Rays set date for unveiling of Evan Longoria, Aki Iwamura statues
ARLINGTON, Texas — Akinori Iwamura stepping on second base for the final out of the 2008 American League Championship Series and Evan Longoria swatting a walkoff homer in the 12th inning of Game 162 in 2011 are — to this point — the two greatest and most iconic moments in franchise history.
The Rays on Tuesday announced plans to unveil slightly larger-than-life-sized statues commemorating both prior to the Sept. 23 game versus the Blue Jays, then install them outside Tropicana Field. The statues were created by local sculptor Steven Dickey, in collaboration with Bronzart Foundry Inc.
In addition, the Rays will provide exclusive replica figurines of the statues to all fans attending the game.
The Rays also announced that the 25th anniversary book, done in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Times and featuring more than 100 pages of words and photographs detailing the high points of franchise history, will be available in early August at the team store for $50.
Outfielder Carl Crawford, the third and final member of the inaugural group going into the new team Hall of Fame, will be inducted Aug. 26. Don Zimmer and Wade Boggs joined earlier.
Draft breeze
Mississippi State outfielder Colton Ledbetter, the Rays’ second-round pick, and No. 55 overall, signed for what mlb.com reported was $1.3 million, slightly under the $1,509,800 slot value.
With a signing deadline of 5 p.m. on July 25 for players with remaining college eligibility, the Rays, per mlb.com, have deals with only four of their 21 picks.
Previously signed were Miami prep shortstop Adrian Santana, the competitive balance round pick taken 31st overall, for $2,002,950, under the slot value of $2,670,600; Gonzaga right-hander Owen Wild, their seventh-rounder, for $238,100 (slot value $240,600); and Tarleton State right-hander Will Stevens, the 15th-rounder, for $150,000.
A deal with top draft pick Brayden Taylor, the TCU shortstop taken 19th overall, is expected; his slot value $3,880,100.
Foul mood for Fairbanks
Reliever Pete Fairbanks had reason enough to be upset after throwing a ninth-inning wild pitch that cost the Rays their Monday night game against the Rangers. Then more so when he checked his phone after the game for a text from his wife and saw a horribly crude message on his Instagram account.
“I’m still having a better night than the guy who told me he wouldn’t bat an eye if I drank some bleach, so that’s good,” Fairbanks said. “But, yeah, just another day in the life of being on the losing end of the bullpen.”
That was the fourth walkoff wild pitch loss in franchise history, the first since an errant J.P. Howell pitch on Aug. 26, 2009, at Toronto.
Stepping up
Having parted ways Monday with right-hander Yonny Chirinos, who was designated for assignment and could draw some low-return trade interest, the Rays will fill the open spot in their rotation Wednesday with some form of a bullpen day. Zack Littell will start, with the chance to see how far he goes, and potentially earn a regular turn.
A starter in the minors until transitioning to pen work in 2019, Littell, 27, said: “I’m excited about it. The goal is to get me more built up to where I have a starter’s workload and see where it goes from there.”
Another option, barring a trade for a starter, could be Erasmo Ramirez, the one-time Ray who is working as a multi-inning reliever at Durham.
Miscellany
Reliever Kevin Kelly said he got more texts and messages about doing pre-game warmups on the field clad in the cowboy outfit teammates ordered him to wear than after making his big-league debut in April. ... Reliever Andrew Kittredge shifted his Tommy John rehab to Durham, working a 1-2-3 seventh inning Tuesday, with an early- to mid-August return expected. ... Lefty Josh Fleming, out since early June with elbow inflammation, will throw two innings Saturday in Florida Complex League game. ... Triple-A catcher Rene Pinto, out since late May with a bruised right hand, is rehabbing in the FCL and could rejoin the Bulls next week. ... Wyatt Langford, the Florida outfielder taken No. 4 in the draft by Texas, signed for $8 million and threw out the first pitch, to former Gators pitcher Dane Dunning.
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