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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Loney officially a Ray

Posted Dec 6, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated Dec 6, 2012 at 04:28 PM

ROGER MOONEY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Rays officially announced they signed free agent first baseman James Loney to a one-year, $2 million contract plus another $1 million in incentives.

“James is a guy that’s been on our radar for years,” executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “We feel like there is real significant upside from surface line last year. He’s a tremendous defender and a guy that we feel fits in really well to our club.”

Loney, 28, was part of the blockbuster 11-player deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox last August. He hit .249 (108-for-434) with six home runs and 41 RBI in 144 games between the two teams.

Joe Torre, Loney’s former manager in Los Angeles, said Loney is an excellent defender but his offense is a “mystery.”

“He’s a hitter first, power second, and we’re fine with that.” Friedman said. “We think if he stays with that approach that it will be a very additive offensive piece with the profile and the contact and different things that he does, and you layer on the defense on top of it and we feel like he’s going to help us win games.”