Apr 14
Not much of a backstory here except the picture comes from Evan Longoria (via Marc Topkin) with an apology to “Señor Pena.”
Not gonna lie. It looks like Longo farted….
Archive for the 'Evan Longoria' Category
Apr 11
See that plane at right, flying high above The Trop? That is a Red Bull racing plane. And one of the two people inside the plane is Evan Longoria.
If you have ever watched these planes, it is like snowboarding several hundred feet up in the air, and it’s nuts.
Well, apparently Longo is now endorsing Red Bull products, and part of this deal includes him going for a ride in one of these planes with air racing champion Kirby Chambliss (you can read more and see some pictures over at WTSP.com).
And that ride wasn’t just a cruise around the skies of St. Pete. No, they did stunts. Yes, the best played on the Rays was doing stunts in a plane. And based on the growth of his Wolverine-style scruff, we’d say this occurred during spring training.
Click here to see the video >> Read the rest of this entry »
Apr 07
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss A Special Homecoming, And James Shields’ Learning Curve
Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, James Shields, Jose Molina No Comments »
The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
RAYS 7, Yankees 6 (boxscore)
THE GOOD: Carlos Pena is home. Of course there was the grand slam. And there was the walk-off single in the 9th (you can see both here). And there was even the single to the opposite side against the shift…Evan Longoria’s Bat. The bat is just fine. And when he hit his home run (see video below), it was that inside pitch that we said he would be better at attacking this season. In all, Longo had three hits and walked twice. Not a bad debut…Ben Zobrist. Of course, everybody will cling to Carlos Pena’s walk-off hit. But at that point, it was bases loaded with one out. According to the Game Graph, the Rays already had an 82.4% chance of winning. The really big hit was Zorilla’s triple to tie the game. At that point, the Rays went from a 30% chance of winning to over 90%…Matching Up The Bullpen. Geez Joe, save a little for the rest of the season. Six of the Rays seven relievers combined to throw 4 shutout innings. It was indeed impressive, but at this rate, JoeMa will have worn a path between the dugout and the mound by May.
THE BAD: James Shields. C’mon Jimmothy, you can’t be staked to a 4-0 lead against CC Sabathia and then blow it. And you can’t be getting into arguments with your catcher in the dugout on opening day (video coming shortly). Pace yourself big fella…Evan Longoria’s Glove. He was only charged with one error, but it could have easily been two...Jose Molina’s Baserunning. We love having Molina on the team. It is immediately obvious how good he is defensively. But oh my, that dude doesn’t need a stop watch to time him on the bases. The coaches need a sundial…Jose Molina’s Bunting. Molina appeared to miss a squeeze sign when he swung away on a pitch with Sean Rodriguez darting home from third. When the Rays tried the same play on the next pitch, Molina fouled the ball off for a strikeout.
THE TELLING: Carlos Pena was moved up a spot to 6th in the lineup, just before the game. Nice move Joe Maddon, nice move…With 30-year old James Shields on the mound, this was the first time since May, 2007 that the Rays started a pitcher in his 30s. Interestingly, the last 30-year old starter was Jae Seo, whose last start in the big leagues came on his 30th birthday (May 24, 2007)…BJ Upton will start a rehab assignment on Monday.
THE JUNKYARD DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- We will have several more posts on the goings on around opening day. So be sure to check back later today.
- The ball used during the first pitch was the ball hit by Evan Longoria for the game winning home run in Game 162. The Rays had to work out a deal with a former concession worker to get it back. [TampaBay.com]
- David Price makes a very brief cameo in this spot for the MLB Network. [MLB Network]
- MLB.com predicted that game 1 would “set the tone” for the season. Now, of course that is silly. So let’s take a silly look. [FlipFlopFlyball]
- Here are some fun tidbits from opening day. [RaysorsEdge]
Gwinnett 3, DURHAM 0 (11): Alex Torres tossed Read the rest of this entry »
Apr 04
The Rays have added two new features to The Trop this year in honor of the home runs hit by Dan Johnson and Evan Longoria in Game 162 last season. First is the seat pictured below which will be white unlike the standard blue seats seen at The Trop. This is where Johnson’s home run landed (via @AaronCohn).
In addition, the Rays have also created a mini-monument in the left field corner where Longo’s playoff-clinching home run landed. That spot will be open to the public.
Apr 02
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss A Surge In Power, A Surge In Injuries, And The 25th Spot On The Roster
Desmond Jennings, Evan Longoria, Jeff Salazar, Joe Maddon, Matt Bush 1 Comment »
The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
RAYS 8, Orioles 5 (boxscore)
THE GOOD: Flash of Power. If you missed our post yesterday afternoon, Desmond Jennings belted three home runs (CLICK HERE TO SEE THE HOME RUNS). Also, Evan Longoria is heating up at the right moment, hitting his fourth home run. And remember when we said Longo’s new swing should generate more power and help him attack inside pitches? Well, yesterday’s bomb came on an inside pitch that he hit to centerfield (many would have yanked it foul), and Longoria was actually surprised the ball cleared the wall. And all of a sudden, the Rays don’t seem to have much of a power problem.
