Let's talk Hoffman

[giffted1]

it was also in poor taste to boo hoffman off the field. i'm irritated by this fratboy attitude i'd hope to only find in chicago after every poor performance...we don't really wanna be like that, do we milwaukee?

Over the past few years, the difference between the average Cubs fan and the average Brewers fan has become negligible.

[Invader3K]

Over the past few years, the difference between the average Cubs fan and the average Brewers fan has become negligible.

I disagree. I think I would take the Miller Park crowd any day over the Wrigley neanderthal-like atmosphere. Maybe if the Miller Park crowd starts throwing trash on the field I'll change my tune.

 

I didn't care for the booing after Hoffman's outing last night, either, though. I'm normally one to say the fans can boo if they want, but it seemed a little over the top. He gave up a pair of home runs to two of the absolute best hitters in the game. It's not like he's Jeff Suppan going out there...he's a future Hall of Famer and should be given a bit more respect.

[thebruce44]

Over the past few years, the difference between the average Cubs fan and the average Brewers fan has become negligible.

I disagree. I think I would take the Miller Park crowd any day over the Wrigley neanderthal-like atmosphere. Maybe if the Miller Park crowd starts throwing trash on the field I'll change my tune.

 

I didn't care for the booing after Hoffman's outing last night, either, though. I'm normally one to say the fans can boo if they want, but it seemed a little over the top. He gave up a pair of home runs to two of the absolute best hitters in the game. It's not like he's Jeff Suppan going out there...he's a future Hall of Famer and should be given a bit more respect.

For what its worth, I am constantly challenged to fights just for wearing Brewers stuff around Wrigleyville. When I am up in MKE and someone is wearing Cubs gear, I hardly ever see Brewer fans walking up to him one after another to tell them how much they suck and how badly they could kick their ---. But lets face it, $8 312 pints can make you a little beligerent.

 

 

[Darnell Junior]

I don't even really consider the shot on one knee to be a blown save. You can't blame a guy for throwing a changeup a foot out of the zone and a guy going yard on it. To me, Hoffman has blown one save against the 2nd best 3-4 lineup in all of baseball. In other words, I'm not concerned.

[cadillacjosh]

I disagree. I think I would take the Miller Park crowd any day over the Wrigley neanderthal-like atmosphere. Maybe if the Miller Park crowd starts throwing trash on the field I'll change my tune.

 

I didn't care for the booing after Hoffman's outing last night, either, though. I'm normally one to say the fans can boo if they want, but it seemed a little over the top. He gave up a pair of home runs to two of the absolute best hitters in the game. It's not like he's Jeff Suppan going out there...he's a future Hall of Famer and should be given a bit more respect.

For what its worth, I am constantly challenged to fights just for wearing Brewers stuff around Wrigleyville. When I am up in MKE and someone is wearing Cubs gear, I hardly ever see Brewer fans walking up to him one after another to tell them how much they suck and how badly they could kick their ---. But lets face it, $8 312 pints can make you a little beligerent.

 

I gotta disagree. I've seen many a cub fan get yelled at and the dreaded "a**-hole" chant right at him in Miller. I wouldn't go so far to say that we're as bad as Wrigley, but a team named after beer is probably going to have a rowdy crowd.

[berniebrewer4life]

I don't even really consider the shot on one knee to be a blown save. You can't blame a guy for throwing a changeup a foot out of the zone and a guy going yard on it. To me, Hoffman has blown one save against the 2nd best 3-4 lineup in all of baseball. In other words, I'm not concerned.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Until Friday night, i thought only Vlad could hit a HR on a shoelace ball. That was pure luck, and like you said, 9 times out of 10 we win that game. Hoffman will be fine.

[BrewCrewForever]

I'm not giving up on Hoffman yet. If he blows another 3 or more this month yet then I might worry. Closers have these bad streaks once in awhile. And Friday I don't blame Hoffman as much as I give Stavinoha credit for somehow hitting that pitch from his knee.

 

I am glad though that if Hoffman continues to struggle for some reason that we have guys like Hawkins and Coffey who could close if need be. Not to mention Zach Braddock being groomed in AAA to be a closer someday soon.

[JohnBriggs12]

Anybody remember former Brewer closer Tom Murphy? For the uninitiated youngsters out there, Murphy burst onto the scene in 1974, when he appeared in 70 games in relief, finishing a league high 66 games, logging a whopping 123 innings and 20 saves and a 1.90 ERA. Erstwhile Brewer organist Frank Charles one day that year, got the idea to play the "Irish Jig" every time Murphy trotted in from the bullpen. It was cute and got the fans into a festive mood as "here comes the guy that will lock down this game". Everybody loved it.

