Feliz Navidad comes early in Arlington

That collective 'Yeehaw!' you hear from the Metroplex? No, the rodeo is not in town. And the state fair/UT-OU football game is still almost two months away.

The delight in Dallas is over the Texas Rangers (when could we ever say that in August?) and their two new young guns.

Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz got 26 of the 27 outs against the Red Sox Saturday night. (Sorry, Darren O'Day, you're not gonna get the props in this blog, even though the 1 out you got was a strikeout of the reigning A.L. MVP). And they did it looking like phenoms the entire way.

Holland's been just what the Rangers needed - a steady, young, fresh arm and an injection of life for a team that has a history of summer swoons. Let's face it, the Rangers invented the term 'fading down the stretch' over the last 15 years or so. The summer swelter hits triple digits, the arms wilt, and the minds of Texan sports fans wander to football training camp.

But Holland has Dallas' football faithful keeping at least one eye on The Ballpark/Ameriquest Field/Rangers Park/Nolan Ryan Stadium/Jim Sundberg Field in Arlington. He's 22, throws a mid 90s fastball, changes speeds well, and maybe best of all, he's left-handed.

Man, am I a sucker for a good left-handed pitcher. It's so bad, there's still a part of me that thinks Dontrelle Willis will be useful again in his MLB career. (Or, if not, I'll get to see him pitch in Lakeland 10 times a year.)

Neftali Feliz isn't left-handed, but it doesn't matter if he throws with his right foot... this kid is the real deal.

By now, you've probably heard the hype about Feliz. Just like you've heard the hype about a bunch of prospects before him. So far, with apologies to Public Enemy, Feliz is making us believe the hype.

8.2 innings, 2 hits, 16 strikeouts. Sounds like one of those stat lines from a Playstation video game with the setting on 'rookie'. But the line is real, and Feliz proudly owns it. His latest trick was finishing out the last two innings of the Rangers' win Saturday night, striking out 4 Red Sawx and hitting 100 mph on the gun. The curve buckled a few knees along the way, too.

Meanwhile, I think Frank Francisco still hasn't gotten out of Friday night's 9th inning.

I'm not calling Feliz the Rangers' new closer just yet. And even if he did take over that role, the extra pressure is a lot for a 20-year-old. Ask the first incarnation of Rick Ankiel.

But Feliz and Holland are bringing some gas to the pennant chasing party. And you know that's got Nolan Ryan smirking up in the luxury boxes.

P.S. - It's OK, Braves. Don't cry. Saltalamacchia, Andrus, and Feliz was a fine price to pay for a couple months of Mark Teixeira, I promise! (This is where I back out of the room, very very gingerly...)