Huston Street
Colorado Rockies — No. 16
Closing pitcher
Born: August 2, 1983 (1983-08-02) (age 26) Austin, Texas
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 6, 2005 for the Oakland Athletics
Career statistics (through August 24, 2009)
Win-Loss	24-13
Earned run average	2.90
Strikeouts	333
Saves	127
Teams
Oakland Athletics (2005-2008) Colorado Rockies (2009-present)
Career highlights and awards
Rookie of the Year Award winner (2005)

Huston Lowell Street (pronounced /ˈhjustən/) (born August 2, 1983, in Austin, Texas) is the closing pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. His father is former University of Texas quarterback James Street.

[edit] Baseball career

[edit] Education

Street attended Westlake High School in Austin, Texas from 1997-2001 where he lettered in both football and baseball. He then attended The University of Texas from 2001-2004, where he pitched for the school's baseball team. He is widely regarded as one of the best collegiate closers of all time. Street earned a form of All-American honors at Texas every season he was there and helped his team win the College World Series of collegiate baseball in 2002. In that season, he set a CWS record for the most saves and won the Series Most Valuable Player honors for his amazing work as a closer. A year later, Street led the Longhorns to the Series semifinals, and in 2004, he helped his team to the finals, only to lose in two games to Cal State Fullerton.

[edit] Oakland Athletics

Drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2004, Street spent a few months in the minor leagues, spending no more than a month at each level. He then was invited to the Arizona Fall League where his team took the championship. Street was called up to the major leagues at the start of the 2005 season. He became Oakland's closer when incumbent Octavio Dotel went down in May with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Street saved 23 games in 27 chances to go along with a 5-1 record, 72 strikeouts, and a 1.72 ERA. Only Mariano Rivera's 1.38 ERA for the Yankees was better among American League relievers. Street had 72 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings pitched, and opposing hitters batted only .194 against him. He was rewarded for his effort by being named Rookie of the Year, as the third player in a row who had spent some time in the Athletics organization (after Angel Berroa in 2003, and Bobby Crosby in 2004).

Street continued to serve as the closer for the A's in 2006. He finished the 2006 season with a record of 4-4 and 37 saves, with 67 strikeouts and a 3.31 ERA in 70.2 innings pitched with 11 blown saves.

Street had a solid season in 2007, despite missing time with an injury. He went 5-2 with a 2.88 ERA, with 16 saves and 62 strikeouts in 50 innings.

Huston struggled somewhat with a nagging injury in 2008. After a rough stretch in July and August, he lost his closer position to rookie Brad Ziegler. Street's health and pitching improved, although Ziegler continued to close.

[edit] Colorado Rockies

On November 12, 2008, Street was traded to the Colorado Rockies with outfielder Carlos González and pitcher Greg Smith for outfielder Matt Holliday.^[1]

He beat out Manny Corpas to earn the role of the Rockies' closing pitcher for the 2009 season.^[2] After poor performances by Street, Corpas was re-named the closer on April 17;^[3] however, Corpas also pitched poorly, and the closer job was given back to Street on May 1. ^[4] Since this time, Street has excelled in the closer role and was a key cog in the Rockies' mid-season run back into the race (16-1 from June 4 to June 22). As of September 28, 2009, he has earned 34 saves in 36 opportunities. with a 2.73 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.

After a 2009 season in which he blew only two saves, Street struggled during the playoffs for the Rockies. In Game 4 of the 2009 National League Division Series, Street entered the ninth inning with the Rockies leading 4-2. He was able to record the first two outs before allowing three runs that gave the Phillies a 5-4 win and a series victory.

[edit] Scouting

Unlike most closers, Street is a finesse pitcher instead of a power pitcher. Street's fastball usually hovers in the 90-92 mph range, topping out around 94 mph, but has exceptional tailing movement. He also features a sharp slider at 84-86 mph that he uses frequently against righties, as well as a good circle changeup at around the 78-80 mph range with splitter-like movement that he uses effectively against lefties.

[edit] Statistics

[edit] See also

• List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube