I've watched Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeff Niemann try to get people out for the past 10 minutes and I have only one thing to say: I no longer think Brian Bass would clear waivers.
Niemann gave up three balls that left the park in the first inning. Brian Roberts led off the game by bouncing a ball over the center field fence and, after Niemann hit Adam Jones with a pitch, Nick Markakis also hit a ground-rule double to center for a run. When Aubrey Huff walked to load the bases with no one out, Rays manager Joe Maddon went out to give his pitcher a pep talk.
I can tell you from knowing the man for many years that Joe is an excellent motivator. He's also the perfect guy to calm down a hinky pitcher, but this particular trip did not have the desired effect. Two pitches after Maddon returned to the dugout, Melvin Mora launched the ball 400 feet into the Orioles bullpen for a grand slam that gave the O's a 5-0 lead before there was an out in the bottom of the first.
