MLB rumors: Tampa Bay Rays ‘hopeful’ they can re-sign James Loney
By Bryan Rose
It’s a bit odd to see first baseman James Loney in such demand, especially considering he was all but labeled a bust after leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers. But a good season which just so happens to take place during a contract year can do a wallet good and that’s exactly what Loney is experiencing.
The veteran has drawn interest from a handful of clubs, including the Pittsburgh Pirates who are desperately in need of a first baseman after losing Justin Morneau to the Colorado Rockies.
The Tampa Bay Rays, Loney’s previous team are also attempting to retain his services, with team president Matt Silverman expressing hope they’ll be able to bring Loney back:
"‘He’s someone that we’re interested in, and he knows that,” Silverman said this morning on WDAE-620 AM radio. “The good thing for us is he liked it here. We liked him, he fit in well. And we’re a known quantity. When he’s thinking about other things out there, he won’t know what the other clubhouses are like, he won’t know what it’s like living in that city. And so that gives us a little bit of an advantage. Our wallet isn’t as big as other teams’, so that’s one disadvantage for us.’"
Silverman did go on to say that if Loney departs, the Rays will do what they can to find an adequate replacement.