Report: Several Brewers put on waivers [Latest: Hoffman claimed by Giants]

[Invader3K]

I recall Haudricourt saying Hoffman has said he wouldn't mind coming back.

 

My guess is it's going to take a lot for the Brewers to trade Hoffman at this point. If they can get a young decent pitcher for him, great. Otherwise they should just hang onto him and try to retain his services for next season. He's been pretty much their only reliable reliever on a consistent basis.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Phillies can have Hoffman if they take Suppan too. Otherwise, no.

If they offered something of value, the Brewers should listen.

[RyDogg66]

I hope they keep him if they can get him for the same price (substantially) next year. It is nice to hear that he enjoys it here.

[JoeHova]

Very few players would say that they have no interest in returning to their current team. It doesn't make a lot of sense to limit the market for your services. Even if you don't like your current team, there is no reason to remove them from the bidding.

[pitchleague]

I'll concur that I like hearing Trevor has enjoyed his time in Milwaukee. I hope that it is honest and truthful and not just smoke to appease a writer. (Really, besides Gary Sheffield and Milton Bradley, most players say that they enjoy playing in whatever city they are currently in.)

 

That said, I'd love for him to be back next year. We've had a down year and he obviously must see that the talent is here and injuries just ravaged our chances.

[MNBrew]

I would guess that Hoffman sees the potential of this team and knows that...

 

- the Brewers are still a better team than the Padres have been this year, and that

- it wouldn't take too many personnel changes (assuming they're the "right" ones) to make this team a lot better.

[TabbertBB]

The Brewers can't get rid of Suppan until after Sunday when they get rid of his bobbleheads.

Remember, Melvin still is to have his bobblehead day in mid-September.

[trwi7]

injuries just ravaged our chances.

Not to take it off topic, but that's a weak excuse. We lost Suppan, Bush and Weeks. Counsell and McGehee filled in fine until we got Lopez who has been just as good. The depth was weak beyond the starting 5 which wasn't that good to begin with, that's on Melvin.

[pretendastronaut]

The Brewers can't get rid of Suppan until after Sunday when they get rid of his bobbleheads.

Remember, Melvin still is to have his bobblehead day in mid-September.

 

Nah, the Indians traded Victor Martinez the day before his bobblehead day just a couple of weeks ago. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[crewcrazy]

The FoxSports link was updated to note that Kendall, Counsell, Cameron, and Looper all cleared waivers and can be traded anywhere if there are any takers. I'm still not entirely confident in another team being dumb enough to give up much for one month of production, but we'll see what happens.

[jjfanec]

The Phillies can have Hoffman if they take Suppan too. Otherwise, no.

If they offered something of value, the Brewers should listen.

No I do not think they should. Last I heard Hoffman was a Type A free agent. That means we will either sign him our get a first round (or top half of second round) pick and a sandwich pick. I cannot imagine getting better value than that in return for Hoffman. So we either get high picks or we get another year of Hoffman. If we trade him we would have to give up a pick to get him back. That does not make sense for a team with no internal options at closer.

[RockCoCougars]

The FoxSports link was updated to note that Kendall, Counsell, Cameron, and Looper all cleared waivers and can be traded anywhere if there are any takers.

Where is Suppan on that list? No one would be dumb enough to claim him, but if the Brewers didn't at least put him out there (without reason), I would be upset. Can an 'injured' player not be placed on waivers?

[JohnBriggs12]

The Phillies can have Hoffman if they take Suppan too. Otherwise, no.

If they offered something of value, the Brewers should listen.

No I do not think they should. Last I heard Hoffman was a Type A free agent. That means we will either sign him our get a first round (or top half of second round) pick and a sandwich pick. I cannot imagine getting better value than that in return for Hoffman. So we either get high picks or we get another year of Hoffman. If we trade him we would have to give up a pick to get him back. That does not make sense for a team with no internal options at closer.

Allocating significant dollars for a 42 year old closer on a team that can't get the game to him makes zero sense. They need starting pitching first and foremost before they even address the closer role. They have an internal candidate and his name is Coffey. They made the deal for Weathers after they were out of the race because they can keep Weathers to set up next year.

[Thurston Fluff]

Allocating significant dollars for a 42 year old closer on a team that can't get the game to him makes zero sense.

 

I t does if you can get a first round draft pick just by offering him arby. If he accepts then you can trade him at the deadline for as much, if not more, than you could get for him now. If we don't need him that is.

[jjfanec]

Allocating significant dollars for a 42 year old closer on a team that can't get the game to him makes zero sense. They need starting pitching first and foremost before they even address the closer role. They have an internal candidate and his name is Coffey. They made the deal for Weathers after they were out of the race because they can keep Weathers to set up next year.

I highly doubt they made the move for Weathers just to get him to set up for next year. i think Melvin realizes how hot and cold many bullpen arms can be and you cannot have too quality guys in your bullpen. Even if the Brewers decide not to sign Hoffman they would need to get a great offer for it to be better than a possible first round pick and a sandwich pick. You are right that the Brewers need quality starters as well, but the reality is there are usually very few in free agency and the ones who are very good are out of our price range. Hoffman is a great option for us. He is low-risk long-term on his one year deal and much more proven than Coffey or anyone else.

