The San Diego Padres wasted little time in replaced Heath Bell, who left them for the Miami Marlins last week.

The Padres acquired RHP Huston Streetfrom the Colorado Rockies for a Player To Be Named later and cash. The Rockies could pay up to $1 million of the $7.5 million remaining on Street’s contract for this season.

Street is the Padres' new closer

I am a little surprised the Padres would make this trade and take on Street’s salary. For one, the Padres probably won’t need their closer too often in 2012 because they won’t be very good. Having a closer who makes $7.5 million doesn’t make much sense for them.

Secondly, why would the Padres trade for a high priced closer when they have proven over the years, they can just take anyone, put them in their bullpen, and turn them into a success. Trevor Hoffman and Bell were nobodies before they got to San Diego. Petco Park helped turn Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson into studs. Ernesto Frieri and Josh Spence were unhittable in 2011.

The Padres could probably pull me off my couch, stick me in their bullpen, and through the power of Petco, I would have a sub-two ERA and strike out over 10 batters per nine. The Padres could have taken any of the guys above and inserted them into the closers role and it would have worked out.

Street will find success in San Diego and might even be trade bait as the season progresses, but they had already had about five Streets’ on their roster.

For the Rockies, this is a pure salary dump. Street was coming off his worst season in a Rockie uniform and Colorado really had no more use for him. They also probably realized that having a high priced closer on a mediocre team didn’t make much sense. Look for Rafael Betancourt to get the first crack as the closer for the Rockies.

The Rockies can take the money they are going to save on Street and use it in other places. Finding a new third baseman is probably tops on their list.

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By The Baseball Index