SAN FRANCISCO–On the day Evan Longoria signed the richest contract in Tampa Bay Rays history, the face of the franchise said he wanted to be the first player to spend his whole career with the organization.
“To be the first guy that came into the organization and went out in the organization, and played all the years in between,” Longoria told reporters. “There’s no better place for me.”
Longoria uttered those words in November of 2012, shortly after agreeing to a six-year, $100 million extension that suggested the All-Star third baseman would have a real chance to accomplish his goal.