The Tampa Bay Rays have reached an agreement with free-agent James Loney on a three-year deal worth $21 million according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. The deal is pending a physical and represents the teams most significant signing this offseason.
The Rays build run prevention in as an important component of the Rays brand of baseball and Loney brings defense to the team like no other Rays first-baseman before him, registering a 7.2 UZR/150 and +4 Defensive Runs Saved.
All four starting infielders for Tampa Bay were Gold Glove Finalists for 2013, thanks in no small part to Loney’s play at first base. Evan Longoria, Yunel Escobar and Ben Zobrist all have acknowledged his contribution.
Rays GM Andrew Freidman left the Winter Meetings yesterday confident something was going to happen soon.
“I think each day that’s gone on has kind of crystallized things for us a little bit more. I think that’s one of the areas in the next few days something can happen,” Friedman said. “That said, it may drag on longer than that, but I think we’ve advanced the ball in some areas to potentially be in position to do something sooner rather than later.
“If there is some way that he falls back, that would be great, but I don’t know,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said Monday. “He’s deserving of what he gets. I think last year he showed everybody how good of a baseball player he is.”
Sounds like sooner and it sounds like Loney was the answer, and Maddon is no doubt happy about that.
