Let's talk Hoffman

[TabbertBB]

Who cares about the Number 600-- is that number something "special" or something-- it is just a number.

[tigerbrew]

Hoffman's stuff is not good, 85 mph fastballs leaves very little margin for error and doesn't really help setup his changeup. It's too risky to send Hoffman to the mound anymore.

[Mr QL]

Maybe we should of resigned Cordero. :-!

[Invader3K]

Maybe we should of resigned Cordero. :-!

Melvin tried, and Cordero obviously didn't want to stay here.

[Hammer]

I'm ready to mail in the season if he is not relieved of his closers spot. What a waste of money/wins for this year...

[Postseason2006]

Cordero's price was too much and he was one of the main culprits for our poor finish in 2007.

[trwi7]

Maybe we should of resigned Cordero. :-!

Maybe we should learn that spending a ton of money on relief pitchers is a bad idea.

 

[Mr QL]

Maybe we should of resigned Cordero. :-!

Melvin tried, and Cordero obviously didn't want to stay here.

Actually now that you say that, I remember that sorta. The Reds offered slightly more and he jumped at their offer was that it? I have a terrible memory.

[Mr QL]

Maybe we should of resigned Cordero. :-!

Maybe we should learn that spending a ton of money on relief pitchers is a bad idea.

at least washed up and or old ones

[Invader3K]

Actually now that you say that, I remember that sorta. The Reds offered slightly more and he jumped at their offer was that it? I have a terrible memory.

Correct. He didn't even give Melvin a chance to counter-offer.

[PeaveyFury]

I pretty much agree that we've gotten to the point where this isn't something they can simply shrug off as a slow start. I think a "DL-stint" with a two week "rehab assignment" in Nashville would be a prime opportunity for him to either get things figured out off the Brewers roster or prove that he's done.

[sheethead]

The Brewers are such suckers that they didn't trade this guy before the deadline last year-- why they held onto him is STUPID!!! They were going nowhere last year and some other sucker would have took this Hasbeen off their hands

 

This is what happens when marketing plays too big of a role in the composition of a team. Time to cut bait.

[Flood Pants]

The Brewers are such suckers that they didn't trade this guy before the deadline last year-- why they held onto him is STUPID!!! They were going nowhere last year and some other sucker would have took this Hasbeen off their hands

 

This is what happens when marketing plays too big of a role in the composition of a team. Time to cut bait.

Last season, Hoffman pitched like the great reliever he always has been. Holding on to him and resigning him is a move that I won't fault Melvin for. Nobody could have predicted this. Sure, we could predict a modest decline, but not a complete collapse. This is just bad luck. But regardless, Hoffman needs to be removed from the closers role because enough is enough.

[sheethead]

Last season, Hoffman pitched like the great reliever he always has been.

 

Which is why Melvin should have counted his blessings for last year and moved on.

 

Nobody could have predicted this.

 

I absolutely did predict this. But its like predicting the kid who's jumping over the fire will eventually get burned, so I can't take full credit.

[CheezWizHed]

So when will Hoffman be put on the DL? This is ridiculous!

 

We have almost spent as much money on closers as the Reds have on Coco, and he has only blown 12 saves in the 2+ years in Cincy. That isn't great, but its a heck of a lot better than we have had in that time frame (including Hoffman of last year). Hoffman now has 9 BS in 1+ years. Gagne had 7 in a partial 2008, Torres had 7... That's 23 BS from your main closer in 3 years. And we paid them... Something like $27million?

[bklynbrewcrew]

This is what will happen next; Hoffman will be told he is not the closer "for now". The team will then have 3 mop up relievers who they are afraid to pitch in close games (Suppan, Vargas, Hoffman). We will essentially have a staff with 3 useless relievers because this management refuses to cut a veteran. Hoffman will have one or two clean innings when we are up or down by 10 runs and he will be named the closer again and will blow one or two more games. This management is just too stubborn to cut bait. What exactly do we owe Hoffman, its not like he saved most of his games with us. This is a great example why this organization is "stuck in neutral".

[Roscoe Chill]

Is it really that big of a surprise that a 42 year old closer lost it fast? It's not that hard to figure out. It's not some mystery. He's old. He's done. When will the Brewers figure it out? What are the Brewers 15-24? Even with an average pitcher closing out those games, they're sniffing right around .500. Last year was great, but there was a hint of smoke and mirrors with his success. But whatever.

