Jeff Niemann

Infobox MLB player
name = Jeff Niemann


width =
caption =
team = Tampa Bay Rays
number = 34
position = Starting pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1983|2|28
birthplace = city-state|Houston|Texas
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = April 13
debutyear = 2008
debutteam = Tampa Bay Rays
statyear = September 21, 2008
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 1-1
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 5.06
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 7
teams =
*Tampa Bay Rays (by|2008-present)

Jeffrey Warren Niemann (born February 28, 1983 in Houston, Texas) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.

College

Niemann, who stands 6-foot-9, was the fourth starter for Rice University in his freshman season of by|2002, usually starting midweek non-conference games. He posted a 5-1 record with a 3.11 ERA, including a victory over Washington in the decisive seventh game of the 2003 NCAA regional at Rice's Reckling Park. In by|2003, he stepped into Rice's weekend rotation and quickly became the nation's most dominant pitcher. He finished the season 17-0 with a 1.70 ERA and 156 strikeouts, being named Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, a consensus first-team all-American, and a finalist for the Rotary Smith Award in helping Rice to its first national championship. Niemann battled injuries as a junior in by|2004, but still went 6-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 11 starts, including a complete game victory over Texas A&M in the NCAA regional. The entire Rice weekend rotation, including Philip Humber, Wade Townsend, and Niemann, were all selected in the first eight picks of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft - the first time three teammates had ever gone so early in the same draft.

Professional

Niemann was the Devil Rays' first-round draft pick out of Rice University in 2004 as the fourth overall pick. He signed a major league contract in January by|2005 worth $5.2 million. Niemann opened the 2005 season at Single-A Advanced Visalia, where he went 0-1 with a 3.98 ERA in five starts. After a promotion to the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits, he went 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA in six appearances, including three starts. He had offseason surgery in 2005 to shave the joint between his collarbone and shoulder and returned to Montgomery in by|2006. Flanked in the rotation by starting pitchers Andy Sonnanstine and Mitch Talbot during the Southern League playoffs, Niemann helped lead the Biscuits to the 2006 championship. Following the 2006 season, Baseball America named Niemann the Devil Rays' fourth-best prospect, following Delmon Young, Evan Longoria, and Reid Brignac; they also said Niemann possessed the best slider of any pitcher in the Devil Rays' organization. [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/262834.html BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: Top 10 Prospects: Tampa Bay Devil Rays ] ]

Niemann spent the by|2007 season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls. In 25 appearances, all starts, he compiled a 12-6 record and a 3.98 ERA. He was selected to the All-Star Futures Game.

Niemann made his major league debut on April 13, mlby|2008, against the Baltimore Orioles, pitching 6 innings en route to his first career win.

On April 20, 2008, Niemann was optioned to the Durham Bulls, the Rays' Triple-A affiliate. [ [http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080420&content_id=2562168&vkey=news_tb&fext=.jsp&c_id=tb Niemann optioned to Triple-A Durham | raysbaseball.com: News ] ]

References

External links

* [http://mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=435298 Official bio]
* [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Jeff%20Niemann&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=435298 2006 Minor League stats]