Hoffman falls short of Hall of Fame in 1st year eligible
With the voting results for the 2016 Hall of Fame class announced Wednesday, fans of the San Diego Padres found out that one of the greatest players in their team's history fell short in his first year of eligibility.
Hoffman, whose dominance on the mound for the San Diego Padres came in the form of a closer, is second all-time in saves with 601. He pitched more than 15 years of his career with the Friars, and holds franchise records in numerous categories including career saves (552), saves in a single season (53), career games pitched (902) and lowest career ERA (2.76).
The Padres released the following statement after Wednesday's Hall of Fame vote:
"We would like to congratulate the Hall of Fame class of 2016, including former Padres catcher Mike Piazza.
"Regarding Trevor Hoffman falling short in his first year of eligibility, we share our fans' disappointment in today's results. Few others have represented a franchise in Major League Baseball the way Trevor and his family have represented the Padres over the last three decades. While it may be impossible for us to be objective, Trevor is a true Hall of Famer in our eyes and the eyes of all San Diegans. We hope that well-deserved recognition comes his way in the near future."
On behalf of Hoffman, the Padres also released the following statement:
"First and foremost, I want to congratulate Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza. This is a class of tremendous players and people, both deserving of the title Hall of Famer. While the news today wasn't the news I was hoping for, I am humbled and honored to have been on the ballot and in the conversation with players of this caliber. If and when the day comes that I receive the ultimate honor in our game, I look forward to sharing it with my family, friends, teammates, the Padres organization, and most importantly, the fans."
(h/t San Diego Padres)
