Rays promote Bloom, Neander to vice presidents

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Rays promoted Chaim Bloom and Erik Neander to vice presidents of baseball operations Friday.

They will assist new president of baseball operations Matt Silverman in all aspects of the department. Silverman replaced Andrew Friedman, who joined the Los Angeles Dodgers this week as the president of baseball operations.

Bloom joined the Rays in February 2005 and become a director of baseball operations in November 2011. His areas of focus have included player development, international scouting, contract negotiation and management of the major league roster.

Neander has spent the last three seasons as a director of baseball operations with an emphasis on player personnel and research and development.