Neftali Feliz voted AL Rookie of the Month

Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz has been voted the September recipient of the Gillette presents American League Rookie of the Month Award.

Feliz, who went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 11 appearances in September, converted each of his six save opportunities while fanning 12 batters over 11.1 innings pitched. The 22-year-old right-hander permitted just three hits with two walks and held opposing batters to a .081 batting average and a .128 on-base percentage. In 7.0 innings pitched from September 1st-22nd, Feliz surrendered just one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts while recording four saves. On September 25th at Oakland, Feliz closed out a 4-3 Rangers victory with his 38th

save of the season as the club clinched their first A.L. West Division title since 1999. The Azua, Dominican Republic native recorded his 40th save of the season on October 2nd, the most by any rookie in Major League history. Feliz was already the youngest pitcher ever with a 30-save season. The 40 saves is tied for fourth-most in a single season in Rangers history, and the most since Francisco Cordero had a club-record 49 saves in 2004. Feliz recorded saves against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on September 22nd, September 30th and October 2nd, and had saves in each of the club’s 10 victories against the Angels this season. It marked the most saves by any Texas pitcher against any team in any season, and he is just the third pitcher ever with a double-digit save total against an opponent in a single season. Neftali went 4-3 with a 2.73 ERA in the 2010 regular season while converting 40 of 43 save opportunities. In 69.1 innings pitched, he allowed just 43 hits with 18 walks and 71 strikeouts while holding opposing hitters to a .176 batting average. Feliz closed out the season with a 16.1 consecutive scoreless innings over his last 16 games dating back to August 23rd.

Other rookies receiving votes included Danny Valencia (.310, 5 HR, 17 RBI) of the Twins; Kansas City’s Kila Ka’aihue (.274, 6 HR, 18 RBI); Baltimore’s Brian Matusz (2-0, 1.89 ERA, 19.0 IP, 17 SO); Chris Sale (2-0, 1.46 ERA, 3 SV, 11 G, 12.1 IP, 14 SO) of the White Sox; Detroit’s Daniel Schlereth (1-0, 1.42 ERA, 1 SV, 8 G, 6.1 IP, 7 SO); and Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin (4-1, 5.02, 1 CG, 37.2 IP, 27 SO).

Feliz will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, to commemorate his Rookie of the Month performance.

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