Randy Niemann – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Randy Niemann put together a solid eight-year run in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher. He showed up in 122 games for several teams from 1979 to 1987.

Born on November 15, 1955, in Scotia, California, the 6-foot-4 pitcher mostly worked as a relief specialist. He came out of the bullpen for the Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, and Minnesota Twins.

Niemann’s biggest highlight came with the 1986 World Series champion New York Mets. He pitched in 31 games that year and joined in the post-season celebration. His journey through pro baseball really showed the kind of dedication and grit it takes to hang around at the highest level, especially if you’re not a superstar.

After he finished playing in 1987 with the Minnesota Twins, Niemann jumped right into coaching and player development. He spent more than twenty years shaping up-and-coming pitchers. His story feels like a lot of journeyman players from the 1980s—guys who kept the league going with hard work and a bit of stubbornness.

Randy Niemann’s Early Life and Baseball Origins

Randy Niemann’s road to the majors started in a little lumber town in Northern California. His family’s working-class background really shaped who he became.

His baseball talent started popping up during high school and college. Scouts began to notice his potential as a left-handed pitcher.

Childhood and Upbringing in Scotia, California

Randal Harold Niemann was born in Scotia, California, a company town run by the Pacific Lumber Company. The place sits about 300 miles north of San Francisco, tucked in coastal Humboldt County.

Randy grew up as the third child and only son of Robert Niemann and Joy Maxine Denney. His mother Joy came from a family with really deep American roots—her ancestor arrived from Woodford, England to New York back in 1679.

The family felt the sting of the Great Depression themselves. Joy’s father, LaVern Edwin Denney, worked as a bulldozer operator on big projects like the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington and the Boulder Dam in Arizona.

During World War II, Joy painted ships in the dry docks along the California coast. She married Robert Niemann on July 28, 1948, and together they raised three kids in that close-knit lumber community.

High School and College Baseball at College of the Redwoods

Randy went to Fortuna High School, where people started noticing his athletic skills. After he graduated, he headed to College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California.

At College of the Redwoods, Randy’s pitching really took off. Scouts from the majors would come out to the junior college games, and he caught their eye.

The college gave Randy the stage he needed to show what he could do. His pitching prowess at that level made all the difference in getting noticed by pro teams.

Randy became one of the rare major leaguers to come from College of the Redwoods. Through 2014, he was still the only player from Fortuna High or College of the Redwoods to reach the majors.

Draft History and Signing with New York Yankees

Randy’s pro baseball journey kicked off with a few draft picks, showing how much his reputation was growing. The Montreal Expos picked him in the fifth round of the January 1974 draft, but he didn’t sign.

The Minnesota Twins picked him in the third round of 1975, but again, Randy turned them down. He waited it out, and the New York Yankees selected him 30th overall in the June 1975 secondary phase draft.

This time, Randy signed with the Yankees. They sent him to their Oneonta affiliate in the short-season Class-A New York-Pennsylvania League.

Mike Ferraro, a former big league third baseman, managed him there and guided Randy through the Yankees’ farm system.

In his first pro season, Randy started eight games. He put up a sharp 2.45 ERA in 55 innings, way better than the league’s 3.49 average, but his team’s weak offense left him with a 3-3 record.

MLB Career Overview and Key Teams

Randy Niemann played eight MLB seasons from 1979 to 1987, pitching in 122 games for five teams. He started out as a promising starter for the Houston Astros, then moved into relief roles with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox.

Houston Astros Years

Niemann made his MLB debut with the Houston Astros on May 20, 1979, after coming up from AAA Charleston. He started against the San Diego Padres, pitched seven innings, and allowed just two runs in a 6-3 win.

He got off to a hot start. In his second outing, he threw a complete game to beat the Cincinnati Reds. Then in his third start, he shut out the Philadelphia Phillies on six hits.

1979 Season Statistics:

• 26 games (7 starts)
• 3-2 record
• 3.76 ERA
• 3 complete games
• 3 shutouts

When the Astros signed Nolan Ryan in 1980, Niemann shifted to a middle relief role. He appeared in 22 games that year, going 0-1 for the NL West champs.

Arm injuries hit him in 1981. He spent that year in the minors and didn’t make any MLB appearances.

Pittsburgh Pirates Stint

The Pirates picked up Niemann as a player to be named later in the Phil Garner trade. His time in Pittsburgh was rough, and he lasted just eight games in 1983.

Niemann struggled to a 9.22 ERA with the Pirates. That led to a demotion back to the minors.

Pittsburgh traded him to the Chicago White Sox for Miguel Dilone in September 1983. That trade gave him a chance to start fresh.

Chicago White Sox Contributions

Niemann’s stint with the Chicago White Sox was pretty short. He only got into five games with the team.

The White Sox mostly used him in relief, and he didn’t get much time to make an impact.

In March 1985, Chicago traded him to the New York Mets for Ken Reed and Gene Autrey, two minor leaguers. That deal ended up helping Niemann, as he joined the Mets’ 1986 World Championship squad.

His brief time with the White Sox wrapped up his American League days before he moved on to New York.

