TAMPA, Fla – It has been quite a week for Evan Longoria. The Rays’ all-time leader in games (1,435), home runs (261) and RBI (892) was honored at the Sports Club of Tampa Bay Hall of Fame banquet Wednesday evening at Higgins Hall. On Saturday, the former third baseman will retire as a member of the team when he signs a ceremonial one-day contract.

“It’s pretty special,” he said. “I have been retired, but it kind of puts a stamp on it, coming back to the place where it all started.”

It started for Longoria in 2008, which also serves as a line of demarcation in club history. It was the first season the team was known as the “Rays” and when Joe Maddon’s squad captured the franchise’s first American League crown and went to the World Series. Longoria was the AL’s rookie of the year after hi

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