert Pujols and Ichiro Suzuki in in Seattle.
Those are the only two other names so I can think of who are
beloved in their cities the way Longo is beloved here after even
after leaving. Yeah, I mean, I mean, I I won't
deny you on the on the beloved part.
He definitely is beloved in thisarea and he deserves everything
(19:12):
that that he's going to be getting in terms of retirement,
in terms of getting his number retired.
Hopefully working with the team moving forward.
It's it's going to be the way that I look at Longo is the same
way that I look at David, David Wright is the same way that I
look at Ryan Zimmerman. All of those guys kind of file
into the same head spin in my inmy mind of guys that were
(19:33):
beloved in those cities and either careers just kind of
sputtered out at the end. They ended up moving teams.
It was time for them to retire, whatever it might be.
But it's very coincidental that they all kind of came around and
around the same time. They all kind of became big at
around the same time and they all had iconic moments for their
teams, whatever it might be. David Wright with the home run
(19:54):
of the World Series. Ryan Zimmerman with the first,
you know, walk off Homer for thefirst game for the nationals at
Nats Park. Longo everything that he's done.
I'm like, I, I think that in terms of belovedness, those
three guys fall into the same category around the same time
period. And all three of them will end
up in the hall of pretty good. That's the that's the sucky book
(20:15):
because it goes to the whole debate of what is valuable mean
when you talk about voting for MVP, you know what I mean?
Like that That's a debate is allthis time.
I feel like, because what's yourdefinition of valuable?
Is it the best player or is it who who adds the most to their
team? Well, if we're talking about
fame, their fame level of Wright, Zimmerman and Longoria,
they are very famous. They are Hall of Fame worthy on
(20:38):
their fame, but we've seen it's based on stats, so they will not
end up in there. I think Longo will probably get
all 10 years on the ballot. I think he'll get over the 5%
needed to stay on the ballot each year for 10 years, but I
don't think he'll ever break thethreshold.
He reminds me a lot of like a player who's going through it
right now in Raul Lavanya, who'sbeen on the ballot for like 6
(21:00):
years now and can't get above like 25%.
I think that's going to be the story with Longoria.
Yeah, I mean, it makes sense to me.
Like again, guy who just had a trajectory, at some point the
trajectory didn't work out. I don't even think you can say
the trajectory didn't work out because I think.
Well, he got hurt and then got old, so I would say that.
(21:21):
But but I think if you look at his prime and you look at where
he was good, he was a top five player in the league for four to
five years. No, I agree.
It's just you didn't play for long enough.
And then once the integrated things sputtered out.
So you had you had 10 years of really good consistency.
And then from that point from 2017 on, it's really just kind
of been him trying to put the pieces together, but the pieces
(21:42):
haven't been put together. Yeah, I mean, and it's so sad to
see, you know, it's it's like taking, you know, seeing your
dog grow old. It it sucks, but you knew it was
going to happen. And but what we can say is race
fans and what we can say is media members and what we can
say. Longoria was always never about
himself, always about the team. He never shield away from the
(22:04):
tough questions faced against the media and he was always
there with the timely hit when it mattered.
Agreed. And I mean, he's a Gold Glove
winner for a reason. I mean, this might be a hot
take. I know David Wright is widely
considered a very good defensivethird baseman.
I'd say Longo is the best defensive third baseman of his
generation. I think that that's an argument
(22:25):
that a very good argument that you can make.
I think Longoria has the argument to say best defensive
third baseman and maybe best third baseman period.
Of that generation, the only onewho you may consider a better
third baseman, I don't personally, but I'd say the top
three if you're talking about that generation is probably a
Rod, David Wright and Longoria. Yeah, and a Rod wasn't a third
(22:46):
baseman that entire time becausehe was a shortstop and then he
moved. There was, there was movement
back and forth. But if you want to talk about
pure third baseman, I think Longoria edges out David Wright.
And David Wright will get more of the national media attention
just simply being in New York and captain of Team USA, Yeah.
Yeah, for. Sure.
I mean, I mean, that's just, butyou look at the numbers and
(23:06):
production wise, I hate looking at defensive metrics because I
feel like they're so flawed and it's so hard playing on turf
versus grass versus, you know, each field is different and how
it's arranged and, and things like that.
So I think the metric defensive metrics are a little screwed.
