Jeff Niemann ~ SP [R]

[Lets Go Rays]

Jeff Niemann continued his strong bid for the No. 5 starter's job, throwing two more scoreless innings to drop his ERA to 0.82.

Maddon said the biggest key for the 6-foot-9 right-hander is throwing his fastball on a downhill angle. "He's got uncanny command of his off-speed pitches," he said. "Fastball command down with a good angle makes the other pitches even better. If he's doing that, he can be very successful."

Niemann said he plans to just keep doing what he has been doing. "Every time you get a chance to go out there, you have a chance to prove something for yourself and put yourself in a better position," he said.

[love_that_reefer]

Niemann should make the team as the long relief man or the #5 guy if they do in fact start Price at AAA which it looks like they will. When Price comes up, Niemann will go to long relief or be traded.

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Jeff Niemann, who entered with a 0.81 ERA in 11 innings, was torched for nine runs in two-thirds of an inning by the Blue Jays on Friday.
Niemann seemed to have a very good thing going on as a starter. Today, the Rays opted to bring him into the middle of an inning with men on for the first time and the results probably weren't as hoped. We still think Niemann should be the Rays' fifth starter if it's not going to be David Price. If the team wanted him to pitch in relief all along, he should have been put into that role at the beginning of the spring, since it's not something he's ever done regularly.

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Niemann has given up back to back doubles and the score is now 2-1 in the fourth.

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The battle for the fifth spot in the Rays rotation appears to be down to two candidates—RHPs Jason Hammel and Jeff Niemann, with a decision expected by the end of the week. The Rays thinned the field by sending LHP Carlos Hernandez, RHP Mitch Talbot and LHP David Price to the minors.

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RHP Jeff Niemann, vying for that fifth starter spot, was impressive in an intrasquad Triple-A game Monday, throwing six scoreless innings, giving up four hits and no walks, while striking out six. He threw 68 pitches.

“I felt real good today - I was executing everything,” Niemann said. “It’s good to come out here and just kind of work on stuff and sharpen it up and fine-tune everything..Started to feel good with all my pitches, mixing it up well. Pretty much throwing the ball where I want to."

With the rotation spot possibly decided any day now, Niemann said he won't try to control what he can't control, instead just doing the best he can. He smiled, pointed to his Rays hat and said, "Now I've just got to sit here and wait and see if I get to wear this or not. We'll see."

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The pitching-poor Padres have inquired about both candiates for the Rays fifth starter's job, Jason Hammel and Jeff Niemann, which could be a reason the Rays are holding off on making a decision.

But reports regarding Niemann in the San Diego Union-Tribune that the Rays have inquired about prospects Simon Castro, Wynn Pelzer, Juedy Valdez and Nick Schmidt, and that the Padres have "deemed the price too high" are not true, the Times has learned.