No they shouldn't.

Exactly. If they want him, let him clear. No one will pay him $8 million, and sign him for the minimum.

Not terribly interested unless the Rays want to pick up $7 of the $8M left on his tab.

 

If they cut him we don't have to pay that do we?

If they cut him we don't have to pay that do we?

If the White Sox claimed him on waivers they would have to pay him his contract.

No they shouldn't.

 

Why not? They aren't going to be able to spend that extra $13 million from LaRoche until much, much closer to the trade deadline. Claim him and work out a trade where the Rays pick up a couple million and Chicago sends them a reliever or Johnson or whatever they prefer.

 

Loney is a fine player and I'd love to have a guy capable of replacing Avi full time if he sucks again.

Edited March 30, 201610 yr by chitownsportsfan

I'd DH him over Avi. He hits righties OK. While his pitches per plate appearance tend to be league normal, he has great career (& recent years) contact rates - out of zone, in zone, all of it.

Edited March 30, 201610 yr by Jose Paniagua

I'd DH him over Avi. He hits righties OK. While his pitches per plate appearance tend to be league normal, he has great career (& recent years) contact rates - out of zone, in zone, all of it.

 

For sure. On a team that often struggles to just put the ball in play he'd be a great fit. Batting average doesn't mean much without context but it's hard to not have offensive value when, like Loney,you can hit 290.

I would rather they get someone who can hit home runs. The Sox suck when they don't hit home runs.

I would rather they get someone who can hit home runs. The Sox suck when they don't hit home runs.

 

Anyone who currently fits that profile on the market? I can't find anyone.

Anyone who currently fits that profile on the market? I can't find anyone.

Depends how much money Cincinatti would eat with Jay Bruce. If they were willing to eat $8 million like in the trade that went bust, there's the play right there.

They have to spend that $13 million at some point, with that said I don't expect them to claim him.

Taking on Loney for anything more than 1-2 million would be a huge waste of money.

Taking on Loney for anything more than 1-2 million would be a huge waste of money.

 

This.

raBBit made it sound like the Sox are pursuing James Loney. Interesting.

Why not? They aren't going to be able to spend that extra $13 million from LaRoche until much, much closer to the trade deadline. Claim him and work out a trade where the Rays pick up a couple million and Chicago sends them a reliever or Johnson or whatever they prefer.

 

Loney is a fine player and I'd love to have a guy capable of replacing Avi full time if he sucks again.

 

Uh if somebody claims him there will be no trade. The Rays will just let that team have him and the Rays will save his entire salary.

Depends how much money Cincinatti would eat with Jay Bruce. If they were willing to eat $8 million like in the trade that went bust, there's the play right there.

 

I think we've come to the conclusion that Bruce or any other big bat isn't going to happen until closer to the deadline.

Taking on Loney for anything more than 1-2 million would be a huge waste of money.

 

Why? They can't "waste" it on anything almost certainly until closer to the deadline. Usually guys like Loney aren't available on March 30th and usually you don't have a free 13 million cleared up two weeks earlier to put towards improving the roster.

 

It's a very unusual situation but it doesn't mean the Sox shouldn't look into it. If they are committed to Avi then I understand that but they probably should at least do due diligence on Loney and see what the Rays are asking. There's no reason not to at least investigate the idea of acquiring him.

I think we've come to the conclusion that Bruce or any other big bat isn't going to happen until closer to the deadline.

 

Jay Bruce last two years wRC+ 78, 91

 

Jay Bruce OBP last two years: .281, .294

 

He's a "big bat" on name only. He kinda sucks now.

Why? They can't "waste" it on anything almost certainly until closer to the deadline. Usually guys like Loney aren't available on March 30th and usually you don't have a free 13 million cleared up two weeks earlier to put towards improving the roster.

 

It's a very unusual situation but it doesn't mean the Sox shouldn't look into it. If they are committed to Avi then I understand that but they probably should at least do due diligence on Loney and see what the Rays are asking. There's no reason not to at least investigate the idea of acquiring him.

 

For starters, he's garbage. Neg 1.3 fWAR last year is the type of player the Sox should be moving away from, not taking on a bad contract to save Tampa.

Loney's marginally better than Ishikawa vs RHP. I dunno, I'd rather keep the money for later.

Uh if somebody claims him there will be no trade. The Rays will just let that team have him and the Rays will save his entire salary.

 

Is he on irrevocable waivers? Not sure honestly. If he is, then yea but often times teams will work out a trade rather than just a pure waiver claim.

I would rather they get someone who can hit home runs. The Sox suck when they don't hit home runs.

 

Only thing Loney provides is he's a first baseman. Outside of that, he does nothing to help this lineup.

Loney is garbage. Unless he gets released and they pick him up for league minimum, no thanks. He really isn't any better than Ishikawa.

Is he on irrevocable waivers? Not sure honestly. If he is, then yea but often times teams will work out a trade rather than just a pure waiver claim.

 

Even if it is revocable waivers the only team that could revoke the claim would be the Rays and why would they do that when they could save that entire $8 million.

FWIW, seeing on twitter that Loney said there's not a trade in place for him right now.

Even if it is revocable waivers the only team that could revoke the claim would be the Rays and why would they do that when they could save that entire $8 million.

 

So they get assets back rather than just the money. Sometimes teams prefer to pay a little freight and get back an A ball reliever or whatever. Teams also put guys on waivers all the time to judge interest and then yank them back if they can't work out a trade.

 

But if they waived him and DFA I'm pretty sure they can't pull him back off.