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Feliz

This is probably a FanShot, but fangraphs has a writeup on Neftali's performance last night.

 link

You know you have a special talent on the mound when nobody can decide what pitches he throws. His velocity is so high on every pitch that it frustrates the standard definitions. Just another bright piece to the Rangers' future.

Also note the reaction of the Altlanta fans. Very funny.



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Thanks for that link

My first impression from watching him last night is that this guy has the goods to be an ace, and pretty quickly. The changeup & breaking ball looked FAR more advanced than I had been led to believe. No way you stick him in the bullpen permanently.

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Aug 4, 2009 10:09 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I saw

him pitch several times last year at Frisco. I commented to Brett a few days ago that I believe that ppl are confusing mediocrity with inconsistency when it comes to his offspeed offerings. They have terrific action just sometimes he either telegraphs the changeup or pulls the curve across his body (easy to do with his arm slot). His secondary stuff is good and his fastball, IMO, is one of the top 5 fastballs in league as of the 6th inning last night.

I know sometimes fans are seduced by hyperbole but by this time next year his fastball could be thought of as the best pitch in baseball.

You are obsessed with bodily wastes A turd being held under my nose, this team being a steaming pile, Jonny Donuts having a stinky diaper, the front office pissing themselves, the team crapping the bed…

I think you should seek counselling.

(AJM to Josey Donuts)

by Michael Cave on Aug 4, 2009 10:14 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

kudos to the Ranger development folks

Again, going off only one ML outing here, but this guy looked like a pitcher last night, rather than just a live arm. Located in & out of the zone, on both sides of the plate and worked in both secondary offerings like an experienced vet. Looks like they have done a nice job developing his natural talent.

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Aug 4, 2009 10:31 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

What I've been saying for about two months.

Kneejerkers here be damned…his secondaries are far too good, but still need further refining.

He was never going to be pigeonholed into a BP role, never.

"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.

by Rodney on Aug 4, 2009 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

That slider was nice too

I think it was in the low 80s (I only recall one). If that pitch is as solid as it looked he could be damn near unhittable.

Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

by WyoRanger on Aug 4, 2009 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

i think they had it at 82

with his fastball at 97-100, i agree, that slider could get him a ton of strikeouts.

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Aug 4, 2009 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

its likely more of a curve seeing how its a 20 MPH difference, but i think he calls it a slider

but if he drops that thing in the zone, hitters are going to have a very tough time. There is very little chance they even attempt to swing at that after seeing him throw 100

"The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down"

by blalock84 on Aug 4, 2009 8:50 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

That was the guy everyone here was okay with if traded...............................

……………………………………………………………………..

by tyd3311 on Aug 4, 2009 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Huh?

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 4, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

95% of trades proposed here for Halladay started with the name Feliz.

Most were sure they’d rather give up Feliz over Holland, Smoak, and Perez.

by tyd3311 on Aug 4, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

2010

After this past week or so, I like my chances in 2010 with Holland, Feliz and Smoak rather than just one of those 3 and Halladay.

by Jack Nicholson 1974 on Aug 4, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ill definitely admit it

If we had to include one of those 4 i was also proposing the inclusion of Feliz. However, I was hoping we didnt trade anyone.

Just think that by this time next yr Feliz and Holland will be in the rotation with Smoak in the lineup at DH or 1B and hopefully Perez dominating AA

You are obsessed with bodily wastes A turd being held under my nose, this team being a steaming pile, Jonny Donuts having a stinky diaper, the front office pissing themselves, the team crapping the bed…

I think you should seek counselling.

(AJM to Josey Donuts)

by Michael Cave on Aug 4, 2009 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'd say 95% of the people here were on the side of keeping the big four and not trading for Halladay if that was the cost.

To characterize the stance of the majority of people here as being “okay with if [we] traded” Feliz is lazy at best.

Don’t be that guy.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 4, 2009 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

You're right, i'll change my wording

Feliz should be considered more valuable than Perez or Holland, but prior to last night, a lot of people didn’t feel that was the case.

by tyd3311 on Aug 4, 2009 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Fair enough.

Gun to my head I’d still take Der-Hol long term, but I’ve always felt Feliz is the real deal. He’s my number one prospect right now over M-Per and Smoak.

As far as him being included in so many trade proposals goes, I wonder if the reason many people were putting him in their “Okay, if we’re gonna trade for Halladay, here’s the most I would do” kind of trade offers was that trading Feliz would impact our pennant hopes this season a little less than dealing Der-Hol would, assuming that Der-Hol is looking like a starter down the stretch whereas Neffy is a ’pen guy the rest of the way.

