No matter how good of a player Evan Longoria becomes, we will probably always think of him as the guy whose name is almost identical to Eva Longoria (pictured, and now Eva Longoria Parker after her nuptuals with the Spurs point guard, but whatever). The Tampa Bay Rays, however, apparently view the rookie third baseman as someone they want to pay gobs of money now instead of waiting. After just SIX GAMES in the majors, Longoria, 22, signed a deal that could keep with with the Rays until he’s 31. The details:

The first six years of the contract are guaranteed, with a one-year club option for 2014 and a two-year option for 2015 and 2016. Longoria is guaranteed to make $17.5 million through the first six years, and could earn more than $44 million if the Rays exercise both options, which would keep the third baseman in Tampa until he’s 31. The deal is the longest in franchise history. … Chosen third overall by Tampa in the 2006 draft out of Long Beach State, Longoria started the season in the minors after batting .262 with three home runs and 10 runs batted in during Spring Training. Longoria didn’t last long at Triple-A Durham, though, and he made his major-league debut on April 12. In six games this season Longoria has batted an even .300 (six hits in 20 at- bats) with one home run and three runs batted in.

While we like the idea of locking up the youngsters, we don’t know what the harm would have been in seeing, you know, maybe 100 Major League at bats before signing a guy through the end of his prime. But that’s just us.

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