Unfortunately, Murphy's 1974 success didn't exactly carry over into 1975 as he proceeded to cough up game after game, finishing that year 1-9 with a 4.60 ERA. But good old Frank kept on playing that Irish jig, to the point I never wanted to hear it again.

 

Fast forward to 2010. How soon will fans learn to dread "Hells Bells"?

[berniebrewer4life]

Fast forward to 2010. How soon will fans learn to dread "Hells Bells"?

So lemme get this straight, you are comparing the best closer of all time to Tom Murphy? It's two blown saves, i think you are overreacting just a little right now. If he had blown 5-6 saves and we were 3-4 weeks in, sure, it might be time to question it. But not 7 games in.

[Menotti80]

if anything, blame it on that stupid banner they they put in left center field counting down to 600 saves.

 

that thing needs to go!

[geddymd73]

I don't even really consider the shot on one knee to be a blown save. You can't blame a guy for throwing a changeup a foot out of the zone and a guy going yard on it. To me, Hoffman has blown one save against the 2nd best 3-4 lineup in all of baseball. In other words, I'm not concerned.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Until Friday night, i thought only Vlad could hit a HR on a shoelace ball. That was pure luck, and like you said, 9 times out of 10 we win that game. Hoffman will be fine.

Nah, soft pitches out of the zone are easy pickins for those batters with the guts to go after them and put the fat part of the bat on the ball. Stavinoha didn't have anything to lose. He pounded that into the second deck. Yeah maybe 5 out of 10 times it just gets over the wall, but it was a sure thing going off the bat. If you're going to throw away a pitch, why not do it low and inside? You don't hit generally 2nd deckers off of the handle.

[berniebrewer4life]

[quote author=geddymd73 wrote:

[/b] If you're going to throw away a pitch, why not do it low and inside?

It was thrown low and inside.

[danzig6767]

FVBrewerFan]I disagree. Any hitter in the majors will hit am 85 MPH down the middle of the plate. Hard. Not just Pujols and Holliday.

I'm not all worried about Trevor and blown saves happen all the time in baseball, but i do admit that since we've had him i do fear the home run more than with other closers simply because his fastball is only 85 and if his location is off bad on any pitch, it becomes a wet dream to any hitter with power. That said, Hoffman has excelled for a long time simply because he's had such consistently good location on pitches he throws.

[TooLiveBrew]

Nah, soft pitches out of the zone are easy pickins for those batters with the guts to go after them and put the fat part of the bat on the ball. Stavinoha didn't have anything to lose.

 

Yeah, most guys can hit it out 50% of the time or more off one knee.

[Beast Light]

I didn't get to watch the game today because I was at work. How did Hoffman look?

[Oldcity]

He looked fine today. He got five outs and only gave up one run.

[Beast Light]

He looked fine today. He got five outs and only gave up one run.

Well that is good. Hopefully he is returning to form because we are going to need him this year.

 

 

[Ennder]

He looked fine today. He got five outs and only gave up one run.

Well that is good. Hopefully he is returning to form because we are going to need him this year.

 

To expand on this a little since you didn't see it, Hart misplayed two balls that went for "doubles" even though they should have been outs.

[Teatoe993]

OK. Now I am starting to get a little bit nervous about Trevor.

[PeaveyFury]

I'm dumbfounded that he's throwing almost all fastballs. It's just insane- almost no changeups again tonight.

[NYChez]

Doug Jones:

1997 - Age 40, 36 saves, 0.8 WHIP, 2.02 ERA

1998 - Age 41, 12 saves, 1.4 WHIP, 5.17 ERA

Just sayin'

[Hammer]

I think that he has finally hit the end of his road. Trevor, it has been a great career but it is time to hang up the rusty old spikes. Is it time for the Zach show?

[tigerbrew]

Grand Slam. Trevor's done, he should not be the closer anymore. He's basically throwing BP out there and hoping to get away it.

[Mr QL]

I think he's done. Let him get 600 saves and then it's time to go another direction.

[BadgerFan]

Grand Slam. Trevor's done, he should not be the closer anymore. He's basically throwing BP out there and hoping to get away it.

Couldn't agree more. He's completely washed up. If he is our closer after tonight it's only because of his historical career; I'd honestly feel more confident tossing Suppan out there in the 9th over Hoffman...I'm not joking.