Soriano wins 3rd delivery man of month award this season

Posted Sep 2, 2010 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 2, 2010 at 04:42 PM

Rafael Soriano was named the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Month Award for August.

This Major League Baseball award recognizes the most outstanding relief pitcher during each month of the regular season as voted on by a panel from Major League Baseball.

Soriano recorded a 0.84 ERA and led the Majors with 10 saves during the month of August, successfully converting each of his save opportunities. In 10.2 innings pitched, Rafael allowed just four hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts while holding opposing batters to a .108 batting average.

A first-time All-Star in 2010, Soriano made five consecutive appearances without allowing a base-runner from August 9th – 21st, collecting five saves with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings pitched.

The 30-year-old right-hander closed out games in three consecutive days on August 21st – 22nd at Oakland, and on August 23rd at Angel Stadium, striking out the side on nine pitches in the ninth inning. Soriano became the first pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitches this season and the first to do so while converting a save since LaTroy Hawkins accomplished the feat for the Chicago Cubs in 2004.

The San Jose, Dominican Republic native leads the Majors with 40 saves (two ahead of San Francisco’s Brian Wilson) and his 95.2% (40-for-42) save percentage also ranks best among Major Leaguers.

Soriano, who is in his first season with the Rays, ranks third on the club’s single-season saves list behind Danys Baez (41 in 2005) and Roberto Hernandez (43 in 1999). Rafael, who also won the award in May and July, joins Trevor Hoffman (4 times) and Joe Nathan (3 times) as the only relievers with three career Delivery Man of the Month Awards.

Prior to 2010, no pitcher had ever been honored multiple times in the same season dating back to the award’s inception in 2005.

Other relievers receiving votes included Joakim Soria (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SV, 13.0 IP, 2 BB, 13 SO) of the Kansas City Royals; Brandon Lyon (0-1, 2.45 ERA, 9 SV, 18.1 IP, 8 BB, 13 SO) of the Houston Astros; San Francisco’s Brian Wilson (1-1, 0.69 ERA, 7 SV, 13.0 IP, 5 BB, 13 SO); and Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge (0-0, 0.73 ERA, 8 SV, 12.1 IP, 1 BB, 12 SO).