When it comes to the greatest Tampa Bay Ray of all time, the nod goes to Evan Longoria. The third baseman brought success on the diamond to a city that had never seen a winning MLB team.
Yet, when it comes to the conversation of greatest Tampa athletes, Longoria was left off of The Sporting News' list.
On the GOAT mountain for Tampa, The Sporting News elected to pick two players from the Bucs, and two players from the Lightning, resulting in an elite foursome of Lee Roy Selmon, Derrick Brooks, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis.
If there were to be a fifth to be included, Longoria was right at the top of the list of candidates. The three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner helped put Rays baseball on the map.
The No. 3 pick in the 2006 MLB Draft, Longoria holds the franchise record across a number of categories, including games played, runs, doubles, home runs, RBIs, walks and Wins Above Replacement (WAR). He helped the club make the postseason for the first time, going on a magical run to the World Series. He hit one of the biggest home runs in franchise history in 2011, with a walkoff home run in the 12th inning of the regular season finale, securing the Rays the final AL wild card spot.
MORE: See the GOAT Mountain selections for all nine cities
Still, it wasn't enough in the eyes of The Sporting News to pass over two Stanley Cup champions, a Super Bowl winner and the man who built up Buccaneers football.
Here is a deeper look as to why Longoria was left off Tampa's GOAT mountain.
Why was Evan Longoria left off Tampa's GOAT mountain?
There are a few factors that played into why Longoria was left off the list for Tampa.
First is the lack of team success during Longoria's time with the Rays. Out of the 10 seasons he was with the club, the team made the postseason four times and only won three series. Tampa Bay reached the ALCS just once during Longoria's tenure.
With that said, the team was much worse before Longoria arrived in Tampa Bay. The Rays not only failed to make the playoffs the first 10 years they were in the MLB, but they finished last in the AL East nine of those seasons and never once concluded the campaign over .500.
"You have to think about in context, just how bad the Rays were before he got there," said Joe Smith, who covered the Rays for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. "He was a really big part of that culture shift and giving belief ... Even though he didn't win a World Series, I think he was a big part in the Rays turning things around, going from one of the worst franchises in baseball to a team that a lot of teams kind of model now in the lower revenue stream."
The club had its best season under Longoria in his first year with the team. In 2008, Tampa Bay made a run to the World Series thanks in part to Longoria's sensational rookie season, culminating in a Rookie of the Year recognition. However, the Rays lost to the Phillies in five games.
Another reason why Longoria was absent from the GOAT mountain list is his longevity with the team in comparison to the other four. Brooks was with the Bucs for his entire 14-year career in the NFL. Selmon spent all nine years in the NFL with the Bucs as well. Stamkos' 15 years in the NHL have all been as a member of the Lightning, and while St. Louis didn't start or finish his career in Florida, 13 of his 16 seasons were in Tampa Bay.
On the other hand, Longoria was with the Rays for 10 seasons, but the last six have been spent elsewhere. He played for the Giants for five seasons and now is in his first year with the Diamondbacks. The Rays have reached a new level of success that coincided with Longoria's trade away from the team.
Finally, Longoria never brought a championship to the city. He won an AL title, but not a World Series.
St. Louis brought the Lightning their first Stanley Cup, Stamkos won two Stanley Cups and Brooks delivered the first Super Bowl for the Buccaneers. While Selmon never won a Super Bowl, he helped Tampa Bay to its first playoff berths and won two division titles.
Longoria will always be remembered fondly for his time in Tampa. He was at the forefront of the first team to bring excitement to baseball fans in the area, and is widely regarded as the best player in franchise history. However, his accomplishments in his time with the Rays just weren't quite enough to get to the top of Tampa's GOAT mountain.
Maybe if he comes back for a second stint with the club, he'll strengthen his legacy in the city even further. Regardless, he is a player all Rays fans will look back upon with joyous memories.
