TUCSON, Ariz.—Huston Street has racked up saves and acclaim during his young career but the 25-year-old still has a lot to prove.
And as Street reports to the Colorado Rockies’ spring training Saturday, his role is up in the air.
“You always are reproving yourself,” he said. “Any time you are sitting back and relaxing, that is when you are done, retired or in the Hall of Fame.”
“I don’t feel like I will relax until that point,” he added.
There will be plenty of eyes and expectations on Street after an offseason trade with Oakland that sent popular Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday to the Athletics. Street is competing with Manuel Corpas, who left spring training a year ago as the Rockies closer.
Corpas eventually lost his job to Brian Fuentes, now with the Los Angeles Angels. Street lost his closing responsibilities with the A’s to Brad Ziegler.
“Coming in my goal is to do the best I can do. I feel like obviously I want to pitch the ninth inning—and so do a few other guys on this team,” Street said.
With a deceptive fastball and curveball, Street took over the closing role for the A’s a year after appearing in the College World Series for Texas. The right-hander has 94 career saves in four seasons.
But Street has struggled the last couple of seasons with muscle strains.
“It is always frustrating to not perform up to the level that you are capable of,” Street said. “You can’t make excuses, though.”
Street’s health is not an issue now, as pitchers and catchers go to work for the first time on Sunday.
“I feel really good. I spent the offseason working on my problem areas and strengthening those so they are not going to be weaknesses,” Street said. “I feel like I am going to be ready.”
He’s looking to get back to where he was when he first broke into the league during the 2005 season, when he was named the American League’s Rookie of the Year.
Street, pitching fearlessly, had 23 saves as a rookie, improved to 37 a year later, before dropping off to 16 and 18 in his next two seasons.
The move to Colorado is a new beginning, although he admits he felt strange about being traded.
“I had a good four years in Oakland and I enjoyed my time there,” he said. “At the same time, it is exiting to come to a team that was in the World Series in 2007. It is a new experience, you’re in the (National League) West, there are new stadiums, new cities. I look forward to the new experience.”
