Heath Bell of the San Diego Padres has been selected as the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year. This Major League Baseball award recognizes the most outstanding relief pitcher of the regular season as voted on by a panel from Major League Baseball. The winner was announced live on MLB Network today.

Bell went 6-1 with a career-low 1.93 ERA and converted 47 of his 50 save opportunities in 2010 for a Major League-best 94.0 save percentage. In 70.0 innings pitched, Heath allowed 56 hits and 28 walks with 86 strikeouts while holding opposing hitters to a .221 batting average. The 47 saves ranked second in the Majors to San Francisco’s Brian Wilson (48), and were the second-most in Padres history behind Trevor Hoffman’s 53 saves in 1998. On April 28^th at Florida, the Oceanside, California native notched his 50^th career save. Dating back to May 29^th, Bell converted each of his 34 save opportunities, going 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA (12 earned runs in 49.0 innings pitched) and 58 strikeouts over 46 outings during that span.  Bell, who was named to his second consecutive N.L. All-Star team in July, recorded six saves of more than 1.0 inning pitched. The 33-year-old right-hander collected saves on a season-high four consecutive days from August 10^th-12^th vs. Pittsburgh and August 13^th at San Francisco, permitting just one hit with two walks and four strikeouts over 4.0 innings during those contests. Bell, who led the National League with 42 saves in 2009, did not allow any of his nine inherited runners to score during the 2010 season. In 32 appearances on the road this season, Bell was 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 34.0 innings pitched while converting 28 of 29 save chances.

Other relievers receiving votes included Rafael Soriano (3-2, 1.73 ERA, 45 SV, 62.1 IP, 36 H, 14 BB, 57 SO) of the Tampa Bay Rays; San Francisco’s Brian Wilson (3-3, 1.81 ERA, 48 SV, 74.2 IP, 62 H, 26 BB, 93 SO); Neftali Feliz (4-3, 2.73 ERA, 40 SV, 69.1 IP, 43 H, 18 BB, 71 SO) of the Texas Rangers; and Kansas City’s Joakim Soria (1-2, 1.78 ERA, 43 SV, 65.2 IP, 53 H, 16 BB, 71 SO).