James Loney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids James Loney |
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Loney with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: May 7, 1984 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: April 4, 2006, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| KBO: July 27, 2017, for the LG Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 2, 2016, for the New York Mets | |||
| KBO: August 25, 2017, for the LG Twins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .284 | ||
| Home runs | 108 | ||
| Runs batted in | 669 | ||
| KBO statistics | |||
| Batting average | .278 | ||
| Home runs | 3 | ||
| Runs batted in | 12 | ||
| Teams | |||
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James Anthony Loney (born May 7, 1984) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and New York Mets. He also played in the KBO League for the LG Twins.
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Early Baseball Days
James Anthony Loney was born on May 7, 1984, in Houston, Texas. His father, Tony, was a computer programmer. His mother, Annie, was a teacher. James also has a younger brother named Anthony.
James played baseball as a kid in a program called Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities. He went to Elkins High School. His coach there was Rick Carpenter, who is the father of baseball player Matt Carpenter.
High School Success
In James's final year of high school, his team was ranked number one in the country. This ranking came from Baseball America. They also won the 5A state championship. James was a great pitcher that season, with a 12–1 record. He also hit very well, with a .500 batting average. He hit eight home runs and had 58 runs batted in (RBIs).
Because of his amazing performance, James was named to the Texas Sports Writers Association 5A all-state team. He also won the Powerade and Gatorade Player of the Year awards.
Choosing Professional Baseball
Many professional teams were interested in James because of his pitching skills. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers chose him in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. They picked him as a position player, not a pitcher. James had planned to play college baseball at Baylor University. But he decided to sign a professional contract instead.
Professional Baseball Career
James Loney started his professional career in 2002. He played for the Great Falls Dodgers. He hit very well, with a .371 batting average. Baseball America called him the best new player in the Pioneer League. He also played a few games for the Single-A Vero Beach team.
In 2003, he returned to Vero Beach. He played 125 games and hit .276. He was listed as one of the top 100 young players in baseball. In 2004, James was known for his excellent defense. He was even named to the All-Prospect Team by league managers.
In 2006, James played for the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. He had the best batting average in all of baseball that year, hitting .380. He was named the Dodgers Minor League Player of the Year. He was also chosen as the best first baseman for Triple-A teams by Baseball America.
Playing in the Major Leagues
James Loney made his first appearance in Major League Baseball (MLB) on April 4, 2006. This happened when the Dodgers' starting first baseman was injured. In his very first time at bat, James got a single hit. This was against pitcher John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves.
On September 28, James had an amazing game against the Colorado Rockies. He got four hits in five tries and had nine runs batted in (RBIs). This tied a 56-year record for the Dodgers for most RBIs in a single game. The record was held by Gil Hodges.
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James started the 2007 season in Triple-A. But he was called back up to the Dodgers in June. He became the team's main first baseman. In September 2007, James hit nine home runs. This set a new Dodgers record for a rookie in one month. He was named the National League Rookie of the Month for September. He was also chosen for the 2007 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team.
In 2008, James continued as the starting first baseman. He had a 15-game hitting streak. He finished the season hitting .289 with 13 home runs and 90 RBIs. He led the team in RBIs for the whole year. In the playoffs, on October 1, 2008, James hit a grand slam home run. This helped the Dodgers win their playoff game.
James played 158 games in 2009, hitting .281 with 13 home runs. In 2010, he played 160 games, hitting 10 home runs and 88 RBIs. On September 16, 2011, James hit a three-run home run as a pinch hitter. The next day, he hit another three-run homer. He also got a career-high five hits in one game on September 18. He finished the 2011 season hitting .288 with 12 home runs.
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In 2012, James's performance dipped a bit. He hit .254 with 4 home runs and 33 RBIs in 114 games with the Dodgers. He started sharing the first base position with another player.
Moving to Other Teams
On August 25, 2012, James was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He played 30 games with them, hitting .240.
On December 6, 2012, James signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. This was a great move for him and the team. He hit .299 with 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. These were his best numbers since his rookie year. On July 23, 2013, James got his 1,000th career hit while playing against his old team, the Red Sox.
Because of his good performance, James signed a new three-year contract with the Rays in December 2013. In 2014, he hit .290 with 9 home runs and 69 RBIs. He also played in 600 at-bats for the first time in his career.
In 2015, James played in fewer games because of injuries. His hitting numbers were lower that year. In March 2016, the Rays decided not to keep him on their team.
James then signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres in April 2016. He played 43 games for their Triple-A team.
On May 28, 2016, James was traded to the New York Mets. He played 100 games with the Mets, starting 88 of them. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2017, James signed minor league contracts with the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers. He also signed with the Atlanta Braves for a short time.
Later in 2017, James signed with the LG Twins in the KBO League in South Korea. He played 23 games there before being sent to their minor league team. He decided to leave South Korea and return to the United States.
On February 5, 2019, James signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters. This team is part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He was going to be an infielder, pitcher, and even a player-coach. However, after playing just 11 games, James announced his retirement from professional baseball on May 7, 2019.
Personal Life
James Loney married his wife, Nadia, in 2013. They have two sons together. During the baseball off-season, they live in Los Angeles, California.
See also
In Spanish: James Loney para niños
