Pedro Julio Feliz (born April 27, 1975), is a Dominican former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...

, who played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

, and

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...

. Feliz hit 20 or more

home runs In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

in four of his first five seasons as a starting third baseman and was an above-average fielder at that position. He spent the first eight years of his MLB career with the San Francisco Giants (–), before signing a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, in .

Baseball career

Minor leagues

Feliz was signed by the San Francisco Giants, as an amateur free agent, on February 7, 1994. He spent parts of seven seasons in the Giants' farm system before being called up to the Giants when the rosters expanded, in September 2000.

San Francisco Giants

Feliz played for the Giants from 2000 to 2007 and was their only homegrown position player, from through 2007. After a few seasons coming off the bench and starting occasionally, a number of Giants players sustained injuries, allowing him to become a regular player, in . Feliz filled in for regular

Edgardo Alfonzo Edgardo Antonio Alfonzo (born November 8, 1973), nicknamed Fonzie, is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an infielder from to , most notably as a member of the New York Mets, wi ...

for 51 games at third base, spelled

J. T. Snow Jack Thomas Snow Jr. (born February 26, 1968) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports color commentator. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball from to , most notably as a member of the San Franci ...

for 70 games at

first base A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

, appeared in 20 games at

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

, and played four games in the

outfield The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area. In cricket, baseball and ...

. With the bat, Feliz posted career highs in

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

(BA) (.276), HR (22),

runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...

(RBI) (84),

at-bats In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

(AB) (603), and

games played Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. Basebal ...

(G) (144), that season. Feliz had moved around defensively throughout his early big league career, especially during the Giants' injury-riddled season. By 2007, he had settled into the role of the Giants' starting third baseman. Although Feliz was a decent power hitter, his career batting average prior to the season was only .255, and he seldom walked, as evidenced by his

on-base percentage In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...

(OBP) never surpassing the .305 mark, and his

OPS In ancient Roman religion, Ops or ''Opis'' (Latin: "Plenty") was a fertility deity and earth goddess of Sabine origin. Her equivalent in Greek mythology was Rhea. Iconography In Ops' statues and coins, she is figured sitting down, as Chthon ...

never exceeding .793. He has often been criticized for his lack of patience at the plate. In 2006, Feliz

struck out In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is denot ...

a career-high 112 times. On June 8, 2007, in a game against the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

, Feliz played

catcher Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...

for the first time in his major league career. During that game, the Giants' starting catcher

Bengie Molina Benjamin José Molina (born July 20, 1974), nicknamed "Big Money", is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher. He played for the Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1998–2005), Toronto Blue Jays (2006), San Francisco Giants (2 ...

was lifted from the game, as part of a double switch. Their backup catcher,

Eliézer Alfonzo Eliézer Jesús Alfonzo (; ; born February 7, 1979) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher. He has played all or parts of six seasons in Major League Baseball, most recently in 2011 with the Colorado Rockies. He bats and throws right-hande ...

, was injured on a play at the plate and had to leave the game, in the 10th inning. With the Giants out of position players, Feliz moved to catcher,

Randy Winn Dwight Randolph Winn (born June 9, 1974) is an American former professional baseball player. He played all or parts of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily as an outfielder. Winn was a switch hitter, and threw right-handed. He mad ...

moved from

center field A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the Baseball positions, baseball and softball fielding position between Left fielder, left field and Right fielder, right field. In the numberi ...

to third,

Dan Ortmeier Daniel David Ortmeier (born May 11, 1981) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. He made his major league debut on September 5, , with the San Francisco Giants. High school Ortmeier was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and ...

moved from

right field A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...

to center, and pitcher

Noah Lowry Noah Ryan Lowry (born October 10, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants from 2003 to 2007. College and the MLB Draft Lowry was first drafted out of Nordhof ...

came into the game in right. After the season, Feliz was honored with a

Fielding Bible Award A Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in Major League Baseball (MLB) based on statistical analysis. John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions conduct the annual selection process, which commenced in 2 ...

as the best fielding third baseman in MLB in 2007. Following the 2007 season, Felix sought a 3-year contract extension from the Giants, as his previous contract had come to a conclusion; however, the team declined to make such an offer. Feliz declined salary arbitration, instead filing for free agency.

Philadelphia Phillies

On January 31, 2008, Feliz signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Giants had offered Feliz more guaranteed money, but Feliz felt alienated by the Giants' demeanor during contract negotiations. In 2008, struggling with an inflamed lower back, Feliz's power declined from previous seasons, but on October 29, 2008, he delivered one of the most important base hits in Phillies history, when he knocked in

Eric Bruntlett Eric Kevin Bruntlett (born March 29, 1978), was an American former professional baseball utility player, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. Bruntlett is perhaps best remembered for executing ...

, to plate the winning run, in Philadelphia's Game 5,

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

-clinching win over the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

. On November 8, 2009, Philadelphia management declined to exercise Feliz's option for the season, thereby making him a free agent, once again.

Houston Astros

On December 10, 2009, Feliz signed a free agent, $4 million, 1-year deal, with the Houston Astros.

St. Louis Cardinals

On August 19, 2010, the Astros traded Feliz to the St. Louis Cardinals, in exchange for cash considerations and

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

David Carpenter David Joseph Carpenter (born May 6, 1930), a.k.a. The Trailside Killer, is an American serial killer and serial rapist known for stalking and murdering a variety of individuals on hiking trails in state parks near San Francisco, California. He at ...

Kansas City Royals

On February 3, 2011, Feliz was signed to a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) deal by the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

, with an invitation to Spring Training. On March 27, he was released.

Minor leagues redux

Feliz signed with the

Camden Riversharks The Camden Riversharks were an American professional baseball team based in Camden, New Jersey, from 2001 to 2015. They were a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which was not at that time affiliat ...

in the independent leagues on May 13, 2011. On August 10, 2011, Feliz signed a minor league contract with the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

and was assigned to the Triple-A

Tucson Padres The Tucson Padres were a minor league baseball team representing Tucson, Arizona in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). They were the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team moved to Tucson from Portland, Oregon for the 2011 season. I ...

. Pedro returned to the Riversharks for the 2012 season.

Personal life

Feliz and his wife Niurka Mateo were married in December 2002. They have 3 daughters and one sonPedro Feliz; MLB Biography and Career Highlights
/ref>

References

External links

at Astros Daily {{DEFAULTSORT:Feliz, Pedro 1975 births Living people Arizona League Giants players Bakersfield Blaze players Baseball players at the 2015 Pan American Games Bellingham Giants players Burlington Bees players Camden Riversharks players Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalists for the Dominican Republic Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in baseball Clearwater Threshers players Competitors at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States Fresno Grizzlies players Houston Astros players Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic Major League Baseball third basemen Pan American Games competitors for the Dominican Republic Philadelphia Phillies players Reading Phillies players San Francisco Giants players Shreveport Captains players St. Louis Cardinals players Tucson Padres players World Baseball Classic players of the Dominican Republic 2006 World Baseball Classic players 2015 WBSC Premier12 players Gigantes del Cibao players Leones del Escogido players Toros del Este players