Niemann bounces back

ROGER MOONEY
rmooney@bradenton.com

PORT CHARLOTTE - If Jeff Niemann is still in the running for the fifth spot in the rotation than the big right-hander improved his chances Wednesday night with a solid four innings in the Rays 4-2 victory against the Pirates in front of another sell-out at Charlotte Sports Park.

Niemann allowed a run on five hits but did not walk a batter. It was a nice rebound from his last outing when he allowed nine runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Blue Jays.

“I still have no idea what’s going on,” Niemann said. “I just needed to go out there and throw strikes and turn in a good one. I felt pretty good about it. I just wanted to do my best to give me the nod. Eventually one of us is going to have to close the door on it.”

Niemann is competing with Jason Hammel, who was disappointed when he allowed four runs and walked five in four innings against the Pirates on Monday.
Hammel is scheduled to start again Sunday.

“It’s tough, we’re looking at them both,” Maddon said. “It’s tough to narrow them down. I like what Jeff did (against the Pirates), and we’ll see how Hammer comes out in a couple of days.”

The runner-up will head to the bullpen as the long man. The winner will earn the starting job because of his ability to command his fastball and throw strikes.
That’s what Niemann did against the Pirates.

“He did what we were talking about,” Maddon said. “Much better down in the zone with his fastball. Really good command of his off-speed pitches, which he normally has. That’s what we’ve been looking for, that kind of a performance.”

Ruggiano still in picture
Justin Ruggiano was one of five players optioned to Triple A Durham on Wednesday, but he could be back for Opening Day to replace B.J. Upton, who will begin the season on the disabled list.

Rays vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman said Ruggiano was sent to minor league camp so he can begin playing nine innings every day.

“For us (Ruggiano is) at a point where he's able to go out and play nine innings. We've built him up. And it's going to be hard to do here on a consistent basis,” Friedman said. “If B.J. starts the year on the DL, we could still recall him. We still have options of which way we want to go. So the biggest thing for him is to go down and play nine innings and get regular at-bats. He was very impressive this spring and did everything that we asked of him. And we didn't send him out today for any other reason than to go out and play every day. he may replace B.J. if B.J. starts on the DL and he may not. And we still have that flexibility.”

Team USA returns
J.P. Howell and Evan Longoria returned to the Rays on Wednesday after playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Howell was with the team from the start, while Longoria joined them in time for the WBC semifinal loss to Japan.

“It was nice to see the guys you play against to see how they are,” Howell said. “You wonder what they’re like a little bit. They’re just like us, obviously. So it’s just nice to get in there and see their routines and how they work out and how professionally they are.”

Howell threw 3 1/3 innings during the tournament, which is fewer innings than he would have thrown if he had remained with the Rays. Still, he doesn’t feel he is behind.

“For me, after last year that was good,” he said. “I got in there, got to let it go a few times. As time went on, I was looking for my velocity to increase as time went on and that’s what it was, and that’s the whole point of spring training is to pace yourself, and I was put into situations where I could do that. It was a good situation for me.”

Howell also said he order 50 Team USA t-shirts for his Rays teammates.
Longoria enjoyed the experience, even if it was short. He played in just one game, striking out in his lone at-bat, a pinch-hitting role.

“I was ready to hit, and (USA manager Davey Johnson) said, ‘You’re hitting.’ I was like, ‘When?” He said, ‘Now.’ I was kind of a scramble to get up there, but I thought I did a decent job,” Longoria said. “He made a couple of good pitches. After the first pitch was a ball I had a good feeling about the at-bat. I just got one pitch to hit and missed it, but, that’s the way it goes.”

Aki returns soon
Akinori Iwamura, the second baseman for the WBC champion Japnesse, is expected to join the Rays on Thursday when he will finally report to camp.

Maddon expects Iwamura to play Friday when the Rays travel to Fort Myers for a game against the Twins.

Maddon expects to have his starting infield together Saturday against the Reds.

Pitching good
Troy Percival pitched another hitless innings in Wednesday’s win against the Pirates. The Rays closer has not allowed a hit in five innings this spring. Dan Wheeler, Joe Nelson and J.P. Howell each pitched an inning of scoreless relief. Jason Isringhausen allowed two hits and run in his one inning.

NOTEWORTHY
Catcher Shawn Riggans became the first Ray to play nine innings. He did that Wednesday so he could catch all the relief pitchers … Adam Kennedy hit his first home run of the spring. The second baseman will play left field Thursday night when the Rays face the Tigers in Lakeland … Matt Joyce played right field during the ninth inning. He is scheduled to start in center field Thursday night in Lakeland … Also optioned to Durham were infielders Reid Brignac and Elliot Johnson and catcher John Jaso … B.J. Upton is scheduled to play five innings of a minor league game Thursday.