THE BAD: Depth and Injuries. Unless the Rays make a trade in the next couple of days, Jeff Salazar is going to be the fourth outfielder. Jeff Salazar…More Injuries. Jeff Niemann is battling a blister on his finger, but did throw a bullpen session yesterday and is expected to pitch in Wednesday’s game at The Trop.
THE TELLING: Desmond Jennings was the first Rays player to hit 3 home runs in a spring game. And he joins Evan Longoria and Jonny Gomes, who both did it in regular season games…Jesus Feliciano and Will Rhymes were cut over the weekend…Carlos Pena batted second again yesterday and Matt Joyce was once again in left field.
THE JUNKYARD DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- This is what I do at my other gig. And a hint at what we might see around here this season at the new RI. [BI Sports]
- It sounds like Matt Bush wasn’t alone prior to his arrest for DUI. The second person is described as “a fit, good-sized [African-American], who looked to be in his 30s”…Was it another player? [TampaBay.com]
- The Boston Globe ranks Joe Maddon as the best manager in baseball. How else do you explain the Red Sox’ 2011 collapse? [Boston Globe]
- Jose Molina gave Matt Moore a stern lecture and it appeared to pay off. [TampaBay.com]
- Be sure to check out Toby David’s latest podcast discussing the Rays. [TobyDavid.com]
- Will Josh Freeman improve under Greg Schiano? [JoeBucsFan]
- Finally, here’s Ken Rosenthal discussing the Rays.
Apr 01
Desmond Jennings Homers Three Times And Longoria Stays Hot
Desmond Jennings, Evan Longoria 4 Comments »Desmond Jennings had no home runs entering today’s game. Now he has three, including a fourth inning grand slam. In addition, Evan Longoria hit his fourth home run of the spring.
Here are the videos…
The best part of Flash’s home runs is the huge grin he has on his face walking back to the dugout after the third shot…
Also, watch Longoria’s reaction after hitting the ball. He clearly thinks this is a lazy flyball. And when he is rounding second base, you can see him look over to to Tom Foley and ask if the ball was gone. When he gets confirmation, you can see Longo say “wow.”
Mar 30
Yesterday, Evan Longoria hit his second home run of the spring. And while watching the replay, we got a sense that there was something different. We couldn’t quite put our finger on it. After all, on the surface it looks the same, but there was definitely something unfamiliar.
So we went to the tape. Here’s a look at yesterday’s home run as well as an at bat from last year’s playoffs. In both cases, the pitch was a fastball* from a left-handed pitcher. Also, both GIFs are synced to the moment of contact…
Here is Frame 4…
Notice that the back knee on the left (2012) is slightly bent as opposed to the right (2011) where it is completely straight. Also notice where the hands are. On the right (2011) they are almost above the head. Longoria wiggles his bat a little bit, but when the hands were higher, it tended to leave the bat pointing towards the ground more often.
Here is Frame 13…
We are now 24 frames before the moment of contact. Notice on the right (2011) the bat is still above the head. But more importantly, look at the left heal (front foot). On the left (2012), it is already off the ground and the swing has started. On the right he is still flat-footed. In fact, on the right, the left heal doesn’t leave the ground for 11 more frames!
Here is Frame 24…
The left heal on the right (2011) is just now coming off the ground. Remember, in both, the bat will meet the ball at frame 37. In other words, Longoria’s swing is far less rushed this year. Also notice the position of the bat. On the left (2012) the bat is in ready position while the bat on the right (2011) is still pointing towards the ground and has a long ways to go before getting to ready position and then through the zone.
Now here’s frame 30…
Now at frame 30 the two swings are once again in sync with the left toes touching down. But there are still differences. Notice the lead shoulder on the left (2012) is turned in a little more and the left knee is pointing a little more towards the catcher. This is giving Longo more coil before releasing the swing, which will give him more rotation from the hips, which will generate more bat speed, which will create MORE POWER. Also notice that the hands are in closer to the body. This will help Longoria attack inside pitches better.
So, what did we learn? Longoria is not only healthy this year, but he has a better swing that should generate more power. Get giddy people. Get giddy.
[Ed. Note: In case you were wondering, we did look at a few swings from both 2011 and 2012 and the general pattern holds. In 2011, it took 11-13 frames to go from starting the swing to contact. This year it is closer to 22-23.]
*Actually, the pitch in 2011 was labeled a sinker. But in reality, it was just a 96 mph two-seem fastball that has sinking movement at the end, which is why Longoria is fooled a bit.
