Making official what was first reported earlier this week, the Rays announced their one-year deal with first baseman James Loney.
He’ll get $2 million in guaranteed money coming off a career-worst season in which Loney hit just .249 with six homers and a .630 OPS in 144 games for the Dodgers and Red Sox.
Loney has always lacked the power and overall production usually found in first basemen and in fact since debuting in 2006 his .758 OPS is the second worst among all MLB first basemen ahead of only Casey Kotchman.
Of course, Kotchman was the Rays’ starting first baseman in 2011 and clearly they’re willing to sacrifice power at the position in the name of improving the infield defense. Loney is a legitimately outstanding defender and certainly for $2 million it isn’t much of a commitment, but even a return to his pre-2012 levels at age 29 won’t help the lineup much.