Street expected to nab honors for top rookie

Monday, November 7, 2005
Bobby Crosby got the big prize one year ago, and now one of his teammates is the favorite to follow him as the American League Rookie of the Year.
A's closer Huston Street, 22, already has pocketed the top AL rookie honors given this fall (the Baseball America, Sporting News and Players' Choice awards), but he is facing strong competition. The league had a standout class of first-year players, including four in Oakland: Street, starter Joe Blanton, outfielder Nick Swisher and first baseman Dan Johnson.
Other candidates: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, Toronto starter Gustavo Chacin and Tampa Bay outfielder Jonny Gomes.
Street, however, might stand alone. He broke camp with the A's less than a year after being drafted, a compensation-round pick out of Texas. When Octavio Dotel's season ended in May because of an elbow injury, Street took over the closer role and was one of the tops in the game, saving 23 of 27 opportunities (including 18 in a row at one point) and finishing third in ERA (1.72) among all major-league relievers. His 23 saves established an Oakland record for rookies.
"It's unbelievable what Huston did this season,'' A's manager Ken Macha said. "With a young pitcher, you just hope he'll be able to handle soft situations, but to do what he did, handle the toughest situations, including in the pennant race, it's absolutely tremendous.''
Blanton had an excellent season, too, going 12-12 with a 3.53 ERA, tops among rookie starters and 10th-best overall in the league.
"I'd give (the award) to Huston, but Blanton should get a lot of votes,'' Macha said. "He's being totally ignored, and what he did was amazing.''
Street has spent the past five weeks at home in Austin, Texas, trying not to think too much about today's award.
"You try not to focus on it,'' Street said by phone on Sunday, "but you are. It's not like you don't want to win it. ... I'll keep my fingers crossed I get good news.''
Most of the offseason, Street has been concentrating on working out, which he does five times a week with a personal trainer, and watching his younger brother, play strong safety -- Hanson Street's Westlake High School won a 31-30 thriller with 31 seconds for the district championship Friday, Huston Street reported proudly.
Elsewhere, Billy Beane will be in Indian Wells (Riverside County) today and Tuesday for the annual general managers' meetings. Oakland is on the lookout for a right-handed hitter, particularly one with power, so the A's front office is likely to begin laying the foundation for trade talks. The A's usually go the trade route rather than examining the free-agent market, especially seeking players they can retain at relatively low cost for several years.
In order to get a productive bat, then, the A's might need to deal 2002 Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito, who is entering his final season before free agency. The Mets might dangle hotshot outfield prospect Lastings Milledge, and the Diamondbacks have young outfielder/first baseman Conor Jackson (from Cal) and outfielder Carlos Quentin (from Stanford) who have intrigued the A's in previous years.
Tampa Bay needs pitching and wouldn't require someone of Zito's caliber in return; a package that included Kirk Saarloos might do the trick.
The Devil Rays are shopping left-handed hitter Aubrey Huff, but Huff will be owed $6.75 million in the final year of his contract, so another possibility might be Gomes, who is from Petaluma.
There are also some free agents on the downside of their careers who might come at a reduced rate, such as Frank Thomas or Mike Piazza, but the A's signed Eric Karros in such circumstances two years ago and it was not a success. They then passed on Juan Gonzalez last year.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/