[BrewCrewRising]

Strangely, Hoffman has more value if he's ultimately a type B as opposed to a type A. Nobody would sign Hoffman if the Crew or any other team offered him arby. Whatever team offers him arby is going to be the team that signs him. He would cost a 1st round pick, and who is going to give up a first round pick for a 42 year old closer who showed in the last season that he might have injury issues? It's not like you'd sign him for 3-4 years and have a piece to your puzzle for an opportunity window. You'd be rolling the dice on a season essentially.

 

Edit: I was a bit hasty with the "cost a 1st round pick" since depending on the team, it might just a 2nd round pick. But still, I have to believe that Hoffman would accept arbitration from whatever team has his rights in the off season. He's had a good year, and would probably get close enough in arby as he would on the open market, without the risk of not being signed, or not being signed until the last minute because of the draft pick consequences to value ratio.

[wallus]

Do the Phils have anything we would want for Hoffman?

[Never Outhustled]

Strangely, Hoffman has more value if he's ultimately a type B as opposed to a type A. Nobody would sign Hoffman if the Crew or any other team offered him arby.

Last offseason Type A FA's Orlando Cabrera and Orlando Hudson both signed 1 year deals. If a contender needs a closer, and theres a few that will, they'll sign him. He's had a great year. He's more valuable now that he's shown that his dominace isn't just the byproduct of a great pitchers park.

 

 

who is going to give up a first round pick

Half the teams would only have to give up their 2nd round pick.

 

 

Do the Phils have anything we would want for Hoffman?

Thats alot trickier since the Cliff Lee deal. They won't give up Kyle Drabeck in any deal. They have 2 other top prospect, but they're both OF's. The one that plays CF is too far away, he might be more interesting to us if he was MLB ready.

 

Antonio Bastardo made a few MLB starts for them this year. He's young, deceptive lefty with a really good K rate. He'd interest me, but I'd need another prospect just as good to be interested in moving Hoffman.

 

One thing we do know is that the Phillies closer need has reached desperation. I think they thought Lidge would turn things around, but he seems to just dig himself into the ground when things go bad, just like he did in Houston.

[LouisEly]

I doubt Hoffman would sign with a team that is not a contender, i.e. a team that would only have to give up a 2nd round pick.

 

Cabrera and Hudson are significantly younger and less likely to fall off the table than Hoffman. They also can use the one year deal to buy time to sign them to an extension. We're not saying that no one will sign Hoffman; we're just saying that if he is a Type A it is a lot less likely that someone will.

[trwi7]

Antonio Bastardo made a few MLB starts for them this year. He's young, deceptive lefty with a really good K rate. He'd interest me, but I'd need another prospect just as good to be interested in moving Hoffman.

I like him. What about Mike Stutes? Baseball America says he has the best slider in Phillies' system, he has a low 90s fastball as well as a change and curve and holding his own in AA a year after being drafted. He doesn't have a ton of upside though, which is his biggest knock.

 

So would anybody do Bastardo and Stutes for Hoffman if the Phillies are the team that claimed him?

[fleehaw]

Allocating significant dollars for a 42 year old closer on a team that can't get the game to him makes zero sense.

 

I t does if you can get a first round draft pick just by offering him arby. If he accepts then you can trade him at the deadline for as much, if not more, than you could get for him now. If we don't need him that is.

Doesn't anyone think it's possible that Melvin and Hoffman have an agreement that he won't be offered arbitration, or at least if he's a type A, given his age, etc? This is nothing but conjecture, but it certainly seems like a possibility given the situation.

[Teatoe993]

You gotta remember that Hoffman is well in his 40s now. You gotta know he has been thinking about retirement. I'm not saying he will, but I can think of many high-character athletes who have retired while still at the top of their game. If he does, we won't get any draft picks no matter if he's a type A or B. If we can get a decent return in a trade, I say you make it. I just think that will be the safest gamble. We can always sign him back if he really wants to come back.

[jeffy]

So would anybody do Bastardo and Stutes for Hoffman if the Phillies are the team that claimed him?

I do like the idea of getting a pitcher named Bastardo. If he is good, great. If not, there is fun to be had with that name. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[JJHardy7]

I guess the thing I'm missing here is why would anyone give up top prospects for Hoffman? It's not a knock on him, but at this point in the season I don't think he'll bring in a top 5 prospect. I know he's a Type A, but I guess I don't put a ton of weight in that since the draft picks aren't guaranteed. It's been stated that Trevor likes Milwaukee and chances are the Brewers will still be somewhat relevant next year...in other words I see it this way:

- The Brewers feel if they offer Trevor arby he'll accept...that's not a bad thing

- The Brewers are weighing what player(s) they could receive right now...and not really thinking of him as a Type A

I might be missing the boat completely here and if I am I apologize. I just don't recall a lot of top prospects being traded in August deals...again I apologize if I'm off on this. I now it's not rumored or anything like that, but a guy like Counsell would be an ideal August trade. Not a guy like Hoffman if that makes sense. I won't be upset if we get some sweet players, but I just don't see it...the Phillies do have major issues though.

[trwi7]

Doesn't anyone think it's possible that Melvin and Hoffman have an agreement that he won't be offered arbitration, or at least if he's a type A, given his age, etc? This is nothing but conjecture, but it certainly seems like a possibility given the situation.

I don't think so. If he did, we probably would've heard about it when he signed the contract. And if he did, we would be hearing how the Brewers would be taking offers and would be likely to trade him to get something for him not that it's "unlikely a deal will get done."