But you want to talk about the eye test, which I can tell you
after we're working in professional baseball, scouts
(23:28):
still use to this day, they trust the eye test more than the
numbers. And that's what general managers
trust. Get me a scout from the time
Longoria was coming out and I guarantee you every single one
of them will say he is a can't miss best defensive third
baseman in that class. For sure.
All right. Well, Aiden, thank you so much
for coming on. We appreciate it, as always.
(23:49):
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latest episode of Raise the Roof.
And we're back on this latest episode of Raise the Roof.
We have more people from our team, my Co host Gibby, and also
one of our team members Amido, who's been on the pod plenty of
(24:54):
times are on here to give their thoughts about Longo.
Like I said, the plan of this podcast was to talk to as many
people on our team as possible to just understand just the
effect and the importance that Longo had, Eva Longoria has had
on the Rays, on the Tampa Bay sports community, on the Tampa
Bay Baseball Committee, everything of that nature.
(25:15):
So First off, welcome both of you guys.
Know you guys weren't available last night, but that's not a big
deal because we were able to getyou guys on today.
So how's everyone doing? Pretty, pretty good, Alex.
You know, just chilling. I'm actually on vacation in
Ohio, so I'm a little bit up north.
I wanted to go to the one of theGuardians games but I ended up
not going. I mean, just have enough that
(25:36):
I'm doing good, not wanting to talk about certain things that
are happening right now. I'm very sad.
But you know, it is what it is. Baseball is baseball.
Can't really do much about it. But yeah, other than that, doing
good, you know, I've been at theUSL.
So yeah, fun fun times. Yeah, awesome school.
Yeah. So as I mentioned, you know,
this is really just going to be us giving our thoughts about
(25:57):
long. I've already given plenty of
mine. But I want to hear from both of
you guys. Two people that grew up in the
area, two people that watched, have watched a lot of Rays
baseball. We know a lot of Rays games.
I'm sure I've seen plenty of Evan Longoria on the field,
whether that be in spring training, whether that be on the
road, whether that be at the chop, wherever either one of you
can start. But like, what are your first
like is trying the right word for it?
(26:19):
When you think about Ray's baseball, is, is Longo one of
the first people that immediately comes to your mind?
Is that one of the first people that you immediately associate
with him or with? So, yeah, I mean, for me, first
of all, we share a first name and you know, that's, that's,
that's a blood bond right there.The Evan Coalition right there.
I'm sure Evan Lynch, our other Co hosts, he feels exactly the
(26:39):
same way. But so that's, that's numero Uno
right there. But also, I mean, there was no
relative of the raise to the like the local population really
are, or at least in my consciousness where, you know,
my consciousness kind of comes in that like 2005.
So, you know, at that point, like there was nothing really,
really going on much with the raise.
(27:02):
And, you know, although they didhave some some guys, you know,
like notably maybe like Carlos Benji at the time.
It wasn't really until Evan Longoria arrived and the playoff
push that coincided with his, you know, rival that really kind
of brought the Rays into my consciousness and, you know,
allowed me to become a way bigger baseball fan at that
(27:24):
point. Yeah.
Because before that, I mean, there was, we talked about it
all time. I mean, it's the most known
thing about the Rays. There was nothing to celebrate
really before 2008 besides a dude who spent 95% his career
outside Tampa Bay getting his 3000 pit.
That was about the only notable thing that happened with the
(27:45):
Rays before. So I mean that that huge rebrand
and that huge playoff push, it just felt like a fresh new team,
a fresh new face. Everything just kind of
coincided at the same time. And they're able to get to the
playoffs. And I mean, and he was just a
catalyst of that, obviously. I mean, he had had a spectacular
(28:05):
year and he really showed like that.
He was a face that the race could finally have like they
could keep for for for a long time.
And you know, a lot of people thought that would be forever.
That wasn't the case. But his best years were here and
his best times were here. And I mean, Alex, when we we
(28:25):
went up to the press box and that was during Longo's first
comeback last season. And that was super cool moment.
He was, I mean, feet away from us.
I mean, and like, that's my childhood hero right there.
And and it was that was a surreal experience, like him
coming back and being able to see him be like really close to
(28:46):
him. And here is answers to all these
questions. And yeah, I mean, he and he's
just, he was just always a professional, even though, you
know, sometimes he had disgruntledment ownership, which
who doesn't, you know, I, I cannot follow him in for that,
for what he's had to say in the past.