And I think the reason M-Per wasn’t gettng thrown into a lot of those same proposals is that he’s so far away I don’t think anyone believed the Jays would take him back as the lynchpin of a Halladay trade, whereas they would with Feliz.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 4, 2009 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

That's not what he said

He said that 95% of the trades posited had Feliz in them, which might be true. He also said people ranked Feliz above Holland and Perez, which might also be true. But you’re right, there wasn’t 95% of LSBers that wanted to trade Feliz. I wasn’t in favor of a trade for Halladay that included 2 of the big 4 or 5.

Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

by WyoRanger on Aug 4, 2009 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Look one comment of his up.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

"My fellow Americans. As a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

by thedirkatron on Aug 4, 2009 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Meh.

I think most people here wanted to trade Perez since he was farthest away if you had to pick one of the big 4, falling in line with the thinking “if we’re going for it all in the next 2 years, shouldn’t we keep the players who will be major contributors to that”.

Also, it’s not like Feliz is going to be worth what Halladay is worth in terms of wins either this year or next year. Look how it took some time for other crazy high-speed fastballers to develop into true TORP’s (Verlander, Ubaldo Jiminez, Felix to some degree), it’s not all Francisco Liriano’s there. So while I’m ridiculously excited about his debut, I don’t think the next 6 years of Feliz for 1.3 years of Halladay is as awful an idea as you suggest. For this team right now, I agree with most here it’s not the best move, but in a year or 2 if we’re revisiting this situation with Martin Perez, it could be better to make the trade.

by GhettoBear04 on Aug 4, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

no I think he is accurate

definitely more feliz trades because of the closer tag. Perez has recently gotten the untouchable tag and I think people just like Holland cause he’s a young lefty starter.

"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)

by ab03 on Aug 4, 2009 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

That, and the fact that even before the trade deadline..

we’ve seen flashes of Holland’s nastiness being successful at the MLB level. It seemed to me that folks placed a lot of value on that, since they’ve mostly never seen Feliz.

by bhudson on Aug 4, 2009 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

My favorite part of that is the comment part

BravesFan: “I just threw up in my mouth”

You are obsessed with bodily wastes A turd being held under my nose, this team being a steaming pile, Jonny Donuts having a stinky diaper, the front office pissing themselves, the team crapping the bed…

I think you should seek counselling.

(AJM to Josey Donuts)

by Michael Cave on Aug 4, 2009 10:09 AM CDT reply actions   1 recs

I was just trying to stay awake

when Feliz came in and had a hard time doing that, but…was there a significant difference in his arm slot when he threw his slider?

"Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don't move." - Satchel Paige

"Josh Hamilton doesn't act like he is Josh Hamilton. He acts like a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy named Josh Hamilton." - Jason Parks

by pro82 on Aug 4, 2009 10:14 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I also thought he changed

his arm slot when throwing his slider. Looked like he brought his elbow down.

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year

by RangerMad on Aug 4, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I still can't believe his changeup us 90 MPH

That’s just insane. That’s not so much a true change as it is simply a letup pitch, really.

J.P. can take Roy Halladay and shove him up his ass. I’ll take Derek Holland. - AJM

by lonestarJon on Aug 4, 2009 10:17 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Yeah...

I can’t decide if that’s more or less impressive than his fastball. Either way, the only thing that makes me stop smiling is remembering that we actually lost that game.

Feliz=The Shiz

by GhettoBear04 on Aug 4, 2009 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It does have good movement

bur he needs to be careful with it. 90mph is right in a ML hitters zone.

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year

by RangerMad on Aug 4, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

its all about changing speeds from what he's pitching at

the batters eye trains himself to hit his 100 MPH fastball, so the 90 MPH pitch is just as devastating. Its not like a hitter just trains himself to hit a 90 MPH FB all the time, the eyes/reflexes make the adjustment from pitcher to pitcher.

"The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down"

by blalock84 on Aug 4, 2009 8:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Is it a changeup or splitter?

It just seems like anything thrown that hard shouldn’t be called a changeup. Whatever he wants to call it, it looked pretty damn good to me.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Aug 4, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I think

you can catch a glimpse of grip enough on the video to tell it’s a change. You can see his ring and pinky on the outside of the ball.

Purgatory's kind of like the in-betweeny one. You weren't really shit, but you weren't all that great either. Like Tottenham.

by TheJeezus on Aug 4, 2009 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It is most definitely

a change up. You are right about the video and then watch Feilz warmup between innings. He signals changeup with his glove.

You are obsessed with bodily wastes A turd being held under my nose, this team being a steaming pile, Jonny Donuts having a stinky diaper, the front office pissing themselves, the team crapping the bed…

I think you should seek counselling.

