"His arm caked in ice, his right biceps tendon hooked up to an electronic stimulator, Huston Street contemplated what will become of his season.

"Right now it's wait-and-see and hope the inflammation dies down a little bit," the Rockies closer said Wednesday night after biceps tendinitis prevented him from putting the finishing touches on the Rockies' 5-2 victory the Mets at Coors Field. "You sit back and hope that it gets better. That's how you have to deal with tendinitis."

Street, lights out with 33 saves in 34 opportunities, said he hasn't had this injury before, at least not during the season. But he suspected something was wrong when he felt tightness in his arm before Wednesday's game.

When he couldn't work

through the pain and tightness warming up in the bullpen before the ninth inning, the Rockies shut him down.

Left-hander Franklin Morales took over and earned his first career save. Morales or right-hander Rafael Betancourt will likely be the closers, depending on the situation, until Street returns.

Contreras ready.

The resume suggests veteran right-hander Jose Contreras can help the Rockies down the stretch.

He did, after all, go 3-1 with a 3.09 ERA in four postseason starts in 2005 as the White Sox won the World Series.

The 37-year-old Cuban, 5-13 with a 5.42 in 21 starts this season, expressed confidence he can help the Rockies.

"I just want fans to know that once I got traded, I feel like I got a clean start," he said through an interpreter Wednesday afternoon as he joined the Rockies after being traded late Monday night."