Comments on: Report: The Rockies have checked in with the Rays about Jeff Niemann http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/ Baseball. Baseball. And then a bit more baseball. Mon, 20 May 2013 17:55:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: brianabbe http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-447411 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:11:06 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-447411 tuberippin – I’ll take an educated guess that a player who was drafted in June 2008 and made his MLB debut 15 months later is probably going to develop anywhere he plays. You may have an argument if the Giants made significant mechanical adjustments or changes in approach, but neither seems to be the case. Talent simply won the day, and that almost always plays anywhere.

]]> By: tuberippin http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-447323 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 03:22:18 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-447323 No, but you’re actually misconstruing what I wrote. Calling Tampa’s farm system skills into question wasn’t my intention, but since you brought it up, I will play Devil’s (no pun intended) Advocate for a moment:

- Reid Brignac
- Elijah Dukes
- The aforementioned debacle with Hamilton
- Delmon Young
- Tim Beckham at present
- Dewon Brazelton
- can make a case for Wade Townsend, though it was more injuries than anything with him.

No ball club is infallible, nor immune to the frailties of the human character and physique. My point is that it’s not automatic that you can just place a talented player on any team and the production will remain the same. To believe such a notion is generally asinine.

]]> By: onermedboxer http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-447249 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 23:22:27 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-447249 Are you actually calling into question Tampa’s ability to develop talent?

]]> By: tuberippin http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-447144 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:01:44 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-447144 There’s no guarantee that Posey would have panned out in the manner he has out in San Francisco. Let’s not forget that Tampa is the team that drafted Josh Hamilton and got nothing out of it.

]]> By: brianabbe http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-446959 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 04:45:42 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-446959 Catcher wouldn’t be such an issue for the Rays had they taken Posey, the consensus top pick in ’08, instead of Beckham. Just think, they could be averaging 17,000 fans a night with a championship, instead of averaging 17,000 fans a night as a contender.

]]> By: raysfan1 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-446954 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 04:30:04 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-446954 Was thinking more platooning the OF and DH as they still need someone who can hit lefties.

]]> By: tuberippin http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-446935 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 01:25:04 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-446935 I dunno. They seem pretty set with Matt Joyce, Wil Myers, and Desmond Jennings in the OF, plus Zobrist’s ability to play LF/RF if necessary

]]> By: againsville http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-446873 Sat, 23 Feb 2013 19:58:29 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-446873 I’d prefer Rosario, but wouldn’t complain about cargonz

]]> By: raysfan1 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/23/report-the-rockies-have-checked-in-with-the-rays-about-jeff-niemann/comment-page-1/#comment-446864 Sat, 23 Feb 2013 18:59:33 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=299819#comment-446864 Niemann straight up for Carlos Gonzales! (Hey, I’m allowed my deluded dreams, right?)

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