(AJM to Josey Donuts)

by Michael Cave on Aug 4, 2009 12:18 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I threw a changeup with a splitter grip in HS

so some may call it a change some may call it a split. I think the difference is to some is that often a guy who throws what most definitely say is a splitter will throw it so that it just drops off the table when near the zone, not really throwing it for strikes but really just burying it in the dirt. But Feliz throws it so that it has more tailing/fading action. If you remember the pitch MadDog throws which he calls a splitter does much of the same thing.

"The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down"

by blalock84 on Aug 4, 2009 8:57 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Felix Hernandez's change up...

sits at about 90, doesn’t it?

LOL Sorry the Sooners will score more that 14. - boomer1

by venturafearsnolan on Aug 4, 2009 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

89 mph

according to fangraphs this year.

"I can wake up out of the bed and play outfield. It's easy." --Milton Bradley

by coolaid on Aug 4, 2009 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Anyone notice MY intentionally bumping into Feliz on the way off the field?

I’m sure the players are disappointed that one got away but they have to be happy to see Happy.

Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

by WyoRanger on Aug 4, 2009 10:27 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Yes I did, I got a giggle out of that.

"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.

by Rodney on Aug 4, 2009 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

An amazing debut

to say the least. I’m amazed at how far his secondary stuff has come and how poised he was in using it during his first big league appearance.

That guy is a starting pitcher. Holland and Feliz have given us glimpses of heaven this week, pure heaven for Ranger fans. I look forward to years of great games against Anderson and Cahill. The wild card is going to come out of the AL West at least a couple of years in the 2010s.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Aug 4, 2009 10:31 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Cahill i dont know about, but damn, Anderson is really gonna be good

i think the next in line of the Haren’s, Zito’s, and Mulder’s of A’sdom

"The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down"

by blalock84 on Aug 4, 2009 8:58 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Are you impressed with Cahill at all?

I’ve yet to seen him throw and his numbers this year will make you look the other way, but for anyone that’s seen him pitch, I’m just curious if this guy has something.

"When he came up with that ball, hop or not, he looked exactly like a homeless guy who had found a long cigarette butt – only to discover it was soaked with gasoline. He could not have thrown out anyone there, even though Cust moves at about the speed of soil erosion." - Ed C.

by Chase Irwin on Aug 5, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I haven't seen him pitch much at all

and I think Anderson is probably better, but he’s just 21 in the majors, they rushed him. I think he’ll adjust over the next 100 innings or so and be pretty good.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Aug 6, 2009 7:16 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

That's interesting

It just be the .gif but his changeup motion seems a lot slower. Could tip hitters off. Although when you have to be geared up for 100 it might not make much of a difference.

Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

by WyoRanger on Aug 4, 2009 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Could be the .gif

The MLB.tv archived footage is down, so my gif quality isn’t what I would like it to be here.

by Jeff on Aug 4, 2009 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I thought last night

the motion was a bit slower on his change.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Aug 4, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I noticed his leg whip on the follow through is a lot less on the change

Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

by WyoRanger on Aug 4, 2009 6:20 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Never mind

Jeff has a new .gif up showing a high strike and his motion looks pretty much like his change/splitter.

Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

by WyoRanger on Aug 4, 2009 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

By the time you see the leg whip

The decision has to have already been made. Watch again.

by bhudson on Aug 4, 2009 9:22 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

This made me laugh
Hopefully the consistent misspeaking of his name as “Neftali Perez” will cause some of Neifi Perez’s suck to rub off on him.

It’s our only hope.

by Maximilian on Aug 4, 2009 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sigh...

Effing morons.

"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.

by Rodney on Aug 4, 2009 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Must have missed it....

what did it say? Neftali Perez?

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981

by TxStCa on Aug 4, 2009 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yahoo main page had this link featured for awhile today.

This one.

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Aug 4, 2009 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ok, I still don't see a problem with the article...

or is the problem THE article….

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981

by TxStCa on Aug 4, 2009 6:23 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Then why is Rodney saying they are morons?

Confused….

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Aug 4, 2009 6:31 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I dont know

Maybe he was mad at Sherman McCoy for not providing a link?

by tyd3311 on Aug 4, 2009 6:35 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah I'm over it

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Aug 4, 2009 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

They had his name wrong.

It’s obv been corrected now ;-)

"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.

by Rodney on Aug 4, 2009 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Feliz

After seeing him last night, I would have been a very sad panda had he been traded.

Officially gay for Neftali Feliz

by RCCook on Aug 4, 2009 4:17 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

No doubt

JD made the right move.

2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009

by boomer1 on Aug 4, 2009 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

yea, and thats really terrifying when the ball might come at you at speeds over a 100 MPH with movement that makes you wanna

dive out of the box if its thrown on the inside corner as a LH

"The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down"

by blalock84 on Aug 4, 2009 9:00 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

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