Former big league first baseman James Loney is looking to resurrect his career by joining on with the indy ball Sugar Land Skeeters, Baseball America’s JJ Cooper tweets. Loney is slated to line up in the field and on the mound for his new club, in addition to serving as a player-coach.
As Cooper notes, Loney was seen as a two-way prospect as an amateur. Taken with the 19th overall pick in the 2002 draft, Loney ultimately pursued a career with the bat. He had his ups and downs over the years, but carved out an eleven-year career as a low-power first baseman, ultimately turning in 5,487 plate appearances of .284/.336/.410 hitting with 108 home runs.
Loney last appeared on the transactional map in 2017, when he signed on for a brief run with Korea’s LG Twins. The club was not pleased with what it received from him in a 23-game stint — a very Loney-esque .278/.366/.456 slash with three home runs and 11 walks against just 14 strikeouts over 93 plate appearances — and he elected to leave the KBO rather than accept a demotion.
Whether Loney can craft a return to the majors as a two-way player will obviously remain to be seen, though the odds seem long. Given that he’s taking on a coaching role as part of the signing, that may not even be the goal. He’ll reach his 35th birthday in three months and has not dedicated himself to the craft of pitching since high school. That said, it will surely be interesting to see whether Loney can find a spark upon re-taking the mound.
Thank God we have the latest in Skeeter news.
This guy had so much unused potential and yes I am talking about shortallz
Actually, I met Loney before a game when he was a Dodger. It was his rookie year and he had nothing but a crap attitude with the kids wanting is autograph. He did not want to be there and he let it show. He was a disappointment and never really cared after that.
Why does someone not wanting to sign autographs tilt so many people?
Because it seems like such a simple way to make (especially) kids happy,… an almost surefire way to make a lifetime baseball fan out of a kid. There’s no real good reason to be lousy to the people you’re being paid sizable sums of cash to entertain.
I went to a Padres/Dodgers game a few years back. I was in the military then and in uniform. Nick Hundley saw us, cane over and talk for a while and gave us all signed baseballs. He called over to Mat Latos who was starting that day to come over. Latos replied an obscenity filled no about us. As a HUGE Padre fan that really was upsetting. I agree with you, they should cater more to the fans.
Why were you in uniform at a baseball game?
It’s not that it was his attitude
Well said
James Lousy.
@HubcapDiamondStarHalo, well said, sir.
I have no potential.
(tongue in cheek)
Solid glove, good contact guy, they always said he’d win a batting title some day- but Dodgers changed his swing for more pop. Wish they’d let him do his thing. Good luck Lone dog!
Maybe Pete Incaviglia can teach him to hit more homers.
Loney was always a mediocre player.
Hey the skeeters are a Championship ball club 2 chips in the last 3 years.
Good for him.
yolo right? It’s a longshot but he might as well give it a shot, and hopefully he has fun doing it. Easy guy to root for.
The Hot Stove League has officially gone ice-cold… lol.
BIG
GAME
JAMES
WRONG
SPORT
SPORT
James Shields most definitely is a baseball player good sir
That term “Big Game James” was coined for James Worthy of the NBA long ago good sir…
It’s also one of James Shields’ nicknames according to Baseball Reference.
And . . . ?
Harper will sign with the Skeeters
Could be. Loney once bought an athletic supporter from the same clerk that sold Bryce one.
And the clerk is Manny’s neighbor’s doctor.
It’s be more believable if you said, “Manny’s neighbor’s daughter” instead of “doctor.” Why would a doctor be a clerk? This just proves you’re a part of the fake news. FAKE NEWS!
ive always wondered about the potential of some non-affiliated league to pool each team’s money and sign a good MLB player just to see if it can buy them fans. with the lack of interest in some players it looks like they might just be able to afford some.
Heard rumor he was leaning towards Somerset over SugarLand
“There’s a skeeter on my…”
knock it off
Hahaa!! 58 goin on 15…and don’t care!!
Egg beater? Heater? Jeter? Liter? Meter?
Your struggle is real. And real obivious.
Never understood the Dodger love for this low power first baseman. Maybe he always brought the coffee and doughnuts in the morning…..
he killed the cubs in the postseason, i remember that pretty clearly, big slam. that may have been his rookie year, certainly early in his career. seemed like he was going to be a stud and never got it going
Never understood the hate for Loney. Granted not the major power bat some expect from his position, but a career line of .284/.336/.410/.746 would not otherwise be considered at all terrible. Actually, pretty good. He was also one of the better gloves at FB for a number of years.
You seem to forget his nickname of Double Play Loney. Great average contact hitter, but no power at all.
The numbers I posted defeated your argument before you made it.
socie try saying something new. You forgot to plug in! Keep up!
@blueskyla okay. Blue Sky….you win. I just remember going to at least 20 games a year when he was playing and seeing him GIDP at least once a game. Guess I need to go to only games that supported your numbers above. I’ll make a note to do that this year. I didn’t say he was terrible as you alluded, but okay…keep on that path to Cathy Newman.
So now anecdotes beat a slash line? Anyway, my point as you can easily see had nothing to do with hitting into DPs. What you said is he had “no power at all.” The numbers support my point, and I can’t see how it supports yours.
Cute insult meme. It’s almost like saying something real, but not.
Very similar line to Ken Harvey, who only had a 3-ish year career in the MLB. Corner infield is just a very power oriented position.
Jorge! dont be a smudge. Just because you do not understand does not mean you say stupid stuff. Think of your parents!
The club was not pleased with what it received from him in a 23-game stint — a very Loney-esque .278/.366/.456 slash with three home runs and 11 walks against just 14 strikeouts over 93 plate appearances
Wow they have high standards.. most MLB teams would take that slash line from a player lol.
That’s pathetic in the KBO where even the crap players hit .300
What a lame comment. You follow KBO? You said even? No wonder your handle is $baller,(?!?). Clean up your mess.
Those numbers in MLB would be superstar stats.
the two-way bug has gotten another one. soon every player in the league will be heading the two-way route.
For a lot of them, the two-way route will be “in this door and out that one, thank you for your time.”
Hupcap you are so clever with words!
I saw way too many Mets fans who wanted him back after the 2016 season.
MLB trade news is so slow, we are getting news on James Loney signing with the Sugarland Skeeters! Come on guys! Who cares!
Eh, Loney isn’t obscure (though hardly a household name either), I think it’s a fair bit of news to report on.
I like that MLBTR posts these things. Nice to know how former MLB players are still playing somewhere.
What a shallow comment. How narcissistic!
Starting at the very top (grossing over $36M), James Loney has been holding on for dear life while plummeting all the way down the baseball pole. Next stop is Saturday amateur ball with claims adjusters and other hardball enthusiasts.
Don’t blame him one bit. “Rip the uni off me” he says, and soon they do. Postpone this real life crap as long as possible.