Matt Crossman of Sporting News recently sat down for dinner with Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria for an interview which was published to their website earlier today. Longoria took up the drums a few years ago and among the subjects that came up was Rush:

... Longoria's most prized possessions are his dogs and his 2008 AL championship ring, but he has another great piece of memorabilia: a drumhead signed by members of the rock group Rush.

Longoria started playing the drums in 2009, when teammate Gregg Zaun had a set at Tropicana Field.

"I never wanted to play in front of him. I'm a perfectionist. I don't want anybody to see me do something and look stupid doing it," Longoria says. "I would get to the field two hours early and play his kit without anybody there, at noon. I'd be back there full sweat, and guys would just be getting to the field, and I'd be playing the drums."

Cool story how he got the drumhead: Rush's singer, Geddy Lee, a huge baseball fan, collects balls autographed by pitchers who have thrown no-hitters. When Rays righthander Matt Garza threw one in 2010, a Lee representative called the Rays to ask for a ball. A Rays clubbie named David Westmoreland (everyone calls him Westy) said, sure, if you send Longoria the signed drumhead. ...

You can read the entire interview at this link.

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