So I think he just he always loved the area and he was just
(29:08):
such a Tampa guy. And you know, he's he's the
best. He's Evan Longoria.
I mean, he's gonna hopefully I'm, I'm fingers crossed for for
Hall of Fame, but it's not looking good.
But yeah, I love Evan and yeah, that's all that's all I got to
say. I mean, it's, it's a he was,
he's the player, he's the race player.
(29:28):
And I don't think it's going to take someone a really long time
to take that moniker away from him.
Yeah, I agree. And I will echo your statement
before I get to a meet. I will echo your statement about
being able to, you know, listen to him up in the press box when
when we went down there was I didn't even know that it was
happening until it did happen orI think I might have found it
out maybe. Yeah, I mean, we were super
(29:49):
lucky. Yeah, I mean, it was very great
timing with it. But I I could tell within that
interview that there was maybe I, I think that there was a
sense of him that still wanted to play, but I could also tell
definitely seemed like he was ready to step away.
Like this was the point in time he had his ability to officially
come back to Saint Pete, which he didn't have the ability to
(30:12):
do, unfortunately, when he was with when, when, when he was
with San Francisco and when he was with Arizona, they they
just, the times didn't overlap to where he was able to come
back. And now that he finally did, I
feel like that was his ability in closure before everything
else kind of happened. Yeah, and I think I think
something that's really underrated in sports and through
(30:34):
athletes is quitting on your owntime.
You know, you still, he still had the ability.
I mean, he was still on above average MLB player by the time
he's gone. I mean, and he could have come
back, but he just knowing when and taking control of that.
And it's not it just it just feels better for for for you.
And it's a very brave thing to do rather than letting the
(30:56):
wheels fall off, just going amicably and on your own terms.
So close to him. And God, I still want to see him
one more time. Yeah.
All right, Amita, again, you're someone who grew up in the area.
You're someone who's, you know, was born and raised in Saint
Pete. So you lived in, you know, in
(31:17):
the vicinity of the Chop for basically your entire life.
What are your earliest memories of Longo?
And is that someone that you most closely associate as you
know, a guy who represents the race?
Yeah, I mean, I started being a baseball fan in 2013 when I was
about 12 years old or so. So my brother and cousins were
(31:39):
sports fans. They brought me into it.
It's interesting. I mean, he has a he has a really
big market, even with people whodon't even know baseball.
And I love the fact that, you know, for him, I mean, he wasn't
my first favorite player becauseI loved Sam fold first before
her liking him secondly, but I still love him, you know, and
for somebody who's been in the area for all her life, like he
(32:03):
was somebody who was like so dedicated to being in this area
for a long time, Like I he didn't want to leave, obviously,
but he with all of our years being bad between those times,
like between 23rd until the timethat he left, I mean, he could
have been any player who made money and asked to leave, but he
didn't want to leave until it was time for him to leave.
And I respect him so much for that.
(32:24):
And and the fact that he like still wants to and, you know,
he's been investing in this area.
He has he had duckies for so long up until now, you know, and
it was a staple of our city of Tampa and everything.
And I love that he still has a heart for being here.
He's always he was still invested in our team even when
(32:45):
he wasn't on the team. And his family loves being here
and he knows that. And so just having that impact
not only in just like baseball, but the community as well, it
means so much. And it's really bittersweet
because a lot of people like just seeing him retire and
seeing him, you know, growing up, watching him being the face
(33:05):
of our franchise for so long, it's just crazy.
And I love that we had someone like him because like a lot of
other teams have their people. Like they'll always have someone
to look up to where they have their person.
But like for us, I feel like fora long time, like it's going to
be him. And maybe like, you know, maybe
now it's going to be Junior, whatever, you're fine.
(33:26):
But like for the longest time and probably for forever, like
face of the franchise will always be him.
And like when you walk, when youwalk through the walls of the
trop, like you see him on the arts all the time and like
that's who you always think of. And it's like, I I just love
that so much and I love he was always going to be one of my
favorite players, like forever. And though I can't really like
(33:48):
think about it so much in perspective of because I can't
really remember like everything,but I think he was just amazing
for what he did. I mean, Gibby really summed it
up pretty well and he had similar thoughts like I did.
