— One of the reasons that Troy Tulowitzki signed a six-year, $31-million contract almost exactly two years ago was trust. He believed that Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd was committed to keeping the core players on multi-year deals.
O’Dowd has delivered on that promise. He has reportedly signed closer Huston Street to a three-year, $22.5-million deal today. And he has locked up top setupman Rafael Betancourt to a two-year, $7.55-million deal.
These deals come in the wake of a three-year, $8.35 million deal for catcher Chris Iannetta, with a club option for his first year of free agency in 2013, and a two-year, $3.25 million contract for Ryan Spilborghs. The Rockies also avoided arbitration with pitcher Jason Hammel today, signing him to a one-year, $1.9-million contract.
“I think O’Dowd has done a great job,” Tulowitzki said this week. “We have a chance to be good for a long time.”
Street’s deal was first reported by . It will be complete once he undergoes a physical. The right-hander would have been a free agent after the upcoming season.
He first told The Denver Post in September that he was discussing a three-year deal with the Rockies. He had hoped to reach $30-million, but made it clear that he would be flexible in contract talks because of the Rockies” clubhouse environment and the managerial style of Jim Tracy.
Though he finished on a sour note in the playoffs against the Phillies, Street converted 35 saves in 37 attempts during the regular season.
Betancourt has been an interesting case all winter. The Rockies declined his $5.4 million option, gambling that the right-hander would accept arbitration rather than become a free agent.
He accepted arbitration, which renewed talks on a two-year contract. The sides originally discussed a $7-million deal. The sides settled at the exact number that the Rockies were prepared to give free agent LaTroy Hawkins in December before Betancourt made his desire to stay known.
After the Rockies acquired Betancourt from Cleveland last July, he compiled a 1.78 ERA in 32 games.
Hammel, obtained from Tampa Bay for a minor-league pitcher, went 10-8 with a 4.33 ERA last season. He enters spring training entrenched in the Rockies” rotation.
Last week, the Rockies agreed to one-year deals with Jorge De La Rosa ($5.6 million) and second baseman Clint Barmes ($3.325 million) and reliever Taylor Buchholz ($1.055 million).
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
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