[FVBrewerFan]

Hoffman is most responsible for the Brewers awful start to the season- period. While no closer is perfect, this team would be hovering around .500 if he blew only a save or two. In fact, they may be better than .500 because the attitude on the team would be much different. Hard to bounce back over and over again when you lose games in that way.

 

That should be it, for now at least. Should have been done a month ago. No need to DFA him, jsut let him be another 1 inning guy for 2-3 months, and depending on how things are going you can try putting him in the closer role again.

[Funketown]

We have almost spent as much money on closers as the Reds have on Coco, and he has only blown 12 saves in the 2+ years in Cincy. That isn't great, but its a heck of a lot better than we have had in that time frame (including Hoffman of last year). Hoffman now has 9 BS in 1+ years. Gagne had 7 in a partial 2008, Torres had 7... That's 23 BS from your main closer in 3 years. And we paid them... Something like $27million?

Gagne got $10,000,000, Torres $3,333,333, and Hoffman $6,000,000 for last year. He'll get $8,000,000 this year (assuming the option is declined and none of the incentives vest). That's a total of $26,333,333 spent on "closers" by Melvin over the last three years, while Coco has made $33, and is on schedule to make another $13 next year.

 

The bottom line is that spending on Gagne and Hoffman (the second time, perhaps the first) was dumb. Spending on Cordero was dumb. Spending on Francisco Rodriguez was dumb. Spending on Brian Fuentes was dumb.

 

I really hope Braddock is given a chance to close games, because saving $8MM on closing pitching per year would be great for the Brewers.

[Ennder]

The Cordero deal was terrible, we just made a string of bad deals as well. Small market teams should be developing young closers and trading them for prospects. I'll never understand why a team like the Pirates signs Dotel instead of letting say Meek get experience and then trading him as an example.

[joepepsi]

What really hurts is that any Schmoe reliever is capable of pitching a scoreless inning 70-80% of the time. Especially when they start the inning.

[RobDeer 45]

He's got to be done. I hate to say it but I hope he has enough pride to retire.

[prophet]

Any reason Axford doesn't get a chance? I don't see how he does worse. Worst case scenario, he blows saves and we lose. That's already happening. I know Hoffman wants to get to 600 saves, and that's cool. But, I don't care if I see that ever happen. I want to see the Brewers win. All I know, they need to do something, because they lost my money till they do. I'm not spending money on tickets plus gas from Green Bay to watch a losing blowout. I don't understand what has to happen before management grows a pair and gets rid of some of these overpaid vets that aren't contributing. (Suppan, Hoffman, Vargas, Hawkins). And I mean cut them, not trade, or put em on the DL. Cut them. Honestly whats the difference between paying them to lose games or paying them to just go away and not be here anymore. At least if we cut them, we'll be paying them and they won't be hurting us on the field, just financially. Right now, they're hurting us on the field and financially. I would rather pay those guys to stop hurting my team then pay them to lose and clog up a roster spot.

[iluvlamp]

I completely agree. Been thinking like that since Suppan and Hoffman started sucking. Big changes are needed. Not the fire Macha change or Melvin change...A full scale blow up the pitching staff change and see what the kids can do. The vets are not helping at this point. Let's see what we have.

[sheethead]

“I’m not getting things done,” said Hoffman, who remained four saves shy of 600 for his career after his 999th appearance. “I’m not getting outs. There’s not a whole lot to analyze about it. If there was an answer at this point in time, I think we would have found it.”

 

That last part is what I have been saying, even Hoffman knows it. There is no analysis or answer to it, the guy is out of gas. When management finally realizes what 99% of MLB scouts already know, they can cut their losses and move on. Until then, this is what the fans get. A big kick in the groin over and over and over and...

 

The whole "there are no better options" excuse is a complete cop out. Estrada was very likely to close this game out for the W, but of course it was a save situation and the most annoying aspect of baseball protocol took hold. The problem with this now is, its not just about location. Its about not getting outs and giving up a boatload of runs no matter where the pitches are located.

 

Out. Of. Gas. Or as Homer so eloquently stated on his show today, EOC.