Huston Street, Colorado Rockies Far Apart On A Contract?

According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the Colorado Rockies and closer Huston Street are far apart on a contract extension. Street is a free agent at the end of the 2010 season.

Olney is hearing that Street’s camp is asking for a three-year deal in the neighborhood of $24 million.

If the Rockies and Street can’t come to an agreement, they would consider trading Street at the 2010 trading deadline in July.

There a couple of elements to this, so let’s take a look at each one individually.

First, I don’t think Street’s camp is asking for anything outlandish.

Three years and $24 million for a pitcher like Street is not like signing Carlos Silva to a four-year $48 million contract.

According to Fangraphs, Street pitched like a $7 million pitcher for the Rockies in 2009.

In 2009, Street’s actual salary was $4.5 million, so asking for $8 million a year is a very reasonable demand.

Also consider that Billy Wagner at 39, just got a $7 million contract from the Atlanta Braves, and Trevor Hoffman at 42, received an $8 million contract from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Street is still only 26 years old and should be entering the prime of his career.

Second, let’s say the Rockies and Street don’t come to an agreement.

Are they really going to trade him in July if they are in the middle of a pennant race?

That would be an extremely tough call for GM Dan O’Dowd.

I fully expect the Rockies to be a contender in 2010, so that will be interesting.

Obviously, if the Rockies are not in contention, then trading Street becomes a lot easier.

Third, I wonder if O’Dowd wants to see Street have two good years in a row before he looks to sign him to an extension.

Street has a 2.55 ERA in odd years and a 3.52 ERA in even years.

If history stands true, then Street should have a down year in 2010.

Lastly, if Street leaves in July or at the end of next year, who will be the Rockies closer going forward?

I might be good at predictions, but even I don’t have the answer to that one.

The Rockies don’t have a suitable replacement on their roster as of right now.

One name I would look out for in the future would be Rex Brothers.

Brothers was one of two first-round picks for the Rockies in 2009 and is being groomed as the closer of the future.

In his first year of minor league ball in 2009, Brothers struck out 11.8 batters per nine innings and had a 1.13 WHIP in 17 games—all in relief.

 

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