And I think the fact, but he just the all the things that he
did for baseball and this community, I have never seen an
athlete put that much like love and support into a community
(34:10):
like this compared to like Mike Evans from the Bucks.
So I appreciate him for that a lot too.
Yeah, that's a really good point.
Another thing I was curious to ask was, are there any, Now we
all know the different memories that Longo has brought us, the
different moments that he's brought us.
As a race fan, is there anythingthat stands out to you
(34:31):
specifically? It could be Game 162.
It could be something that maybehe did individually at a game
that that you guys saw somethingdifferent than that.
It like what stands out the mostwhen you think about moments
from him, whether that be thingsthat you saw on TV or
experiences that you had in person.
(34:52):
Yeah, I mean, obviously game 162is huge and I think there's and
I mean, that's like one of his his best baseball moment, like
in particular. But I think a lot of people, you
know, they just have, he was always involved locally, just
like what Amita said. And those are a lot of his
(35:13):
greatest moments too. And, you know, I, I compared,
you know, I just really liked in2008, you know, winning when we
got to the playoffs and, and he's just, and the kind of
celebration that just kind of happened after.
And that was like really a moment of triumph for the city
because I mean, it didn't come easy for the Rays franchise
(35:34):
wise. Like compared to their sister
franchise, the Arizona Diamondbacks, they got a World
Series and playoffs pretty fast.I mean, this was a 10 year
triumph to get this team over. And you know, that moment with
Aki Mara and everyone celebrating and him, him
included, I mean, not just one of the greatest moments.
(35:57):
And his contributions to that 2018 were just mind boggling.
And like, when you just look back at it, it's like it's just
the genesis of a man who would raise so many people as Tampa
Bay fans for four years to come.And like, you know, I I talk
about 2008, Abita talks about 2013, which is an equally like
(36:21):
magical year of it's in itself. So or 2011?
2013, yeah. Well, 2013 was still a big year
because I remember that was the year because they had missed the
playoffs in 12. That was the year up playing
that extra game one. I'm pretty sure that was the one
where they played like game 163.Yeah.
(36:42):
They played that. Against the Rangers, right?
Yeah, And then he hit the home run in that game against the.
Rangers, yeah. Which was a big moment to get
them to, yeah. David Price for the.
Complete game and then they wentto the wild card game and won
the wild card game and then everything happened from that
point forward. But yeah, I mean, 2013 was
equally important in terms of moments.
From him, Yeah, yeah, I mean it.It just proves like his staying
(37:05):
power. I mean, he he was here for 10
seasons, nine seasons, just our franchise player and no one's
it's going to be really hard to replace him or for anyone to
kind of catch up to him at this point.
You know, I mean, there's guys who are on the trajectory, but,
you know, it's hard. It's hard to catch that amount
(37:25):
of greatness and to be the firstto do on the team.
But really being like the forefather of the team, you
know, he's on, he's on, he's forever on the Mount Rushmore
of, of Rays, you know, So yeah, all the, all his great moments,
every time. Into that and I mean my moment
was going to be 2013 too, not just because of being generic
(37:46):
and whatnot, but like also because again, like I said
earlier, 2013 was like the firstyear I was a full baseball fan.
And so just to be able to watch that tiebreaker game and being
and you know, tiebreaker games are like very rare, like we
haven't seen tiebreaker game in a while and it's like do or die
in that game. And like that second inning
where second third inning, I can't remember where he hit the
(38:07):
two run Homer, like very iconic.Like I can't even.
And I remember seeing that and Iwas so excited.
And just the fact that like he gave, he gave our team a chance.
Like I think that's also one of my favorite memories is that the
fact that like he just like I said earlier, he could have left
whenever he wanted to being a franchise player.
I mean, we haven't made the playoffs since like I think 2008
(38:31):
or 2000, I don't remember. I think it was 2010.
I can't remember before. 20. 13 yeah, 2011 and then after 2013
it was kind of like a shaky moment for a few years or so up
until 2019. So like I said, you know, he
could have left if he wanted to.Like any other player probably
would have wanted to sing the performance and everything and
being like, OK, our team is not doing anything.
Like I could just go to another team, big team like the Dodgers
(38:53):
or something who could be betterthan that.
But he gave us a chance and he stayed and he did what he did
and he still gave us his moments.
