Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Feliz means "Happy" in Texas

No Texas Ranger has ever won an American League Cy Young Award. Oh, Fergie Jenkins finished a distant second to Catfish Hunter back in 1974, but more usually, even when a guy like Little Ricky Helling won 20 games in 1998, he didn't receive a single vote -- Jay fans may remember that as a Roger Clemens unanimous Cy year.

Well, I am here to tell you that all that is about to change. Not this year (sorry, Kevin Millwood) or even in the next couple of years (calm down, Tommy Hunter), but at some point in the next 5-7 years, and I write this without even a hint of hyperbole intended -- young Neftali Feliz will win 20+ games, strike out 300+ batters, maybe toss a no-hitter or two, and be the first Ranger to haul home a Cy to Arlington, Texas.

Feliz, who is just barely 21 ...

... is a 6'3" whippet who touched 101 on the radar gun in his big league debut on Monday night. He struck out the first four big league batters he faced -- making at least two of them look plain silly on at-bat-ending 91 MPH changeups. He retired all six batters he faced in Oakland. (And yes, the Rangers found a way to lose.)

The kid Feliz is for real. I haven't had the sense of pitches on TV being optical illusions since Doc Gooden's mid-1980's curveball, but Feliz is right there. Is he going to turn into Pedro Martinez? Hard to say. Maybe Mariano Rivera? He could, but I doubt the Rangers will be able to resist handing him a 2010 rotation slot.

As Jamey Newberg, the unofficial online voice of the Rangers, wrote just after Feliz's debut, on behalf of Ranger fans everywhere, it's hard to forget that in the Spanish-speaking world, "Feliz" means "happy." That is something young Neftali will make many Ranger fans feel ... for a very long time, one hopes.

Offer me Roy Halladay right now for Feliz straight up and ... yeah, on behalf of the Rangers, I'd probably still do that. But I'd think long and hard!

Cy Young Awards? No-hitters? After one two-inning big league appearance? Okay, maybe a little hyperpole. But keep your eye on North Texas. The heat is rising.

Posted by Mick Doherty on Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 02:02 PM EDT.

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Spifficus - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 02:48 PM EDT (#204082) #

I have to say, it was pretty impressive to watch that debut... Aside from the 4 Ks, the Sweeney grounder was such a ridiculously feeble swing. It was as though he was saying to Feliz "I'm just going to stick my bat out here and hope you throw it there."

I didn't know it was possible to be under-hyped while universally being a top-10 prospect. Is it wrong of me to hope Halladay makes it to Texas on waivers? Feliz could turn into one hell of a PTBNL.

92-93 - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 04:14 PM EDT (#204091) #

I don't see why the team with the best waiver priority wouldn't claim Halladay, so yes I think it's unrealistic to hope he makes it down to Texas.

Jevant - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 04:34 PM EDT (#204092) #

My thought would be that if the Phillies put Drabek off limits, even for Doc, the Rangers would do the same for Feliz.

As a side note, it is absolutely hilarious to me that JA Happ might not even be in the Phillies rotation after Pedro gets called up. So the Phillies kept a guy who doesn't even make their top 5 starters keep them from getting Doc?

I am thrilled we didn't take the Phillies offer, and would have hated if they took ours (if you can actually believe all that stuff that was spewed).

brent - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 05:28 PM EDT (#204093) #

BJ Ryan has been released from the Cubs. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/cubs-release-bj-ryan.html

Snider perhaps can't be called up until August 20th risk free. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/super-two-update-maybin-snider.html

Spifficus - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 05:49 PM EDT (#204096) #

Mick, what's the mood there on Feliz' eventual role? There seems to be significant speculation that he'll be a closer, but I hope that's just the chattering class and that the organization is just treating him like Price this year. He has a legit 3 pitch arsenal, which can afford to play down a couple ticks and still be devistating (as opposed to ungodly). From what I saw, he wasn't the lanky, get blown over in a breeze sort that I was expecting - he had actual muscle mass, which Grieve and Lewin were mentioning.

Spifficus - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 08:56 PM EDT (#204112) #

I think it's unrealistic to hope he makes it down to Texas.

It was a moral question as opposed to a question of practicality.

Mick Doherty - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 10:40 PM EDT (#204119) #

Mick, what's the mood there on Feliz' eventual role?

I think the feeling is his role needs to be "perpetual All-Star and first-ballot Hall of Famer.' But seriously, you nail it with the Price comparison, though frankly, Feliz looks better than that to me. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a trial run through the rotation in September if the Rangers are not in the race any more, or earlier if someone gets hurt. He will be the #3 or #4 starter next year and the #1 by 2011.

metafour - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 11:07 PM EDT (#204121) #

Yawn.

Is this the same guy that has a 3.5 ERA and under 9 K's/9 innings this year in AAA? Feliz is good, but LMFAO @ writing all that because he had a good first game. Hooray. Brandon League looks like the most unhittable pitcher in baseball every once in a while; now I'm not suggesting that Feliz = League, but at least wait mor than one game before you wet yout pants.

Spifficus - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 11:08 PM EDT (#204122) #

Heh. My favorite role. Pretty good for a guy who just looks like his playing catch.

Not sure if the September thing would be able to happen, though (as much as I'd love to see it). I don't think there's enough time to get him stretched back out. His first start would probably be a mandatory vacation day just to watch the spectacle.

Yup. Definate man-crush.

Spifficus - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 11:16 PM EDT (#204123) #

How about 79 previous games, with a 10.6k/9 IP? A 3.49 ERA, 8.7k/9, less than a hit an inning, and in 77 innings there, 2 HRs allowed... turning 21 a month into the season... an age where Price was still a Junior?

Or if you like stuff, a mid-upper 90s fastball sustainable late into games (according to reports I've read), a plus splitter, and a slider that flashes plus but needs refinement? He's not perfect - he still needs to become more consistent with the breaking ball and work on his command, but it's a special arm with the performance to back it up.

Spifficus - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 11:21 PM EDT (#204124) #

Not sure if you were pulling chains, metafour... I get defensive from the notion of another pitcher possibly frustrating me as much as League. I know he's pitching awesome now, but I remember the bad times and they cause cold sweats and shivers.

Mick Doherty - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 11:59 PM EDT (#204127) #

Um ... oooohkay. Feliz just trotted in from the 'pen two minutes ago for his second appearance, with a man on second and two outs in Oakland. On his second pitch, noted slugger Adam Kennedy delivered the ball deep into the right field bleachers. <<<sigh>>> There goes the career 0.00 ERA!

Spifficus - Wednesday, August 05 2009 @ 11:59 PM EDT (#204128) #

I guess he'll also have to get used to pitching with runners on base... at least occasionally.

Spifficus - Thursday, August 06 2009 @ 12:03 AM EDT (#204129) #

There goes the career 0.00 ERA!

At least it wasn't all bad - he gave up an inherited runner for Padilla. I see no problem with this.

zeppelinkm - Thursday, August 06 2009 @ 11:41 AM EDT (#204145) #

I like the fact that his go to off speed pitch is a change up. It bodes well for his longevity as the wear on his arm from throwing a change up is considerably less than a curveball or slider.

I don't understand why all minor league programs across the world don't teach their kids how to throw a change up when they start asking about the curveball. Everyone would better off.

I'm starting to think Feliz + Smoak + random other prospect would have been a good return package for Halladay. Not the quantity of the Bedard trade, but the quality trumps it with ease.

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