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Rays' James Loney tunes out distractions, focuses on baseball

 
While playing smooth defense seems to come naturally, James Loney, entering the middle season of a three-year, $21-million deal that was the largest awarded by the Rays current ownership, is constantly working on his hitting. [WILL VRAGOVIC | Times]
While playing smooth defense seems to come naturally, James Loney, entering the middle season of a three-year, $21-million deal that was the largest awarded by the Rays current ownership, is constantly working on his hitting. [WILL VRAGOVIC | Times]
Published March 31, 2015

PORT CHARLOTTE — Rays first baseman James Loney is not always the quiet guy hanging out in the corner. Well-placed sources have told the Tampa Bay Times as much, and new Rays manager Kevin Cash confirmed it on Monday morning.

"I didn't know that he was 'quiet,' " Cash said. "I would never have guessed he was 'quiet' the way he is in the dugout and the clubhouse and stuff when you're not in there."

It's just that Loney, 30, doesn't have much use for the noise that often surrounds pro athletes, claiming no interest in saying the kinds of things, or doing the kinds of things, that tend to attract headlines and followers.

"It's just one of those things growing up, you're not doing this for attention," Loney said. "You're playing to play. You work hard to get … the most out of your ability. That's what you're trying to do. You're not trying to see what people are wondering about how you did."

And though he'll talk to reporters when asked (though claiming to not read the stories) and post an occasional tweet on his @theloney_s account, he similarly has little interest in venturing into the social media landscape.

"I didn't come up with Twitter, I didn't come up with timelines and direct messages and all that stuff," he said. "I get the purpose of it. It is a useful tool in a way. But a lot of people want to just go there and read what people are saying about them and read this or that. I'd just rather be doing other stuff."

This offseason, that was working out as Loney, who turns 31 in May, reported to camp in noticeably better shape, down only a few pounds from his listed 235 but clearly toned up, reducing his body fat to 12 percent.

That was the product of a workout routine with other big-leaguers, running hills and trails near his San Diego-area home. Also, improved nutrition, some from a structured meal program, some from common sense choices like grilled chicken, vegetables and brown rice several days a week. "Eating right," he said, "and eating at the right times."

Usually his priority is spending time with his wife, Nadia, and 20-month-old son, Jordan, who is constantly bragged about, most recently for dribbling a basketball. Loney also plays the saxophone, sometimes during victory celebrations. And he dabbles in poker enough to win the Players Trust charity tournament in January.

But his real hobby is working on his craft.

While playing smooth defense seems to come naturally, Loney, entering the middle season of a three-year, $21 million deal that was the largest awarded by the current ownership, is constantly working on his hitting.

"I always want to be better," Loney said. "Even if you win MVP, I feel like you still want to be better. That's always my goal in anything. … I hit .290 last year, but if I would have hit .291 I would have felt better."

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He tries to take a simple approach.

"It's such a reaction up there when you're hitting, so my thing is always being ready to hit," he said. "I know I'm not going to get a hit every time, but I feel like I am. I feel like the confidence is there to do that. So that's how I go about it."

The one rap on Loney is that he doesn't hit for enough power, especially for a first baseman — nine home runs last season, never more than 15, and that was in 2007.

"I think there's times where I may swing at a pitch and take my single where somebody else may take that pitch and look for a better pitch; they may get it or they may not," Loney said.

"I just love, if there's hits out there, there's nothing better than hits. So whatever that hit is."

So, no, not really quiet.

Contact Marc Topkin at mtopkin@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Rays.