Team USA veteran a likely All-Star

The steep climb to making it in Major League Baseball can be extraordinarily difficult.

That's why Evan Longoria's ascent to the Tampa Bay Rays is so amazing: He's made it look so easy.

Aside from having a sweet swing at the plate, the Team USA veteran from the World Baseball Classic this past spring is so smooth at third base that he looks as if he's a 20-year veteran.

"Believe me, it's not easy," Longoria said. "I have put so much work into it. From the time I was a kid, I wanted to be a Major Leaguer. I kept working and working and working. I never gave up. When I got the chance, I seized it. I worked so hard to get to Tampa that I wanted to stay forever."

Not only has the 23-year-old Longoria already played in a World Series --- his Tampa Bay Rays lost to the Philadelphia Phillies last year ---- but he likely will play in the All-Star Game July 14 in St. Louis. With online balloting ending late Thursday evening, Longoria is leading by a large margin at third base to start for the American League. The latest results show Longoria receiving 2,488,076 votes. New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez is second --- but more than 1.3 million votes behind. Major League Baseball will announce the rosters on Sunday.

While in St. Louis, Longoria likely will reconnect with other players (Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees and Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers among them) who have World Baseball Classic experience. 

 "I do think the WBC helps prepare you for a big stage,'' Longoria said.

Longoria made his MLB debut with the Rays on April 12, 2008. He had success instantly and the club locked him up with the richest contract in franchise history.

The salaries for the first six years of the potential nine-year agreement are guaranteed, with the Rays holding a one-year option for the 2014 season and another two-year option for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The contract guarantees $17.5 million, and if the club exercises both options, Longoria would earn more than $44 million over the life of the historic nine-year deal.

"I am very, very lucky and I know that," said Longoria, who ranks second in the American League with 63 RBI. "It all happened so fast. It was a great day for myself and for my family. I'm getting paid a whole lot of money to play the game I love. It's beyond what I ever could have expected. You work so hard to get the majors. To have it all come together like this, well, it's just amazing."

Longoria might be young, but also is mature. After signing his mega contract, he immediately decided to donate about $725,000 during the life of the contract to the Rays Baseball Foundation, which is the club's charitable foundation that supports youth and education programs in the Tampa Bay region.

"Deciding to give back was an easy decision," Longoria said. "This community supports me and I wanted to support them. Giving back to the Rays Baseball Foundation is something I'm very proud to be a part of. It's important to me. I've met so many great people who have thanked me. It's a blessing to be able to contribute."

He has the same aspirations for Team USA.

During Spring Training, he was scratched from the Rays lineup in Dunedin, Fla., before a game against the Blue Jays in March so he could be officially added to Team USA's roster.

"Being able to put on the Team USA colors and play for your country was a thrill," Longoria said. "I was honored to be thought of for the team. It was just a great thing all the way around for me."

Longoria's name came up because Atlanta's Chipper Jones suffered an injury.

"You hate to take a roster spot because a player is injured, but that's part of the game," Longoria said. "I was really honored to join the team. To be able to say you represented your country is something you'll cherish and remember for the rest of your life."

Aside from the Team USA experience, Longoria also had the rare opportunity to play in the World Series at such a young age. Some players will go through an entire career and never get the chance to vie for a title. Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer, for instance, finally got a World Series ring at the age of 45 and in his 22nd Major League season.

Even though the Rays lost the World Series to the Phillies in five games last year, the experience was still positive. Losing never feels good. But the club did so many good things throughout the regular season and the postseason en route to the World Series.

"It was frustrating to lose because we thought we were going to come home with a title," Longoria said. "We didn't get it done and you have to give credit to the Phillies. They earned it and did what they needed to do to win the World Series. We'll learn from it and hopefully get right back there. As a kid, you dream of playing in the World Series. It was definitely fun, but when you get there, you sure do want to win."

There are those in the majors who think Longoria will get another shot.

Just ask Charlie Manuel, the Phillies manager whose job it was to try to contain Longoria in the World Series last year.

"He's a very, very good player," Manuel said. "He's got all the tools. He can hit. He can hit for power. He can drive the ball the other way. He can get on base. He can field well and throw well. He's mature. He's very talented. I was very impressed by how he approached the game. He was so professional going about his business.

"I expect he'll be back in another World Series before it's all said and done. It would surprise me if he didn't get back."

Longoria will work like crazy to get back. That you can expect.

The third baseman went from being undrafted out of St. John Bosco High School to playing at Rio Hondo College, a community college in California where he played at shortstop as a freshman, to becoming the highest player drafted out of Long Beach State (third overall pick in 2006).

"I never got down," said Longoria, who didn't receive any college scholarship offers out of high school. "You just keep working and don't treat things as a negative. You fight through it and do what you have to do to improve your skills. You can't get caught up in being labeled. Everything worked out for me, but I worked unbelievably hard through the whole process. Nothing was handed to me. It is very satisfying to have made it with the knowledge that you deserve to be here."

After a run to the World Series, a commitment to Team USA and right back to the 2009 season, there hasn't been much down time. That's just fine with Longoria.

"I love baseball," he said. "This is the sport I've always played. I'm just as excited as ever. I think we have the makings of a terrific team once again. I'm excited to see where this season takes us."

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Andy Jasner is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of the United States Olympic Committee or any National Governing Bodies.