News
Niemann aims to right the ship vs. Mariners
Tampa Bay (77-73) vs. Seattle (77-72), 7:08 p.m. ET
By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com
09/20/09 5:51 PM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- The consistency with which Jeff Niemann has gone about his business this season has managed to get him slightly overshadowed when he's done well. It's notable when he has struggled. A rough outing against Baltimore last Tuesday -- just the third time since May 2 he's allowed more than four earned runs -- represented that anomaly. Niemann, Tampa Bay's leader in wins and ERA this season, was unable to make the in-game modifications that have helped him all year. "We couldn't make the adjustment, that was the biggest thing," Niemann said. "We've been able to make adjustments pretty quick and we weren't. It kind of just lingered." It was Niemann's first loss since July 26, and it snapped a string of three consecutive starts in which he allowed two runs or fewer. It came at an unfortunate time, too, since the Rays had just snapped their 11-game losing streak with a win the night before. Rays manager Joe Maddon recalled Niemann struggled in his start against Toronto on Aug. 24, in which he allowed six runs in the first three innings but stifled the Blue Jays after that to earn the win. But he couldn't recall many others. "After that, I don't know if he's even had a bad start," Maddon said. Niemann's outing against the Orioles was especially frustrating because it seemed like an ample opportunity for a win, since Tampa Bay had given him a 5-0 lead after the third inning. "You get the five-run lead and it goes away," Maddon said. "But [he's a] young man, still a work in progress, he's not going to be perfect -- nobody is. He just did not seem right there." But that seems more the exception than the rule for Niemann this season, and the rookie right-hander feels confident he can make the adjustment. As the season has rolled along, Niemann has proven able to fine-tune his game and rebound from poor outings. He's 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in starts after a loss this year. Niemann couldn't make the in-game adjustments against Baltimore, but he's focused on making the in-between-starts adjustments in preparing for Seattle on Tuesday. "Early in the season, you're trying to figure out what you need to do," Niemann said. "Now you know the adjustments you need to make, you've just got to do them. We weren't able to actually do them last start." Pitching matchupTB: RHP Jeff Niemann (12-6, 3.80 ERA)
Niemann got roughed up Tuesday night against the Orioles, when he allowed six runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings to take his sixth loss of the season. Regardless of the outing, Niemann remains a solid candidate for American League Rookie of the Year Award honors, as he leads the staff in wins and ERA. Because Niemann stands 6-foot-9, his arm action creates a difficult downward angle for opposing hitters. Niemann is 1-0 with a 4.63 ERA in two career starts against the Mariners; he is 6-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 12 career appearances -- 11 have been starts -- at Tropicana Field. SEA: LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (4-3, 3.59 ERA)
The left-hander is emerging as a very reliable No. 2 starter behind Felix Hernandez. Rowland-Smith allowed just one run against Chicago over eight innings in his last start, his fourth consecutive outing of seven innings or more. The White Sox only run came on a homer by Gordon Beckham in the eighth. The Aussie has faced the Rays once this season, an 11-2 win in which he allowed two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. Tidbits
Maddon said the rotation he set for this week (with Niemann and Wade Davis facing Seattle) was made primarily so Davis could get three starts before the end of the season. With Tampa Bay's two off-days this week, Maddon had the chance to play around with extra rest days for Davis, who threw 124 pitches in his last start. But he decided to give the rookie the start on Wednesday. "By doing it this way, Wade gets three starts," Maddon said. The rotation will likely stay the same the rest of the season. ... Pat Burrell's three hits on Sunday were a season high. Willy Aybar also set a career high with his 11th home run. ... Carl Crawford is hitting .355 in his career against Seattle, second all-time behind Rod Carew (.356) with a minimum of 200 plate appearances. Tickets
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• Wednesday: Rays (Andy Sonnanstine, 6-9, 6.82) vs. Mariners (Brandon Morrow, 1-4, 5.08), 7:08 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Rays (James Shields, 10-11, 4.09) at Rangers (Derek Holland, 7-11, 6.17), 8:05 p.m. ET
Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
