Rays' Longoria making presence felt after long absence
Evan Longoria's impact on the Rays has been impressive.
The Rays won their fourth straight since Longoria returned to the lineup, and have been impressive in
doing so, scoring 26 runs and rapping 42 hits. The Rays beat the Twins 12-6 Friday night.
Manager Joe Maddon said having Longoria in the middle makes the lineup "longer and thicker," allowing
the hitters in front of him to get better pitches and the ones behind him to have more RBI opportunities.
"Some people argue that could happen with economics, it could also happen within a baseball team, so,
yeah, I like the trickle-down effect," Maddon said. "Longo's presence has made a difference."
Several players said there is also an intangible benefit to having Longoria back, adding to their
confidence.
Longoria, who missed more than three months with a left hamstring injury, said he has been feeling good
while limited to DH duties but hopes to return to third base soon.
