PEORIA, Ariz. — As much as Huston Street enjoyed his three years with the Colorado Rockies, he has to embrace his offseason move to San Diego.
He wasn't going to close for the Rockies to start the season — Rafael Betancourt earned that opportunity in the final months of last season. Street did find Coors Field a bit of a challenge, as most pitchers do, even though he did not back down from the chance to pitch there.
With the Padres, he is immediately projected back into the ninth-inning role, which has been his responsibility for the bulk of his seven previous big league seasons. And not only is he pitching in the most pitcher-friendly park in baseball, he has a manager who understands being a closer does not require a pitcher to be overpowering.
During his playing career, Harry Ralston “Buddy” Black was a teammate of Dan Quisenberry, who parlayed location and guts into 244 career saves, 31st on the all-time list. He also had 45 saves in 1983 — the single-season record at the time — despite a fastball in the low 80s.
And in Black's first two years as the San Diego manager — 2007-08 — he made ninth-inning calls to Trevor Hoffman, the man who was the game's all-time total saves leader at the time. Hoffman relied on a changeup as his out pitch, but saved 42 games at the age of 39 in 2007 and 30 more in 2008 at the age of 40.
"It's all about pitching," Black said. “Not throwing hard, but having an idea of what you are trying to do, understand your strengths and weaknesses and just as importantly knowing the weaknesses of hitters and being able to exploit them."
It is not like Street is a junkballer, but he also isn't a Goose Gossage-type. His fastball will hit in the low 90s. His strength is a combination of locating pitches and having the confidence to throw strikes.
And now he gets to call Petco home.
"Everybody likes to pitch at Petco," Street said with a smile.
Nobody enjoys it any more than Street. He has yet to allow an earned run in the park in his career. In 11 career appearances, he has worked 11 1/3 innings, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out 17 and registering eight saves.
"I've always felt good there," he said. "I like the mound. Some mounds feel closer to home plate, and that's one of them. You don't try to make your stuff better because of the confidence you have, so you don't overthrow. You trust yourself and that's important for a pitcher."
Street also has a comfort zone pitching the ninth. That's why he respects what the Rockies did after he spent three seasons with them as the primary closer.
He still wants to close and felt he could still do the job with the Rockies. However, he also realized Rafael Betancourt had finally asserted himself in the closer's role last year after struggling when given the opportunity earlier in his career. Taking over while Street was sidelined, Betancourt earned his first save on Aug. 9. He finished the season converting 8 of 9 saves, allowing one run on four hits while striking out 17 and not walking a batter in his final 16 innings.
"I realized that Raffy earned his chance to work the ninth," said Street. "I have tremendous respect for him, and I knew I was not going to get the chance (to close) this year. So did the Rockies. And what I really respected about (general manager) Dan O'Dowd and (manager) Jim Tracy is they were upfront about what was going on.
"They looked me in the eye and told me the situation. I've said all my life I may not agree with a decision, but I can handle it if you are a straight shooter with me, and the Rockies were."
And that, he said, was his problem with Oakland's former manager Bob Geren. Although, this spring, for the first time, Street low-keyed his relationship with Geren.
"I'm married and have a kid now," he said. "I've grown. I've learned not to take this so personal. This is the way the game works, so you learn to deal with it."
For the Rockies, the trade of Street was a win-win proposition.
They took away any potential controversy over moving Betancourt into the closer role, and the Padres took on $7 million of Street's $7.5 million salary for 2012. They provided the financial freedom for the Rockies to sign free-agent outfielder Michael Cuddyer to a three-year, $31.5 million contract, giving the Rockies a much-needed right-handed run producer for the middle of the lineup.
In turn, they were able to deal outfielder Seth Smith, a left-handed hitter, to Oakland for two potential starting pitchers — right-hander Guillermo Moscoso and left-hander Josh Outman.
"It wasn't a case of us looking to move Huston, but rather trying to maximize our options," O'Dowd said. "The deal with Huston touched off a series of events that we felt strengthened our roster, and in turn we were able to send Huston to a place where he has had success."
On paper, it's a win-win deal.
On the field, which is what counts, time will tell.
