When the Tampa Bay Rays were confronted with a decision that would impact their present as well as future a month ago, they opted to take a path directly opposite the one taken by the Orioles under almost identical circumstances two years ago.

And that, as you might have suspected, was a good thing.

You see, the Rays have this hot number, Evan Longoria (no, for the last time no relation to that hot number), who by every account is destined to be baseball’s next super stud. They also have this notion, no longer dismissed as a pipe dream by those who have been paying attention, that they can be competitive in the American League East this year, and perhaps dominant in the foreseeable future.

You read it right — the Tampa Bay Rays and dominant in the same sentence.

This story continues below
Advertisement

Longoria plays third base, one of the few positions where the Rays had lacked a standout prospect. With an impeccable resume that included a spectacular debut that helped produce a championship at Class Double A, and a gold medal performance with Team USA in the IBAF World Cup last November, he was thrown into a four-man mix at the position this spring and came away a clear, undisputed winner.

“He was not only the best player at the position,” said one National League scout who saw the Rays throughout spring training, “he’s already getting close to being the best player on the team. He’s going to be that good.”

All of which made Longoria the headline attraction when the Durham Bulls, Tampa Bay’s Triple-A farm team, opened its International League season — because that’s where Longoria started the season.

The move shocked many, including those in the clubhouse, because the Rays appeared to be thinking more of 2015 than 2008 —  extraordinarily long range planning for a team that has finished out of last place only once in its existence.

But by sending their prized prospect to the minors for 12 days — long enough to ensure he wouldn’t qualify for a full year’s service time — the Rays bought themselves an extra year of control before Longoria is eligible for free agency.

It was the same kind of business decision the Orioles should have made with Nick Markakis two years ago. Right about, now the Orioles have to be kicking themselves they didn’t.

With only marginal hope for improvement, the Orioles had every reason to protect their future as well as that of the marquee player they had been waiting for since Cal Ripken, Jr. came through the system. But the Orioles rushed their signature prospect to the big leagues, despite only 124 at-bats above Class A, and hurried Markakis through an “on-the-job” training period  instead of buying a year by using one of his three minor league options.

The evaluation of Markakis proved to be dead-on, but the Orioles time management was horrible. For their part, the Rays took the heat when they optioned Longoria for a sightseeing visit to Durham, their Triple-A affiliate — then soothed ruffled feelings with an early recall — plus a six-year contract worth $17 million.

There are clauses that could make the deal worth $45 million for nine years, but if those options are not exercised the Rays will control Longoria for seven years, rather than the six the Orioles have with Markakis.

With fewer than a month in the big leagues, Longoria’s contract astounded some, but not everybody.

“If he’s as good as everybody obviously thinks he is, and he might be their best player very soon, then $45 million over nine years — $5 million per — would be a bargain,” said the scout, who has been a close observer.

And with three homers, 10 runs batted in and flashes of defensive brilliance in his first 15 games in the major leagues, Longoria has given every indication that he’s the real deal — and that the Rays made a good one.

Meantime, Markakis is playing under a renewed contract for fewer than $500,000, but over the next three years will undoubtedly match, or exceed, the $17 million Longoria will earn for his first six years. With potential free agency only three more years down the road, the franchise player the Orioles couldn’t wait to get to the big leagues will eventually blow away the $45 million, nine-year package the Rays gave Longoria.

They say timing is everything, and in this instance Tampa Bay’s appears to be perfect. The Rays’ game plan is one the Orioles should’ve had in place two years ago.

A Baltimore native who has covered the local and national sports scene for more than 40 years, Jim Henneman is a past president of the Baseball Writers Association of America and an active voter for baseball’s Hall of Fame. He can be reached at sportscoper@aol.com.