New York Mets and Minnesota Twins Tenure

Randy Niemann spent his last MLB years with the New York Mets in 1985 and 1986. He pitched for a World Series winner, then finished his playing days with the Minnesota Twins in 1987.

Pitching for the New York Mets

The White Sox sent Niemann to the New York Mets in March 1985 for Ken Reed and Gene Autrey. He started out with AAA Tidewater and went 11-6 with a 2.76 ERA.

The Mets called him up in September 1985. He debuted on September 17 against the Phillies, tossing two scoreless innings in relief. He made four appearances that month, giving up no runs in five innings.

During the 1986 championship season, Niemann hit some bumps early. He lost two extra-inning games against Philly and St. Louis, but then he rattled off 13.1 scoreless innings over his next 12 outings.

On May 18, he picked up his first win in four years, pitching three innings of relief against the Dodgers in an 8-4 win. Later, he started against St. Louis on August 17, allowing just one run over six innings in a 9-2 victory.

Niemann pitched in 31 games for the 1986 Mets, finishing 2-3 with a 3.76 ERA. He helped the team win the World Series, though his role shrank as the season went on because of the Mets’ stacked rotation.

Final MLB Season with Minnesota Twins

After the Mets’ championship, Niemann signed with the Minnesota Twins as a free agent on January 16, 1987. This was his last stop as a player.

He spent most of 1987 at AAA Portland and only got into six MLB games that June.

At 33, Niemann wrapped up his playing career after the 1987 season. Over his eight years in the majors, he finished with a 7-8 record, three saves, and a 4.64 ERA in 122 games.

The Minnesota chapter was a quiet way to finish off his time in the big leagues. Just a year after helping the Mets win it all, Niemann found himself with limited chances in the Twins’ system.

Career Highlights, Stats, and Achievements

Randy Niemann played eight MLB seasons from 1979 to 1987, putting up a 4.64 ERA over 122 games for five teams. He had his best years early with Houston, where he notched all of his complete games and shutouts.

Major League Pitching and Batting Statistics

Niemann appeared in 122 MLB games, working mostly out of the bullpen—just 10 of those were starts. He finished with a 7-8 record and a 4.64 ERA over 200 innings.

His best season was 1979 with Houston. At 23, he went 3-2 with a 3.76 ERA in 26 games. That year, he started seven times, threw three complete games, and recorded two shutouts.

Career Pitching Totals:

• Games: 122 (10 starts, 112 relief appearances)
• Win-Loss Record: 7-8 (.467 winning percentage)
• ERA: 4.64
• Strikeouts: 102
• Innings Pitched: 200.0

Niemann’s strikeout-to-walk ratio sat at 1.24, showing some control issues. In eight seasons, he allowed 219 hits and walked 82 batters.

Notable Games and Memorable Performances

Niemann’s best stretch came in 1985 with the Mets. He pitched in four games and didn’t allow a single earned run, putting up a perfect 0.00 ERA over 4.2 innings.

His rookie year in 1979 with Houston brought his only complete games and shutouts. He looked like a possible rotation piece back then.

In 1984 with the White Sox, he had another solid showing. He pitched in five games, posted a 1.69 ERA, and looked like he had better command.

His last MLB season in 1987 with Minnesota was rough. He put up an 8.44 ERA in six games, walking seven hitters in just 5.1 innings.

Career Milestones and Unique Records

Niemann stands out as one of the few players to pitch for five different MLB teams in the 1980s. He moved from Houston to Pittsburgh, Chicago, New York, and finally Minnesota.

He picked up three saves in his career, all in his first three seasons. His last save came in 1982 with Pittsburgh.

That 1979 rookie year was his career highlight. Both of his shutouts that season were also his only complete game wins in the majors.

Niemann’s career spanned two decades, and he pitched in both the National League and American League. In the NL, he posted a 4.61 ERA over 111 games, while his AL numbers were a 5.06 ERA in 11 games.

He finished up his pro career after the 1987 season at age 31, closing the book on eight years in the majors.

Retirement in 1987 and Transition from Playing

Randy Niemann wrapped up his Major League career in 1987 after pitching in six games for the Minnesota Twins. The veteran reliever ended an eight-year MLB run that started with the Houston Astros back in 1979.

Circumstances and Reasons for Retirement

The 1987 season hit Niemann hard. He managed to appear in just six games, and those turned out to be his last.

1987 Season Performance:

• Games pitched: 6
• Total innings: 5.1
• Combined ERA: 16.88
• Strikeouts: Limited opportunities

The stats really show how much he struggled that year. At home, he pitched 4.2 innings over four games with a 5.79 ERA.

On the road, things got rougher. He gave up two earned runs in only 0.2 innings across two appearances.

Control issues cropped up during his final season. He walked six batters in those 4.2 home innings and hit two more across all six games.

These struggles probably led to the Twins limiting his time on the mound. At 31, Niemann realized his playing days were winding down.

His performance was slipping, and opportunities dried up, so retirement just made sense.

