Following the Chicago Cubs' decision not to exercise the $5-million option on Floyd's contract in early November, the 15-year veteran surfaced on the free-agent market. And with the Rays vocally looking for a veteran left-handed hitter to diversify their lineup, Floyd, who batted .284 with nine home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .373 on-base percentage in 108 games with the Cubs in 2007, caught the eye of several Rays' executives.

Floyd, a .279 career hitter, has been nagged by injuries for much of his career, leading to questions about his ability to stay healthy consistently as he enters the latter stages of his tenure as a professional. In a reduced role, however, sharing at-bats against right-handed pitchers with similarly oft-injured outfielder Rocco Baldelli and Jonny Gomes in right field and at designated hitter, Floyd could help improve the Rays' offense in 2008.

In 322 plate appearances with Chicago, his hometown team, he contributed a 9.6 VORP (Value Over Replacement Player), meaning that he provided the Cubs with just under ten more runs than an average Triple-A player at his position, according to the team audit statistics at Baseball Prospectus.

In perhaps his best season in 2001, as a member of the Florida Marlins, he posted career-high totals in RBIs (103), and runs scored (123), while finishing the season with 31 home runs. Four seasons later with the New York Mets, he hit 34 home runs, the best total of his career, reestablishing himself as a premiere offensive player in the National League.