And I think one other thing thatI will also love and appreciate
is, and I'm sure that everyone will too, is his walk up song,
you know, down and out with the violins and everything.
So that's obviously one of my favorite moments as well is
(39:16):
whenever he would come out everytime and that play, that song
would play like everyone in the crowds playing their violins.
So I will, I feel like, you know, maybe we'll see that
probably in the retirement game too.
They might when he walks up, they might play that song, which
will be iconic. I hope they do, but yeah, that's
probably one of my few moments as well.
I don't want to be generic and say 1-6 game 162 because I know
(39:38):
everyone's favorite is 162. But that specific moment in like
the tiebreaker game, especially when it's like do or die.
Like I think that's the first moment where like race fans
actually felt like this is what it's like to be in a real
playoff game after so long. And so, yeah, I mean, I know
he's, like I said, very iconic guy.
(39:59):
It's hard to. Put face to anyone else for the
franchise and he's done a lot here so.
Yeah, I have AI have a fun moment too with Longo.
I will say when he threw out thefirst pitch and when I heard it,
I hadn't heard that song played for him probably since like
2016. Because I hadn't, you know, I
(40:21):
hadn't been to any of his games on the road and seen him play in
a different uniform. So the last time I remember him,
if anything was like spring training, because I hadn't
really been to a lot of Rays games outside of like Baltimore
and Philly. I hadn't really been to a lot of
games in Saint Pete in between that time.
So it would probably, if there was a time, it was probably like
(40:43):
spring training. So I hadn't heard that in a long
time. And when I did, I got
goosebumps. Like I was like, Oh my God, like
no one has heard this since 2017, him wearing a Ray's
uniform, which is pretty surreal.
There is a funny moment that I have.
It was, I believe it was 2016 was when I was there.
So that would have been my senior year of high school if
(41:05):
not in. And around that time, the Rays
were playing the Blue Jays in Dunedin in for spring training.
And I wanted to get along those autographs, so I waited down the
line, ended up getting his autograph, and I saw him
wearing, 'cause he's a New Balance guy.
So I saw him wearing his New Balance cleats.
They're really nice cleats, I'm not gonna lie.
So I said, hey, Longo, nice cleats.
(41:26):
And he said thanks. And then he left and I was like
that little MO. And I was like, Nah, that's so
cool. But I'm not gonna lie.
The cleats were really. Nice, I wanted to like hop in
too 'cause I don't like. I'm sure locals will remember
this if they hear it, but there used to be times where like the
Rays would always do like playerappearances with their sponsors,
(41:46):
whoever it was. So I remember like every single
time there would be like a player appearance, like whether
it was at like a dealership or anywhere else.
Like the lot for him specifically line would be long.
Like I remember waiting in line and I was afraid that like I
wouldn't get a chance to see himor at least get an autograph
because, you know, long line andthere's only like a short period
(42:09):
of time. But I remember just like briefly
seeing him that and then saying,oh, like, I love you're like one
of my favorite players love whatyou do.
And he's like, oh, thank you. And you know, like gave, I think
like they had, they would have like a picture of them, like a
it's like a postcard type thing.And they would have like a
picture of the player. And then they he just signed
that off. So I still have that.
(42:30):
And it's this picture from, I think it's this picture from
game 162. But yeah, like I miss when they
used to do that. Honestly, I miss when they used
to do player appearances at likestores or dealerships or
whatever. But anyways, past the point or
point being is that like that moment specifically when he
would do all that stuff? It was fun and I have that card
still somewhere in my room but and I know my brother has one
(42:51):
too. Yeah.
And the game that he came back, the game that that that we saw
him last July, I went to go see what the line was like because
there was like an hour or so where people could get
merchandise by him signed insideof the team store.
And the line stretched out of the team store and went past way
(43:11):
past ballpark and rec. Like there were so many people
in line waiting to go get his autograph, which was insane.
And like I say that now thinking, yeah, duh, of course
there would be that many people.But in the moment, you're like,
this guy hasn't. Again, this guy hasn't worn any
Rays related merch since 2017. And I still remember, I remember
(43:34):
the exact place I was. I remember the exact moment when
he got traded in, the exact emotions that went through my
mind. But that's beside the point.
But all of that, like, it's justinsane to have seen it in
person, to have seen the impact that he has live.
And Gibby, I mean, you were there too, so you witnessed it,
you saw it, you had the ovation from people about it.