Legacy as an MLB Pitcher

Randal Harold Niemann spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, from 1979 to 1987. He took the mound in 122 games, and 112 of those were relief appearances for five different teams.

Career Teams:

• Houston Astros (1979-1980)
• Pittsburgh Pirates
• Chicago White Sox
• New York Mets
• Minnesota Twins (1987)

Niemann’s career really shows what it means to be a journeyman pitcher. He found his spot in the bullpen, adapting to new teams and roles as needed.

He played during a time when baseball, especially relief pitching, was changing fast. Specialization was on the rise, and Niemann rolled with it as best he could.

His time with different franchises gave him a window into how teams operate. That experience ended up helping him a lot once he started coaching.

Post-Playing Career and Contributions to Baseball

After he retired in 1988, Randy Niemann jumped into coaching. He made a real impact with the New York Mets and later the Boston Red Sox, working in the game for decades.

Coaching Roles with New York Mets and Boston Red Sox

Niemann kicked off his coaching career in 1989, working as the pitching coach for the Mets’ rookie league team in Kingsport. He moved up pretty quickly, coaching in Pittsfield in 1990 and then Binghamton in 1992.

His focus on developing players got him noticed. By 1997, the Mets brought him up as their bullpen coach, a job he held for five seasons until 2001.

He returned to the Mets bullpen in 2009 and 2010, which says a lot about how much they trusted him. In 2012, Niemann hit a high point, joining the Boston Red Sox as their pitching coach.

He finished the 2012 season there, calling it a dream come true.

“For me personally, it’s been tremendous. I’ve gotten a chance to do what I’ve always wanted to do my whole life, and that’s to be a pitching coach at the big league level,” Niemann told The Boston Herald in September 2012.

“To actually be able to do this job I’ve trained to do has been really fun.”

Minor League Coaching and St. Louis Cardinals Involvement

Niemann spent a lot of time in minor league baseball, coaching for several organizations. He worked with high-A St. Lucie and Palm Beach, taking the pitching coach job in 2017.

He focused on teaching young pitchers the basics—good mechanics and smart game strategy. At Binghamton in 1993, he noticed his guys were pitching just to avoid contact, not to make quality throws.

“Great strikeout pitchers don’t throw to avoid contact until they get ahead of batters,” Niemann told The Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin.

“Nolan Ryan was in the majors for 10 years before he learned that, and as a result he was only a .500 pitcher until then.”

He learned this firsthand, since he had played with Ryan on the Astros.

Influence on Player Development

Niemann’s coaching went beyond mechanics. He built real relationships with players, drawing on his own struggles—including elbow surgery—to help them grow.

He taught the mental side of pitching, not just the physical part. With 200 innings and 122 big league games under his belt, Niemann knew the pressures pitchers face.

He valued those player relationships most. “I’ve enjoyed that part of it, the relationships with the guys, seeing them get better,” he said while with the Red Sox.

Net Worth, Personal Life, and Legacy

Randal Harold Niemann built a steady financial base during his eight-year MLB run. Coaching kept him in the game and helped him stay connected.

Estimated Net Worth and Career Earnings

Randy Niemann’s net worth sits around $4 million, thanks to his years as a player and coach. He played in the majors from 1979 to 1987, appearing in 122 games for six teams.

Back then, salaries were nowhere near what they are today. Relievers like Niemann didn’t earn the big bucks.

Still, his coaching career brought stability. He spent 24 years with the Mets in a bunch of roles—bullpen coach, minor league instructor, and rehab coordinator.

He left the Mets in 2011, then joined the Red Sox as pitching coach under Bobby Valentine in 2012. Most recently, he worked with the St. Louis Cardinals as a minor league pitching coordinator starting in 2018.

Personal Life Outside Baseball

Randy Niemann was born November 15, 1955, in Scotia, California, to Randall and Maxxine Niemann. He grew up with two sisters in a supportive home.

He married his first wife, Joy Simmons, in 1976. They had three kids—two sons and a daughter.

Family gave him a steady base during all those years in baseball. At six-foot-four and 200 pounds, Niemann cut an imposing figure on the mound.

That size helped him as both a starter and a reliever. After his playing days, he stayed close to the game by coaching.

Helping young players develop turned into the heart of his post-playing career.

Enduring Impact on Baseball Community

Niemann really left his mark on baseball through coaching. He spent more than thirty years working with young pitchers in different organizations.

From 1989 to 2011, he worked with the Mets organization and shaped the careers of so many players. That’s a pretty impressive stretch.

In 2015, the St. Louis Cardinals honored him with the George Kissell Award for excellence in Player development. The award showed just how much he cared about teaching and guiding young athletes.

He played a part in the 1986 World Series championship team, which is still a big deal. That season, Niemann pitched in 31 games for the Mets and helped them in their run for the title.

The book “The Bad Guys Won” even talked about his personality during the wild celebration. He poured champagne all over Mets GM Frank Cashen after they clinched the pennant, which kind of sums up his playful side.

He once said about the team’s rowdy flight home, “It wasn’t just guys destroying a plane. It was guys destroying a plane after an emotional roller coaster.” That quote really says a lot, doesn’t it?