Longoria thanks Rays franchise, fans with full-page newspaper ad

Evan Longoria is all class.

Longoria - the face of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise for a decade - saw his tenure at Tropicana Field come to a close on Wednesday when he was traded to the San Francisco Giants in a five-player deal. On Saturday, the 32-year-old officially bid farewell to the Rays and their fans by taking out a full-page advertisement in the Tampa Bay Times newspaper.

Longoria's note reads, in part:

It's hard to think of a significant sporting moment in my life that didn't happen in a Tampa Bay Rays uniform - from draft day to my first day in the big leagues. All of my firsts - some mistakes that I hope will be my last, and every special moment in between - I shared with great teammates, coaches and an organization that was my home for 11 years.

... I would also like to express my gratitude to the front office for allowing me to be myself throughout the years, and helping my family and I throughout this process. Finally, and most importantly, thank you to the fans. There isn't a memory in my head that isn't made more vivid by the sounds of the cheers and cowbells. You make the memories alive. I will remember all of you forever.

Drafted third overall in 2006, Longoria reached the big leagues only two years later, just in time to help the Rays to their first winning season and American League pennant in 2008.

His most famous moment in Tampa Bay came on the last day of the 2011 season, when his 12th-inning walk-off homer - hit mere moments after the Red Sox team they were chasing had lost - shockingly lifted the Rays into the playoffs.

Related: Remembering Longoria's decade in Tampa Bay

Longoria leaves the Rays as the franchise's all-time leader in virtually every statistical category, including games played (1,435), home runs (261), RBIs (892), and wins above replacement (50.0).