(43:57):
I mean, it was, it was like a very, it felt very nostalgic and
it also just felt it felt fitting at the same time.
Is that a good way of describing?
It yeah, I mean, I don't, Alex, I don't know if if any other
player could come back in six orseven years and have that sort
of ovation. You know, there's not, there's
not many, at least in the raisedworld that that could have that
(44:19):
impact, you know? No, I agree.
IIA 100%. Yeah.
Do you guys remember where you were when he got traded?
Like do you have like a distinctmemory of that day?
I, I just, you know, I just remember the time around it when
everyone in and their mom knew that it was going to happen,
that he was going to get traded.And then, you know, I remember
(44:40):
his stuff kind of after he got traded when it was like, oh,
we're paying his contract, you know, or, or, or big portion of
his contract still. So that was most of the stuff I
remembered. But yeah, it was, you know, it
was not a proud time to be a team based sports fan when he
did get traded, you know, because everyone knew it and the
(45:03):
return wasn't, wasn't as promised.
It was it was it was OK. But, you know, yeah, I mean,
there was just it, it wasn't a good time, you know, there
wasn't good feelings involved. You know, I, I, I probably
forget the exact moment it happened for for that reason, I.
I hate that I remember exact theexact moment.
(45:24):
I'll tell it after a meeting. Do you have any memories of
exactly where you were in aroundthat time?
I feel like I remember, I mean, kind of like, you know, kind of
like if you said like I feel like it was the moment that
everyone was just like if they knew it was going to happen,
just didn't know when and like, like holding on to the hope that
it wasn't actually going to happen.
Like and. Yeah, 'cause it had been, it had
(45:45):
been talked about like years prior too, so.
So we're just like, no way. Like they can't do that to the
franchise player, can they? And then like, I, I think I was
in class, like I'm not gonna, I was in class.
I was, AI was a sophomore at thetime maybe or junior in high
school. But I think I was in class and I
was like, no way. That's crazy.
And like seeing the return for it.
(46:06):
I mean, you know, I remember everyone was upset about it
'cause it's like this is not even worth it.
Like you're trading away all these players for nothing.
And what? Was it Christian?
Arroyo, yeah. Christian Arroyo Dennard.
Span Dennard. Span that's.
Yeah, I mean, hey, thankful. To denars I.
Love Denars fan, I mean thankfulfor him for coming back to our
(46:28):
Oregon, you know, working with us on that fun stuff.
But that was just an insane moment.
I think I was in class and I remember I think I had like I
was on Twitter too, I think at the time and just seeing
everybody's reactions, they wereso upset.
Like not a single soul was like,no, I'm like not a single soul
was like man, like how come thishappened or whatever.
(46:48):
Like everybody was so mad like. Yeah, just a general aura of
sadness. Yeah, so my distinct and you
guys are going to laugh at this,so feel free.
I was waiting in the queue to goinside of the country bear
Jamboree inside magic room. I was there on vacation with my
family. My friend snapchatted me and
(47:11):
said that Longo got traded and Isaid this isn't real.
You're, you're messing with me because he's a Yankees fan.
So. Oh yeah, not sure.
I, I mean, I, I understand, I, we've been friends for way
longer than that. So it's I, I, it is funny seeing
him like get all hype for the Knicks, but that's a completely
Side Story. So he texted me that and I was
(47:32):
like, you're, you're messing with me.
And then I went on Twitter. It happened.
It was real. All of it was real.
And then that entire show again,this is one of my favorite
things at Disney. I cried through the entire
thing. No crying at Disney, dude.
No crying. That's crazy.
The idea of Longo getting traded, it was demoralized.
(47:54):
It was like his divorce. It felt like amount of I mean,
my parents were like trying to console me because they knew
that I was in so much pain and it was so impossible for them to
do so. Just the fucking how old were
you? Like 1718.
I was like a senior in high school in and around.
(48:15):
OK. Yeah, yeah.
I was like a senior in high school, freshman in college.
Yeah, it wasn't good. I'm not proud of it, but.
Actually, it's understandable. College you.
It's understandable. I wouldn't want to have been at
Disney when that happened. It was, man, the happiest place
on Earth. That's a lie.
They lied to you. But yeah, that was probably, you
(48:35):
know, around that time was probably when I was watching the
raise the lease too, because, you know, it just wasn't things
weren't, you know, going too well other other than when I
would go to the games, I wasn't watching too much and.
