2009 Closer -- Hoffman to Brewers

[Badger OKC]

According to foxsports we are now the frontrunner.

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/...pears-headed-to-Milwaukee

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

So the reason for the Brewers being the front runner is a "Clear vacancy at the closer position". My earlier post doesn't look so dumb after all.

[PeaveyFury]

It sure would be interesting if the Brewers actually beat out a team like the Dodgers for a guy that they're both legitimately in the running for.

[areacodes]

Would that make him our Reggie White?

 

 

EDIT:

So there is some substance to my post, the LA Times is reporting that Hoffman will decide on Thursday.

[Oldcity]

Hoffman is good and would make a nice addition to the team, but he is pretty old to be pinning hopes on IMO.

That's exactly how I feel about it. He's good and I'll be pleased if they get him, but the starting pitching is the bigger need. Hoffman and Sheets would make for a very good off-season.

[jjfanec]

Hoffman is good and would make a nice addition to the team, but he is pretty old to be pinning hopes on IMO.

I feel like pinning our hopes on him as a closer makes sense. Pinning our hopes on him to be what turns this off-season around without us getting a starter is wrong. However, he is a better option to close than Torres was last year and obviously Gagne.

He makes this teams bullpen much better than what it was a day ago. We keep flexibility with Villy being able to go more than one inning when needed. Riske, Stetter, Coffey, and McClung with Hoffman and Villy give the Brewers a bullpen I am more confident in than last years. If we can get a starter like Sheets so McClung can be in the bullpen then I am good with our off-season. I would have like a solution to 3B and another left-handed bat.

[bucksman4]

Wow, in just a few short months since season's end, I see many have forgotten how badly Sheets let this team down when he was needed the most. I would only offer a 1 year deal to him if anything. Melvin is too smart to make the mistake twice with Sheets on a long-term deal.

[edod]

Wow, in just a few short months since season's end, I see many have forgotten how badly Sheets let this team down when he was needed the most. I would only offer a 1 year deal to him if anything. Melvin is too smart to make the mistake twice with Sheets on a long-term deal.

He did try to make a start and it didn't go well. I think he pretty much put it all on the line for the team, especially if it turns out he was hurt for longer than the public knew, damaging his free agent dollars. I don't go in for the line of thought that a player lets his team down by getting injured, unless he's doing something stupid in his off time. I would only offer him a one year deal because he may be damaged goods. But I would offer him a two year deal to beat out another team and at this point it's going to be steal one way or another.

[Nader Raider Tim]

http://www.rotoworld.com/...ort=MLB&hl=253631&id=1796

 

AP reporting the Brewers are close to landing Hoffman. Nuff said. Nice low risk move. Much nicer than the Gagne pickup.

[B2k1121]

I still have a feeling that when I check tomorrow Hoffman will have signed with the Dodgers, and the Brewers will be looking towards plan D.

[Ennder]

Wow, in just a few short months since season's end, I see many have forgotten how badly Sheets let this team down when he was needed the most. I would only offer a 1 year deal to him if anything. Melvin is too smart to make the mistake twice with Sheets on a long-term deal.

I didn't expect Sheets to be able to go 200 innings after three partial seasons in a row. He should have been on about a 180 inning inning limit. If anyone let the team down it was management for misusing him earlier in the season. They blew it with Parra too who should have been on an inning limit and maybe started the season in relief.

 

Sheets did what was expected of a pitcher coming off seasons of 156. 106 and 141 innings. He it a wall at around 175 innings just like everyone should have expected.

[Invader3K]

When you're trying to make the playoffs for the first time in 26 years, a team isn't going to be as concerned with babying their starting pitchers. That's just the way it is. If they had sat Sheets a few games and we had missed out on making the playoffs due to having to start Villy or McClung excessively, it still would have been a no win situation. Also, you use "management" as a pretty vague blanket term. Who are you actually referring to? Melvin? Yost? Mike Maddux? Mark Attanasio? Maybe it was a conspiracy where they wanted him to break his arm and never pitch again so they could all laugh at him.

 

Then again, we could take the opposite approach and say that maybe Sheets should have had himself in better shape after three consecutive injury riddled seasons.

[aracko]

Id still rather have Gagne than Coffey

[dlk9s]

http://www.rotoworld.com/...amp;hl=253631&id=1796

 

AP reporting the Brewers are close to landing Hoffman. Nuff said. Nice low risk move. Much nicer than the Gagne pickup.

ESPN.com reporting it now, too:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3817909

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[dpapo]

After this offseason, I'll believe Hoffman is signing with the Brewers when he or his agent makes it official. Looks good, but right now ESPN and Rotoworld are going off the same AP story. However, if Hoffman does sign with the Brewers, hopefully they will next be close to signing a starter. Still would like to sign another reliever or two, but getting another starter will become the top priority, if Hoffman does end up signing with the Brewers.

[Invader3K]

Id still rather have Gagne than Coffey

I wouldn't mind bringing Gagne back if he was cheap enough, to be honest. He sure as heck isn't going to get $10 million/yr from anyone again.

 

Also, MLBTraderumors has been updating this a lot. They say it looks like it's nearing being a done deal, and that it would be a one year guaranteed with an "option for 2010," according to MLB.com. Interesting that it might not necessarily be two years guaranteed like many of us were assuming.

[fondybrewfan]

If we get Hoffman I would be pretty satisfied with our bullpen make-up as log as we can get McClung in the bullpen and not in the rotation. Maybe by signing Looper. We won't have the best pitching staff in the world, but I think it will keep us in most games. It does seem fairly obvious that our offense is going to have to be better than last year, but if Hoffman is signed I think the Crew is more than capable of competing.

[naivin]

So if this actually goes through, would it mean that players want to play in Milwaukee (or that the Brewers had the better offer)?

[Invader3K]

Well, I don't think you could definitively say Milwaukee is a hot free agent destination or something, but at least it will prove again that guys are willing to come to Milwaukee if the dollars are right. Ultimately it probably just means that the Brewers are giving Hoffman the better opportunity to play the position he wants (closer), where the Dodgers can't realistically guarantee that.

[secondsith]

Has Torres filed his retirement papers yet? It would sure be great if they could land Hoffman and then convince Torres to come back for one more year.

[bjkrautk]

Has Torres filed his retirement papers yet? It would sure be great if they could land Hoffman and then convince Torres to come back for one more year.

Torres finished the paperwork in late November, and the Brewers made the corresponding roster move on Dec. 2.

Link

[JohnBriggs12]

Has Torres filed his retirement papers yet? It would sure be great if they could land Hoffman and then convince Torres to come back for one more year.

I believe he has. If you're going to bring a reliever back, why not Mota? He was very solid the last 2 months, is likely pretty cheap, and even though there's a new manager, Castro should know that Mota is effective when not overused.

 

Again, assuming this gets done, this just shores up one area. It doesn't make the Brewers instant contenders much less favorites. Not that they won't be, just that they still have too many "ifs" right now and a lot of things would have to go right.

 

If they add a quality starter via FA or trade (and no Looper isn't a big enough upgrade), that would have more impact than Hoffman. They still haven't addressed their offensive weaknesses either. Unless Gamel puts up ROY type numbers, this offense isn't well rounded enough.

[ttsather]

Hoffman has a terms sheet.

 

*fingers crossed*

[fondybrewfan]

* Multiple fingers and toes crossed*

[BuckyBrewer61]

Just reported on Sportscenter...Hoffman agrees to 1-year deal with the Brewers, per Buster Olney.