The Basics
For fifteen years, Trevor Hoffman was as reliable a relief pitcher as they come. A seven-time All-Star, Hoffman was forced by a myriad of arm troubles to transition from a fireballer in his 1994 rookie season to the crafty finesse pitcher he is remembered as for the remainder of his Major League career.
The statistic that stands out for obvious reasons when reviewing Hoffman’s Hall of Fame credentials is his save total: 601. Second only to Mariano Rivera in all-time saves, Hoffman was the face of the San Diego Padres for sixteen seasons.
His other stellar numbers seem to fade into the background of a career spent largely as a closer; a career 2.87 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 39 saves-per-year average were the hallmarks of a career grounded in the consistency of his changeup and control of his fastball.
Pitching Style
High leg-kick, over-the-top delivery, and a changeup that dropped off the face of the earth.
We would be remiss to not mention Hoffman’s changeup, widely considered one of the greatest of all-time. After losing 5-7 mph of velocity on his fastball in 1994, Hoffman refined a palmball-style changeup in 1995 which would become his trademark.
As his velocity declined steadily throughout his career, Hoffman learned to rely even more on the aforementioned changeup, as well as an underrated slider, which broke more than four inches on a horizontal plane.
Hoffman’s longevity as a finesse pitcher out of the back-end of the Padres’ bullpen was impressive. After leading the National League in saves as a 38 year-old in 2006, ‘Hoff’ was named an All-Star in both 2007 and 2009, posting a ridiculous 1.83 ERA and closing out 37 ballgames in the latter as a 41 year-old with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Off-field
The affable Hoffman was universally seen as one of the best teammates in the game of baseball, with a work ethic second to none, by teammates, coaches, and organization higher-ups.
“I played with George Brett, a Hall of Famer who was a great worker,” said Padres manager Bud Black. “But Trevor took it to a level and a commitment of Hall of Fame caliber.”
Hoffman’s calm, professional demeanor throughout his career left an impression on many teammates and extended into his natural persona as a leader outside the lines.
“Thank you for realizing that your legacy was about more than some huge statistic; for never hiding your humanity behind a number, but putting a number behind your humanity,” wrote former teammate Dirk Hayhurst in a sincere blog post shortly after Hoffman announced his retirement. “You’ll be referenced in print because of what you accomplished on the field, but you’ll be written about for decades to come because of the man you were off it.”
Conclusion
Trevor Hoffman was an exceptional baseball player.
The one knock on him is a lack of postseason glory, or save opportunities for that matter. However, as the epitome of consistency and grace, he remained loyal to the Padres organization in an era which saw a sharp decline in organizational loyalty, and ought to be rewarded for that.
His nine 40-save seasons sit tied for first all-time, and he has often been called the greatest National League closer of his era. Had it not been for Mariano Rivera’s iconic career with the New York Yankees, Hoffman might have enjoyed the status and recognition he did in San Diego throughout the league.
Most finished games in MLB history (856). First pitcher to 500, then 600 saves. All-time MLB saves leader from 2006 to 2011.
Trevor Hoffman deserves to be in Cooperstown.
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