So it's OK because they're not doing well now.
So now you can go back and relive your past.
Yeah, exactly. But you know, eventually that
did birth, you know, our our five year run playoffs and.
(48:59):
Yes, that is true, That is true and I I do wish, like
truthfully, I do wish that he was there for that, but he he
got chances here. He got 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013
playoff appearances, plus everything else that he did.
I don't want to take up too muchmore of your time, but like any
parting thoughts, any last thoughts about Longo?
I don't know if either of you guys are going to be there on
(49:20):
June 7th when he has his one dayretirement in the ceremony
that's going to happen, which isgoing to be weird inside
Steinbrenner. And I'm glad they're probably
they're going to be doing and I would assume that they have to
be doing things outside of that point.
But just any last words about Longo and his legacy with the
team? I will be there.
I will be. So I unfortunately will not be
(49:41):
there because I have a wedding that weekend.
So lovely for the Rays to schedule.
Yeah, I'm I'll be in silly I I don't think I'll I'll be too
busy. So if the Philly's an example
will not be able to yes, you do.I will not be able to catch a
game up there because I will be too busy.
But shout out to the whoever scheduled this while I was gone
(50:02):
because my brother and I really wanted to go.
But honestly, I think it's just really bittersweet that this is
the way his chapters ending. And I really do appreciate the
fact that, I mean, I'm all before I go into this, actually
like when he went to the Giants,like it was still a young group
of guys over at the Giants. So they kind of needed that
veteran presence and I think they really enjoyed having him
(50:25):
over there as well. Like in San Francisco, Like his
veteran presence was like they really enjoyed it.
And you know, giant stands are nice too.
Like I didn't see any of them complaining even though he
wasn't there for long, as long as he was with us.
Like, I I didn't see any of themcomplaining and being like, oh,
why won't he retire Giant, you know, like how some other people
would be. But yeah, like, I think it was
really nice that, you know, being on the Giants.
(50:48):
He also added the same presence as he did with the Rays with
that veteran touch and teaching young, you know, have giving
advice to the young guys. And it's like it, you know, it
is bittersweet. It's an ending to this chapter
being here. But the fact that, you know,
he's one of the only players really that I know in sports
that really enjoys being in his town and area and providing like
(51:11):
any sort of like help for the community or or even like still
watching Grays games as much as he can and just like being there
to support. Because I don't even know any
other like race player, like past or present that's left the
Rays that's appreciated this team as much as he does even
after leaving. And it's just really nice to see
(51:32):
that because it sucks that, you know, some other players may not
feel that same way. But I know the like the race
hospitality has treated him well, like he took it
professionally and that's the way that you should, you know,
take things. And he still has love for the
area and the team and everything.
And it's it just feels really nice to have someone like that.
And it'll be, like I said, bittersweet to have his ending.
(51:54):
But I'm really glad it's here and not anywhere else and can't
wait to see what he does for ourarea to going forward from here.
Both you guys, I appreciate you for for coming on really, really
do and for everyone listening that's going to conclude things
on this latest episode of Raise the Roof.
We appreciate you guys as alwaysfor your support in in
(52:14):
everything that we do. If you guys want to follow us on
social media at raise the roof TB on Twitter slash X Instagram
and blue sky, our YouTube channel is raise the roof.
Feel free to subscribe there. Like all of our videos, turn on
those post notifications so you guys can see when new uploads
happen there for the podcast. Continue to support us as you
guys have been. Be sure to like, be sure to
(52:35):
subscribe to the podcast if you're on Apple or if you're on
Spotify and follow the podcast wherever else.
And also leave us a review, hopefully a five star review and
share this with your family or friends.
Anyone you know who's a baseballfan or race fan that wants to
add a podcast into their podcastfeed.
We would love to be part of it. A shout out to our sponsors.
As I mentioned previously in ourlast or in our first part,
(52:58):
SeatGeek, be sure to use that code.
That same code raise the roof inall caps is also can be used for
in the clutch which is 10% off any order anytime using that
code and JS prints. If you want to get yourselves a
mini trop because the raise willbe back at Tropicana Field soon,
be sure to use that same raise the roof code.
With all that being said, thanksso much for listening and as
(53:18):
always, raise up. Raise up baby.
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