Back to the Rays Report

Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

 @RMooneyTrib
 TBO_Rays
Send us your questions

More Links:

• Schedule/Results
• Player Stats
• Team Stats

Most Recent Entries

• Rays-BoSox in rain delay
• Davis named new girls basketball coach at Jefferson
• Collect call: 2013 Leaf Draft football
• Brooks-DeBartolo hires new girls basketball coach
• Rays 2 BoSox: Myers batting 6th, Longo back at 3B for Game 1
• Familiarity breeds confidence for Bucs
• Collect call: 2013 Bowman football
• Rays’ Myers is Bowman’s fifth lucky redemption
• Basketball showcase tonight at Berkeley Prep
• Archer, Odorizzi for doubleheader in Boston means lots of starts by rookies on this trip
• Gaither QB commits to FIU
• Gaither QB commits to FIU
• Rays v KC: Cobb tries to right the ship, Johnson dropped in the order
• Collect call: 2013 Topps Archives baseball
• Rays v KC: Moore tries to rebound

Monthly Archives

• June 2013
• May 2013
• April 2013
• March 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013

Niemann ready to join the fun

Posted Apr 12, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated Apr 12, 2012 at 10:00 AM

ROGER MOONEY
DETROIT Jeff Niemann finally gets a chance to play in a game this year when he makes his first start of the season this afternoon during the finale of this three-game series with the Tigers at sun-drenched Comerica Park.

He is the last Ray to see the field.

“I’m anxious to go out there and get the first one under my belt. Keep on rolling,” Niemann said. “They’ve got some guys in the middle there that can obviously do some damage. And the rest of their hitters are pretty solid. I just have to go out there and make my pitches.”

Niemann said the blister on his right middle finger that caused him to miss a start in spring training is no longer an issue. He pitched in the “Future Rays” game last Wednesday and threw a pair of bullpens in anticipation of today’s start.

“It’s normal,” he said. “I think being in the cold is actually going to help, because I won’t get as sweaty. It’s not going to create the softness in the skin, so it’s going to be dry. Everything should be OK.”

Niemann faces lefty Drew Smyly, who is making his major league debut.