ST. PETERSBURG - A day from now, they will gather to honor a man.
They will speak of his accomplishments. They will pay tribute to his deeds. They may present gifts. They undoubtedly will offer some keepsake.
They will thank him for coming to their city, Durham, N.C. For coming to their organization, the Devil Rays. For, yes, coming back for more.
He will be gracious. He will be humble. He will not say much, but he will say it with just the right tone and in just the right words.
He will never say what he truly feels.
That, with all due respect, he's disappointed to still be there.
* * *
Bill Evers is the deliverer of dreams. He is the one who told Aubrey Huff he was going to the majors. Same for Toby Hall. And Carl Crawford. And Joe Kennedy. And most of the other young Rays.
Evers is the Rays' Triple-A manager in Durham. It's his job to help put the finishing touches on Tampa Bay's best-looking prospects. And it's his pleasure to pass on the word that the big-league club is calling their name.
He has tracked players down at 3 a.m. and told them to pack their bags because the Rays have beckoned and the plane will soon be departing. He has called players into his office and watched them squirm because they envision a demotion to Double A instead of a promotion to the majors.
Over his career, Evers has given dozens of players the happy news.
And, 28 years later, he's waiting for someone to do the same for him.
Evers, 49, has worn the uniform of some minor-league team every season since 1976.
"For me, there's disappointment at times. Just like there is for a player," Evers said. "I tell them that all the time. There are lots of disappointments in this game, times when you get smacked in the face and have to rebound. You have to stand up and work hard and good things will happen.
"I keep plugging along. Hopefully somebody someday will have a position that they feel I can fill."
Did you know Evers was the first manager the Rays ever had? Before Larry Rothschild, before Hal McRae, long before Lou Piniella, Evers was in charge of the Gulf Coast League team that made its debut on June 19, 1996.
In a sense, it was like Evers was coming home. A native New Yorker, he first came to Tampa Bay in the mid 1970s to play baseball at Eckerd College for Bill Livesey, who would later serve briefly as the Rays personnel chief.
A catcher with more brains than talent, Evers would eventually be drafted by the Cubs and rise as high as Triple A. When given the opportunity to become a coach, he figured it was his best chance to reach the majors.
What's followed has been more than 20 years of traveling, succeeding, repeating, reversing and waiting. Mostly waiting.
In their first 10 years of marriage, Evers and wife Patricia moved 31 times. His two children were young and he wanted to keep his family close, so they went where he went. Spring training, regular season, offseason.
The life is not enriching. A typical Triple-A manager might make $50,000 to $60,000 a season. Nor is it glamorous. Since the family put down roots in New Port Richey in 1995, Evers might see his wife and kids a handful of days between April and August.
He has played, coached or managed in cities as remote as Clinton, Iowa, and as metropolitan as Phoenix. He has been a Triple-A manager for the Giants, the Yankees and now the Rays. He has finished in first place in the Midwest League, the Texas League, the South Atlantic League, the Florida State League and the International League. His resume counts five championships.
"I hope I've proven (myself). And I'll continue to prove that," Evers said. "It's just a matter of getting an opportunity where I can fit in."
Ability is not the only issue in the hiring of big-league coaches. It's familiarity. And comfort. It's knowing the right person at the right time in the right city.
When Rothschild was hired, he brought in his former minor-league manager, Greg Riddoch, who was running a baseball academy in Colorado. When McRae took over, he hired former teammate Lee May, who was retired and watching TV in Cincinnati. Piniella imported most of his staff from Seattle.
For Evers, there has been no natural connection. No former big-league teammate to offer him a shot as a bench or bullpen or first-base coach. He has been the ultimate organization man, but never the favored son.
His only taste of the big leagues has come in recent Septembers when the minor-league season ends and he joins the Rays for a few weeks.
And he sees the players who have moved beyond.
"The best part about September is having guys come over and say, "Good to see you,' or "Thanks for all your help,"' Evers said. "That's been rewarding. Knowing that a player appreciates what you've done."
Never has Evers stayed in one place as long as he has with Durham. Last month he won his fifth division title in six years and his second straight International League championship.
The accomplishment is far greater than it sounds. The Bulls had more than 50 player transactions this season, with about two dozen players promoted to Tampa Bay. Which means the roster was completely turned over. And Evers still became the first International League manager in 25 years to reach the championship series for the fourth time.
So they will toast Evers in Durham on Wednesday. Rays managing general partner Vince Naimoli will be there. So will general manager Chuck LaMar. Fans have been invited and the mayor of Durham will speak.
Evers will smile. He will shake hands. He will thank them all for thinking of him and he'll probably get a little embarrassed.
And when the tribute is over, he can examine his emotions.
Is it pride he will feel? Or regret?
Perhaps it is both.
"The drive is still there to get to the big leagues. I don't think that will ever end," Evers said. "It's a matter of time. But no matter how long it takes, I'll feel blessed that I've been able to do this for so long.
"This is just something I've been trying to attain. You know your wingspan goes only so far, but you have to keep reaching."