Mar 30
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Briggy’s D, Hellboy’s Ratio, And Filling Out The Roster
Brandon Guyer, Evan Longoria, Jeremy Hellickson, Jesus Feliciano, Reid Brignac 7 Comments »
The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
Phillies 2, RAYS 1 (boxscore)
THE GOOD: Longo Goes Long. Evan Longoria hit his second home run of the spring. We will have more on this in a little bit. But in the meantime, you can see the home run below…Briggy D. Reid Brignac may only be 80%, which means with a bat, he is now about 40% of an average hitter. But apparently he still has it with the glove, making a nice diving stab from the right-handed bat shift (see below).
THE BAD: Hellboy’s Ratios. Jeremy Hellickson pitched well, allowing just 1 run in 6 innings. But what is a little worrisome is that he only had 3 strikeouts to go with 2 walks, and now has just 9 Ks in 16 innings with 5 walks. That is less than 2 strikeouts for every walk, and only 5.1 Ks per 9 innings. This was something that escaped Hellickson a little last year. And if he is ever going to be a dominant big league pitcher, he needs to get his strikeout-to-walk ratio closer to 3 and his Ks per 9 innings closer to 9.
THE TELLING: Desmond Jennings played seven innings in center field and Reid Brignac played four innings at shortstop. Several of the regulars played 8 or 9 innings, including Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena, Ben Zobrist, and Matt Joyce.
THE JUNKYARD DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Will the Rays pick Brandon Guyer or one of the non-roster invitees to fill out the outfield? We’d prefer Guyer also, but all signs point to Jesus Feliciano or possibly Will Rhymes, both of whom are still in camp and have received a ton of playing time and several positions. [TobyDavid.com]
- Or maybe the Rays will just trade for an outfielder. According to Ken Rosenthal, the Rays are looking. [@Ken_Rosenthal]
- JP Howell is finally pitching with confidence. [TampaBay.com]
- Carl Crawford might be out until May for the Red Sox. [WEEI.com]
- Are the Bucs going to draft Trent Richardson? [JoeBucsFan]
Mar 28
Yesterday we were digging through some footage from Game 162 of last season. Specifically, we were interested in the fifth inning. Well, while looking for some other stuff, we noticed a couple of funny nuggets (if you follow @corkgaines on Twitter, we apologize, because you guys have already seen these)…
First, check out he AutoWay poll in the fifth inning. How ironic that this was posted only a few innings before the actual best moment of 2011?
Now check out this guy. We don’t know if he was leaving or just going to take a piss. But who spends $250 on a BJ Upton jersey and then gets up and walks out when Upton is batting in the most important game of the year?
And while we are at it, here’s one for the road…
Mar 27
Blind Item: Which Rays Player Gave Up In The 5th Inning Of Game 162 And Started Packing His Locker?
David Price, Evan Longoria, Game 162 17 Comments »
Matt Crossman of The Sporting News recently sat down for dinner with Evan Longoria and Jaime Edmondson. The interview reveals several interesting tidbits such as how long Longoria and Edmondson have been dating (a lot longer that you might realize), Longoria’s hobbies (he loves to cook), and how Joe Maddon was at the bar but neither saw each other in the restaurant.
But from a baseball standpoint, the most interesting tidbit was Longoria’s revelation that somebody on the Rays roster had already given up on Game 162 last year and started packing his locker in the fifth inning. Longoria doesn’t reveal which player it was, but one can read between the lines and make a pretty good guess…
“…I’m not going to say any names. I’m not going to out anybody. But I guess one of the guys on our team had gone into the clubhouse and started to pack up his locker in the fifth inning, telling our trainers, ‘It was a great year—thank you for everything.’ Our trainer was like, ‘What are you talking about? It’s the fifth inning. We’re going to win this game.’ You have to have hope until the last out.“I was in shock that somebody would have done that.”
So who was the mystery player? Obviously we can eliminate players in the game. We can also eliminate players in the bullpen and position players on the bench. Those guys would still be expecting to play at some point in the game. That leaves the starting pitchers.
Our first thought was David Price, since he was taken out after four innings and this happened in the fifth. But Longoria and Price are so close that it would be surprising to hear Longo out Price even in an anonymous fashion. Of course, maybe Longoria is just giving Price a hard time.
Also, Price is such rah-rah guy, he just doesn’t seem like a guy that would ever give up. But he can also be very hard on himself when he doesn’t pitch well. At this point, we are split on Price’s guilt.
So we went to the tape. And by “tape” we really mean the digital copy since nobody actually uses tape anymore, but we digress.
Unfortunately we don’t get a lot of dugout views during the 5th inning. We do see Jeremy Hellickson hanging on the dugout rail…
And we see James Shields pacing in the dugout…
And that’s it. Complicating matters is the story Sam Fuld wrote for Grantland.com about Game 162, in which he says players on the bench spent a lot of time in the clubhouse watching the Red Sox game when the Yankees were batting.
Still, based on the circumstantial evidence collected during WAY TOO MUCH TIME spent on this question, we would say the three suspects would be David Price, Jeff Niemann, and Wade Davis. And well, Niemann and Davis don’t seem like the types to go small-talking trainers in the fifth inning.
That leaves….
