Niemann's BR Page

What would it take to pry Jeff Niemann from the Rays? They seem to have a shortage of slots in the starting rotation and Niemann is out of options. Would they take someone like Guiterrez or Duffy? Would we be willing to make that trade? He looks to be a pretty solid bet to be at least a middle of the rotation type pitcher and would be under team control for 6 years. This would also allow Tampa to stock their lower minor league system while only losing a seemingly spare part.

9 months ago billybeingbilly 14 comments 0 recs |

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and once again...

i dont know what im doing, but oh well

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Feb 24, 2009 3:39 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/young-guns/

theres another link which is what got me thinking about him in the first place

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Feb 24, 2009 3:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I like Niemann and it would be nice to have him, but I don't know if such a trade would be a good fit for the Royals

While I’m always up for an upgrade to any part of the team, the Royals don’t really have a shortage of #3-5 SP type pitchers. In the short-term, the Royals have Hochevar, Bannister and Davies. Rosa is a MLB-ready option as well. Soon the Royals will have Cortes and/or Wood as solid prospects for that kind of role. So this really isn’t an area of significant need. This is one place where the Royals have meaningful depth.

That being said, I’d probably trade Gutierrez for Niemann. I wouldn’t trade Duffy for him at this point. Many see Duffy as a high upside pitcher, so I wouldn’t be comfortable trading him for a guy like Niemann right now.

In short, I’d do it for the right price, but I wouldn’t be a very motivated buyer.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Feb 24, 2009 3:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

yeah..i can kinda see that...

but I just think he’s a much more likely bet to actually hit that legit #3 starter area. We’d also be getting his peak years which happen to coincide with the royals likely best window of opportunity 2011-2012 or so…

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Feb 24, 2009 4:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

One of the reasons I’m not too jazzed about Niemann is that he’s 26. I’d be more excited to get a younger pitcher and then have him for ages 24-29, rather than from ages 26-31. But he’s a good pitcher. I may well be undervaluing him. I’d give up more than Gutierrez. I’m just not sure exactly how much I’d pay. I have a feeling that some team would be willing to give up a good, MLB-ready position player prospect for him. The Royals can’t match that.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Feb 24, 2009 4:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

when do pitchers typically peak?

i was thinking it was later than position players. Just curious.

Don't Stop Believing!

by KC Chris on Feb 24, 2009 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

he's got injury concerns also

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Feb 24, 2009 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

also....

i tend to agree with you on Duffy having the higher ceiling just based on reading his scouting reports, but most of the prospect ‘experts’ that i’ve read have his ceiling similar to the rest of those guys (Cortes, Guiterrez, etc)…a #3 or so? I wonder what thats all about

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Feb 24, 2009 4:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Duffy

Opinions vary from having a #1 ceiling to having a lower, #3ish ceiling. Baseball America loves him. Many analysts there have described him as a future ace. FWIW, Baseball America really likes Cortes’s ceiling too and sees it as higher than a middle of the rotation guy.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Feb 24, 2009 4:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

personally

ceiling: Gutierrez > Duffy

Gutierrez already has two plus pitches and good command. If the third pitch becomes better than average (he says it’s going good, for what it’s worth), then he could (emphasis on could) be a borderline #1/#2. I don’t see Duffy’s upside quite as high, although he still could be good.

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Feb 24, 2009 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't trade Gutz

just yet. Especially since Niemann is 26, as NY said. If Neimann were younger, I’d maybe be interested in having him. BUT, if he were younger, then we’d be trading a good, healthy, young pitcher for a good youngish pitcher with injury concerns. Would that make sense? I say, nah.

(But then, I don’t know much. Other than I don’t want to trade Gutz.)

WTF, self?

by minda33 on Feb 25, 2009 1:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

a major leaguer for an a ball pitcher with a similar upside though

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Feb 26, 2009 2:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Hammel

Is another guy out of options we could stash in our pen.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 24, 2009 9:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Some Niemann red flags

From Kyle Boddy at Driveline Mechanics, doing a profile of Niemann:

Niemann’s arm action is troublesome, and when you combine it with the overuse that Rice pitchers go through, it’s no wonder that he’s battled injuries throughout his career. I’d expect more of the same, sadly – I predict that he’ll require Tommy John surgery if he continues to pitch professionally without making changes to his arm action.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Feb 26, 2009 5:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs