Major League Baseball

Hoffman struggles as age takes its toll

Published Jun. 20, 2010 7:53 a.m. ET

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The grounds crew had finished its nightly chores, the lights at Coors Field were turned off, and there, in the late hours of Friday night, was baseball’s all-time save leader, Milwaukee Brewers reliever Trevor Hoffman, running laps around the playing field.

Four saves shy of the magical 600 level that nobody has reached, and a month removed from his last save opportunity, Hoffman has run out of answers.

One of the game’s greats — on the field and off — Hoffman finds that at the age of 42, time is no longer an ally.

In 14 of the last 15 seasons Hoffman, has saved at least 30 games. The exception was 2003 when injuries limited him to only nine appearances.

Nine times he has earned more than 40 saves. Only one other pitcher has even had more than four seasons of 40 saves — Mariano Rivera of the Yankees, who reached that level seven times.

A year ago, having been cast aside by San Diego, with whom he earned 552 of the first 554 saves of his career, Hoffman found the statistical revenge. He not only saved 37 games for the Brewers, but compiled a 1.83 ERA.

That prompted the Brewers to re-sign Hoffman to an $8 million deal, making him the third-highest paid player on the team. The payoff, however, is missing. And nobody has to tell Hoffman how hard the hard times can be.

John Axford, a 27-year-old journeyman has assumed the role of closer in Milwaukee. Axford was originally signed by the Yankees out of an independent league in Western Canada, released by them after one year in the minors and then signed prior to last year by the Brewers, who wanted him to climb from Class A to the big leagues during the course of the 2009 season.

Hoffman is 5-for-10 in save situations, which is one more blown save than he had in 41 opportunities a year ago. He hasn’t had a save opportunity since May 18, at which time he had been scored upon in eight of his 14 appearances.

Hoffman went into Saturday with a 9.43 ERA, which is unsightly but actually is a marked improvement from the 13.15 ERA he possessed at the time he was replaced as closer.

"You know, if there was an answer at this point in time, I think we would have found it,’’ Hoffman said.

There has been a glimpse of hope in the last month. Hoffman is unscored upon in seven of his eight appearances, but the most telling thing is that the Brewers have been trailing in each of Hoffman’s last seven appearances.

Brewers manager Ken Macha has plenty of challenges facing him with a team that was supposed to be a contender, but instead is stumbling along at 28-39 going into Saturday night, stuck in fourth place in the NL Central.

None, however, is bigger than figuring out how to deal with the Hoffman situation. The right-hander has earned a certain level of respect because of what he has meant to this game as a pitcher and a goodwill ambassador, but there also is the need to give the team its fair shot.

There is nothing more difficult for a manager than dealing with a superstar who is at the end of his career, and doesn’t know it.

Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu touched off a storm in Seattle earlier this season when he called in Ken Griffey Jr., bluntly told him he was no longer the left-handed DH and if he was going to stay with the team he’d have to be satisfied in a pinch-hit role. The next thing the Mariners knew, Griffey had headed to his Florida home, having decided the end had come.

The struggles of Chipper Jones in Atlanta, combined with Jones announcing in spring training that he will retire if he doesn’t feel he can contribute, has created ongoing speculation about Jones’ plans despite the Braves being in first place in the NL East going into play on Saturday.

Todd Helton is struggling to be the offensive player Colorado Rockies fans expect, but remains a blessing with his defense, has shown an occasional hint of being able to break out of his slump, has readily accepted a move to the No. 2 slot in the batting order, where his ability to draw a walk is an attribute, and has continued to play excellent defense that eases pressures on the rest of the infield.

Hoffman has been the good soldier. He has handled the lesser role with the class that has been a hallmark of his career. He has admitted Macha, "needs to worry about many different facets of what's going on, so if I go out and throw the ball better than I have for a little bit, then things will change back."

But he also shows a realistic feel for what might be. Prior to this year, he had allowed an average 7.13 hits per nine innings, and never gave up more hits than innings pitched. He gave up 28 hits and 11 waks in his first 21 innings this season.

"I always said the hitters would let me know [when to retire], and they're talking awfully loud," Hoffman said recently.

Hoffman would like to quiet the conversation before it becomes a roar.

Encore

Ubaldo Jimenez has drawn the national attention — and rightfully so — among Rockies pitchers. But in the last three weeks, it’s a toss up between  Jimenez or Jason Hammel as to who's better.

Hammel has become the perfect encore to Jimenez. The Rockies are 10-0 in the last five times through the rotation with those two starting. Jimenez, 13-1 with a 1.16 ERA in 14 starts, is 5-0 in his last five starts with a 1.42 ERA. Hammel is 4-0 with a 0.78 ERA.

And, oh, by the way, the Rockies went into Saturday night 12-10 during that stretch. That’s right, 2-10 when someone other than Jimenez or Hammel starts.

On target

Best of the new ballparks has to be Target Field in Minneapolis. Call the design "understated class."

There is no attempt to copy aspects of other parks. The Twin Cities folks built the ballpark to reflect its local roots, and did a wonderful job of recognizing the history of baseball in Minnesota throughout the ballpark. Check out the Town Team Tavern, where patrons walk across the wood floor from the armory where George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers won an NBA championship.

Personal top five parks: Target Field in Minneapolis (understated class); Coors Field in Denver (clean, open and a ballpark); Safeco Field in Seattle (Coors Field with a big top); Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City (redesign without losing its original appeal); and Petco Park in San Diego (down right comfortable).

Personal bottom three parks: Sun Life Stadium in Miami (let the Dolphins have it); Oakland Coliseum in Oakland (always had drawbacks and then NFL’s Al Davis got power); Comerica Park, Detroit (heaven forbid they would keep a Tiger Stadium feel); Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay (can’t blame Rays for fans staying away); and Ranger Ballpark in Arlington (three architects worked on it and it shows).
 

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