Monday, April 4
Huston Street makes A's roster
Reader Andrew Windler noted that Texas’ former ace closer, Huston Street, has made the Oakland Athletics opening day roster. Drafted by A’s GM Billy Beane in 2003, Street will join the club after just one brief season in the minor leagues, a tremendous accomplishment by any standard.
Street is considered to be the A’s closer of the future, and Beane, famous from Michael Lewis’ bestseller Moneyball, is notorious for his bold transactions, which would mean he’d be willing to ship current closer Octavio Dotel to another team if he thought Street was capable of handling the job. In fact, watch Street’s performance closely. I’d venture to say that if Street is as successful against major leaguers as he has been against every other level of competition, it’s guaranteed that Beane will dump Dotel to another team to get another player he needs.
Dominant college closers don’t have a particularly glittering track record of early major league success, however. The Giants tried to bring Rice closer David Aardsma to the majors quickly last year, but he was bombed back to the minor leagues nearly immediately. The Cincinnati Reds tried to rush University of Houston closer Ryan Wagner to the majors, but his 2004 struggles got him demoted to the minors as well.
Street has an excellent command of the strike zone, he attacks hitters aggressively, and he’s one of those rare players that both statheads and scouts love. Statheads love his high K/BB rate and low HR-allowed totals, while scouts drool over his “moxie.” Here’s to hoping for a successful first year in the Show for Street.
--PB--
Street is considered to be the A’s closer of the future, and Beane, famous from Michael Lewis’ bestseller Moneyball, is notorious for his bold transactions, which would mean he’d be willing to ship current closer Octavio Dotel to another team if he thought Street was capable of handling the job. In fact, watch Street’s performance closely. I’d venture to say that if Street is as successful against major leaguers as he has been against every other level of competition, it’s guaranteed that Beane will dump Dotel to another team to get another player he needs.
Dominant college closers don’t have a particularly glittering track record of early major league success, however. The Giants tried to bring Rice closer David Aardsma to the majors quickly last year, but he was bombed back to the minor leagues nearly immediately. The Cincinnati Reds tried to rush University of Houston closer Ryan Wagner to the majors, but his 2004 struggles got him demoted to the minors as well.
Street has an excellent command of the strike zone, he attacks hitters aggressively, and he’s one of those rare players that both statheads and scouts love. Statheads love his high K/BB rate and low HR-allowed totals, while scouts drool over his “moxie.” Here’s to hoping for a successful first year in the Show for Street.
--PB--
