Jeff Niemann reflects on lacklustre performance after Tampa Bay Rays crash to Texas Rangers 8-0
Tampa Bay Rays’ starter, Jeff Niemann, took the opportunity in a post game press address to reflect on his lacklustre performance against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, September 6. The Rays and the Rangers went in to the second game of a three-game series
at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay, looking for victory.
The Rays had the home advantage and a one game lead but that did not falter the Texas offence from beating down on Niemann. The Tampa Bay hurler was punished severely as he lasted 4.2 innings, conceding nine hits and seven runs. The player was eventually
replaced by Cesar Ramos. His earning runs average was 4.07 and manager Joe Maddon made it clear that the starter had a pretty rough day.
The Rangers brought on C. J. Wilson for pitching duty and he made a spectacle of the Tampa Bay offence as the team was shut-out in dominating fashion. That was something similar to James Shields performance on Monday. The Rays pitcher completed a full game
against the Texans, allowing his side to take the match with a 5-1 victory.
Niemann realised the Ranger’s offensive strength today and he was open about it, in front of the reporters.
"That's one of the better lineups you're going to face," Niemann said. "It just makes what [James] Shields has done that much more impressive, to see him go out there and make it look easy like that. That's running out a quality lineup, one through nine."
Niemann has nine wins and seven losses in the season, thus far. His ERA is 4.07, which is not that bad for a regular starter in the American League East. Tuesday’s fixture was surely a bad outing for the ace.
"I was falling behind a lot of those guys, putting myself in pretty bad counts, hitter's counts early on," Niemann said. "That was a struggle for me early [Tuesday]."
Niemann has a lot of potential and the Rays will surely overlook his recent performance against the Rangers.
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