Trevor Hoffman told MLB.com’s Barry Bloom that he wants to test free agency before deciding whether to play in 2011. If he sees an offer he likes, the 43-year-old could return for a 19th season. If not, the all-time saves leader says he’s prepared to retire.
Hoffman has drawn preliminary interest from a number of teams, according to his agent. Rick Thurman, who also represents free agents Brian Fuentes, Arthur Rhodes, Will Ohman, Octavio Dotel and Chan Ho Park, spoke with the D’Backs last Friday about potential fits for their bullpen.
That’s one possible destination for Hoffman, who can envision playing in Arizona under Kevin Towers, the D’Backs GM who ran the Padres when Hoffman pitched in San Diego. Towers repeated that re-building the bullpen is a priority for the D’Backs this offseason, but Hoffman isn't sure how much interest he'll draw.
"I'm coming off a tough year,” Hoffman told MLB.com. “I don't know if people are going to be turned off by that or not. I hope the strong second half I had will compensate."
Hoffman won’t find many closing jobs available outside of Arizona, but there are many potential closers available, as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes pointed out yesterday. Though he started slowly, Hoffman recovered to pitch considerably better after early May. ESPN.com’s Keith Law warned interested teams about the risks associated with Hoffman earlier today. However, Towers told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that "you'd be nuts if you didn't at least consider somebody like Trevor Hoffman" (Twitter link).
3 words…Cleve Land Indians.
If he wants a chance to close he won’t go to cleveland.
19 years is a long time…time to begin his coaching career
He would look great coming in in the seventh at fenway
As great as he’s been, the AL East is not where he wants to finish his career. Just ask John Smoltz.
Yeah, ask John Smoltz why he was tipping his pitches.
Don’t believe the hype! Remember that Smoltz pitched in the Red Sox minor league system to get ready for the season prior to joining the Sox. I find it interesting that no one in their organization would not be able to detect it. It continues to baffle me that when he did join the big team, Farrell and coaches didn’t see it either. He went back to the NL, pitched a little better , but retired soon after. Even Duncan can’t produce miracles everytime.
To his credit, Smoltz never said those things. I’m assuming that statement was made by someone looking to do the politically correct thing concerning a great player and a first ballot HOF, and not dump on the guy.That ‘tipping his pitches’, excuse has been used recently with lots of pitchers that go through hard times. Brad Penny, Javier Vasquez, Johan Santana, Oliver Perez,Fredi Garcia to name some recent ones. Every player comes to the end, the AL East is not the best place to finish.
In the words of Pedroia: Laser show.
It would be very strange seeing Hoffy pitch in Arizona – something I never thought I’d see to say the least. That said, I’m not sure how much he’d improve their pen pitching in that park. I wish he’d retire so I can start planning my trip to see his HOF induction ceremony.
come to philly and help madson and hamels develope better changeups
I think AZ should be all over this. Not so much to close – but to be someone reasonably dependable down there. Any idea how much he wants?
Hoffman, 43, is currently 42 saves above Mariano Rivera, 41. It is possible that Hoffman is hoping to rack up as many saves as he can and then hope for a Rivera breakdown/retirement to keep his all time saves record.
I’m interested in how many years Rivera asks for. If he only asks for (or only gets) a one year deal, Joe Girardi might feel a lot of pressure to maximize Rivera’s save opportunities.
If Rivera gets a 2 year deal, I guess they can go at whatever pace feels best.
Rivera is apparently only interested in a one-year contract. He’s at a point where he’s going year-to-year and he’s not sure he wants to commit to more thna one year and would not feel comfortable leaving in the middle of a contract. He has no interest in being the all-time saves leader, at least in the sense to sense that he would even consider for one moment sticking around to achieve it. Hoffman, however, considers it important.
Well, I think it’s unlikely that Rivera will save 42 games in 2011. It seems probable that Rivera will enter 2012 a handful of saves away from a milestone at the age of 42. That is the exact same situation Hoffman was in in 2010.
Agreed, although it doesn’t matter. While Hoffman has indicated achieving saves milestones and being the all-time saves leader are things he’s proud of, Rivera has expressed no interest in statistical milestones. If he finished 2011 with 599 saves, or was within ten saves of the all-time record, he will still retire if he does not want to pitch another season. That’s why he is asking for a one-year contract.
Neither Rivera nor Girardi care too much about most career saves. I mean what does Rivera have to prove? If it happens it happens. I’m surprised that Hoffman would place so much value on that award, he’s a first ballot HOF as well.
I think Hoffman would be a good choice. Because if he gets injured/sucks they could go to Gutierrez
idk, i dont like that cuz that reminds me of what happened this year with Qualls.. I say we target a younger more reliable closer such as; Rafael Soriono, Brian Fuentes, Heath Bell, or Bobby Jenks. idk what it would take to get Bell but he’s available.
Qualls was never meant to be a closer. He only got the job cause Rauch was ineffective. I would like Bell but Hoffman would be cheaper and money saved by signing him could go to signing Konerko.
True, but I just dont know if signing Konerko (35, turning 36) coming off a monster year, he will demand anywhere from 10-12 annually. And Hoffman (43) coming off a terrible year. To be our closer. Our main concern should be our bullpen, if we get Konerko great hes a solid player and an AZ native but we wont have enough for anyone else really. (Besides Hoffman)
I would be cool if they brought in Hoffman as a setup guy/ insurance for our closer, but not as our closer. Im sorry but having a guy like this would be a mistake being a Dback fan I hate uncertainty in the bullpen and thats what Hoffman would bring, we need to go get a Brain Fuentes or Rafael Soriono, or even trade for Heath Bell. So bring him in as a setup and give him a couple chances to save but nothing more. (If he’s willing to do that).
I can’t see any team signing Hoffman to be their primary closer. He’s 43 and is coming off a horrible year in which his fastball lost further velocity, and he lacked command and break on his bread-and-butter pitch, his change. He also showed he had difficulty pitching on consecutive days. I can’t see any team looking at him for anything more than a back-up role, and I’m not convinced he’ll make it all that far in to the season before being cut. The time comes for every player, and it’s now time for Hoffman. Be happy if I’m wrong since it’s great to see older player stick around and be effective, but 2010 was not pretty for Hoffman.
I’m not necessarily saying anybody who is questioning if Hoffman can still be effective is wrong; it’s a perfectly valid question and one that any team considering him should definitely ask. It does boggle my mind a little bit that the cause of it is half a bad season in, well, a career.
Maybe Hoffman really did hit the wall that hard and that fast, but I’d still bet on him being much closer to the pitcher he has been his entire career than the pitcher he was in (early) 2010 if I were a GM.
I’d like to see the Yankees offer him the 8th. If this guy wants a shot at winning more than personal stats, he’d take it.
I’d like to see the Yankees offer him the 8th. If this guy wants a shot at winning more than personal stats, he’d take it.
I’d like to see the Yankees offer him the 8th. If this guy wants a shot at winning more than personal stats, he’d take it.
I’d like to see the Yankees offer him the 8th. If this guy wants a shot at winning more than personal stats, he’d take it.