Angels bullpen song remains the same

A couple weeks ago, Huston Street made a statement that was completely true, and one that Angels fans could take to heart, and the front office could take to the bank: “I’m good at baseball, when I’m healthy.” He’s right! In the ten years or so of him being healthy (most of the time), he was a dependable MLB closer. Then there was last year. Now, there is this year.

If you caught some Angels cactus league action over the weekend, then you probably know that Street has a lat strain and is going to be on the shelf for 3-4 weeks. So will he be ready for opening day? It’s looking grim. Huston Street isn’t healthy, so therefore he’s not good at baseball, and with that, the Halos’ bullpen begins to feel some turbulence.

We were prepared for this turbulence, though; well, not so much prepared, but more like we were just straight up expecting it. How nice and coincidental that the one thing that was least addressed and most worried about (the bullpen) is the first team aspect to take a shot to the gut. But I guess that’s the silver lining, right? Things may be looking shaky already with Angels relievers, but hey! At least we were expecting this! Right? No? Ok.

Huston Street may be a guy that never gives as many innings as the team needs him to give ever again, if we’re to glean anything from last season and this most recent spring training hiccup. It appears there is some serious wear and tear, and this is going to be the last season that the Halos pay Street some money (well, if you don’t count a buyout next winter).

So, it’s on to the next thing, and that next thing is going to be Cam Bedrosian. Or maybe even Keynan Middleton or perhaps Andrew Bailey or Alex Meyer. Really, when I’m pressed to think of things, the Street injury is so predictably groan-inducing that it becomes a bit easier to swallow. This isn’t anything we weren’t expecting. This is just further proof that the change is upon us; a bullpen makeover that could be one rocky ride, or it could surprise us all.

Which is exactly where we were thinking we’d be before spring training started, and exactly where we were before Huston Street left that game with an ailing arm. So keep worrying about that bullpen, like we all thought we’d worry, but don’t worry TOO much, and feel free to keep any good luck charms handy when Bedrosian or Bailey are on the mound. I have a feeling they are driving the bullpen bus now, right down Huston street.