Longoria produces and waits

ROGER MOONEY
rmooney@bradenton.com

CLEARWATER – Even Longoria hit his team-leading third home run Tuesday against the Phillies and Bright House Field and started an inning-ending double play in the sixth after dropping to his knees to field the hard-hit grounder to third, and how those play in his immediate future is still a mystery.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said after the Rays 4-2 loss that a decision on Longoria’s fate is imminent, but he doesn’t know when one will be made.

“We’re still evaluating everything,” Maddon said. “He had himself a nice day. A real nice day.”

At the beginning of camp, Maddon and vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman said the decision on whether Longoria begins the season in the major leagues or Triple A Durham would be made in the middle of March.

But that deadline came and went and Longoria is still here.

“Nobody has said anything,” Longoria said. “I show up at the field every day ready to play.”

Longoria is batting .333 with three home runs and nine RBIs, which are tied for B.J. Upton for the team lead. He said he’s not feeling the pressure of trying to impress he front office, nor is he feeling the strain of wondering about their decision.

“Not really,” he said. “I’m not pressing at all. I don’t think I really need to do anything as far as physically, if I keep working hard and doing what I do every day, I have to stay in my routine and worry about that.”

If Longoria doesn’t make the team, Willy Aybar will likely start the year at third base.