Well, I have spent an inordinate amount of time complaining about my favorite team and the decisions they have made. Here is a card of one of their better choices, Jeff Niemann. They used their 1st round pick in 2004, the 4th overall and signed the very tall (6’9”) right hander out of Rice. Niemann fell into the 5th spot in the rotation after the trades of Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel and responded with a stellar season. He was voted by the Tampa Bay Area sports writers as their unanimous selection for Rays rookie of the year, beating out the much more hyped David Price for the team honor. Considering that he didn’t “make” the team until the final day of spring training, Niemann had one heck of a year. He led the team in wins with 13, ERA with 3.94 and shutouts with 2. Overall in 30 starts he finished with 180 innings and a 13-6 record and 125 strikeouts. He is still one of the leading candidates for the American League Rookie of the Year and assuming he can avoid the “sophomore slump” the Rays expect a huge year from him next year. This is my first Niemann autograph, I struck out with him this year and last with TTM requests, but fortunately when the Mojo Hand pulled this gem, he thought of me.
The card is from the 2008 Topps Stadium Club set, card #159 and the autograph, although a little sloppy is ON CARD and not a stupid sticker! Thanks so much Mojo! I love it! I was in the process of a seriously bad day when I found the envelope from you in the mailbox. Thanks!!! Go Rays! Troll out.
Well, I have spent an inordinate amount of time complaining about my favorite team and the decisions they have made. Here is a card of one of their better choices, Jeff Niemann. They used their 1st round pick in 2004, the 4th overall and signed the very tall (6’9”) right hander out of Rice. Niemann fell into the 5th spot in the rotation after the trades of Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel and responded with a stellar season. He was voted by the Tampa Bay Area sports writers as their unanimous selection for Rays rookie of the year, beating out the much more hyped David Price for the team honor. Considering that he didn’t “make” the team until the final day of spring training, Niemann had one heck of a year. He led the team in wins with 13, ERA with 3.94 and shutouts with 2. Overall in 30 starts he finished with 180 innings and a 13-6 record and 125 strikeouts. He is still one of the leading candidates for the American League Rookie of the Year and assuming he can avoid the “sophomore slump” the Rays expect a huge year from him next year. This is my first Niemann autograph, I struck out with him this year and last with TTM requests, but fortunately when the Mojo Hand pulled this gem, he thought of me. 
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