On Sunday, relief ace Trevor Hoffman will join Bruce Sutter as the 2nd pitcher ever to make it into the National Hall of Fame and Museum without ever starting a game. The long-time closer for the San Diego Padres joins Sutter, Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Rich Gossage, and Dennis Eckersley as pitchers who earned a Cooperstown plaque primarily due to their work as relief pitchers.
In the game of baseball in 2018, relief pitchers are valued more than ever before in baseball history. However, at least for now, when it comes to Hall of Fame, there’s a distinct divide in the pundit community about whether relievers not named Mariano Rivera deserve to be enshrined. In a sentence, the anti-reliever argument is that they simply don’t pitch enough innings and thereby don’t create enough value to be worthy of the Hall.
Despite his 601 career saves, Hoffman’s Hall of Fame case was clouded in part because, unlike the other relief pitchers enshrined in Cooperstown, he never won the World Series. If you did a list of top 10 moments in the career of Fingers, as an example, you wouldn’t have to look far past the three World Championships he won with the Oakland A’s from 1972-1974.
Unfortunately, a couple of the most memorable moments of Hoffman’s career were those of failure. But, when you’re a closer, failure is part of the job. Gossage and Eckersley in particular were on the wrong side of famous moments in baseball history.
In spite of Hoffman’s notable blemishes, I agreed with the 80% of BBWAA voters who voted for his induction into Cooperstown this year. He was a durable, reliable 9th inning closer for 15 years, something very rare. You can read about the case for Hoffman by clicking here.
And, on a personal level, I’m really happy Hoffman made it to the Hall. I was the Coordinating Producer for ESPN’s Up Close from 1998-2000. The Padres closer was a frequent guest. He and his San Diego teammate (the late Tony Gwynn) were two of the nicest, accommodating people we ever had on the show. A class act and a great pitcher for years, Trevor Hoffman is a welcome addition to the exclusive club in Cooperstown.
Cooperstown Cred: Trevor Hoffman
- 601 career saves (2nd best in MLB history to Mariano Rivera)
- Saved 40 or more games 9 times
- Career 2.87 ERA (141 ERA+)
- 2-time N.L. Cy Young runner up (1998 & 2006)
- 7-time All-Star
(Cover photo: KPBS SD Dirk/Flickr)
Now, let’s take a look at 10 memorable moments in the career of Trevor Hoffman:
#10. April 19, 1993: Marlins v Braves
Casual fans probably forget that Trevor Hoffman didn’t start his career with the San Diego Padres. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round of the 1989 draft. In November 1992, he was selected by the Florida Marlins in the expansion draft.
In April 1993, as a 25-year-old rookie with the Marlins, Hoffman had an unexpected save chance when primary closer Bryan Harvey was unavailable. Hoffman was asked to protect a 6-5 lead for the Marlins against the two-time defending N.L. pennant winning Atlanta Braves. After walking Otis Nixon, Hoffman retired Jeff Blauser, Terry Pendleton and David Justice in order to record the first of his 601 career saves.
A little over two months later, Hoffman was traded to San Diego in a four-player deal that sent Gary Sheffield to Florida.
#9. September 27-29, 1996: Padres v Dodgers
In late September 1996, Hoffman saved three consecutive games at Dodger Stadium to help the Padres clinch their first N.L. West division title since 1984. The Pads won the West by just one game so all three saves were critical. The three saves were a capstone to a 42-save season for Hoffman, in which he also won 9 games with a 2.25 ERA. For his efforts, Hoffman finished 5th in the N.L. Cy Young voting.
OK, we’ll be fair here. Both teams made the playoffs thanks to the Wild Card format and both teams were swept in the N.L. Division Series. Still, as a franchise the Padres had only won one division title in their first 27 years of existence so this was in fact a big deal.
#8. September 12, 1998: Dodgers v Padres
The Padres were hosting the Dodgers at Quallcom Stadium with an opportunity to clinch their second N.L. West title in three years. The Dodgers went up 7-0 in the first five innings but the Friars stormed back with 8 runs in the bottom of the 6th and 7th. Hoffman came in to save the game in the 9th and, like the game itself, it wasn’t pretty.
Still, after a leadoff bunt single and a walk, Hoffman stranded the go-ahead runs by striking out left fielder Matt Luke for the final out. The Padres celebrated their Division title as Hoffman wrapped up his 49th save of the season.
1998, in which the Padres made it to their second-ever World Series, was the best season of Hoffman’s career. He set career bests with 53 saves and a 1.48 ERA while finishing 2nd to Tom Glavine in the N.L. Cy Young voting.
#7. September 23-24, 2006: Pirates v Padres
In late September 2006, Trevor Hoffman tied Lee Smith‘s all-time career saves record with his 478th.
Watch and listen to AC/DC’s Hells Bells as Hoffman entered the game and surpassed Smith’s record the next night with #479.
The two saves, both at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates, were the 42nd and 43rd of the ’06 season. For the year, Hoffman was one of the players who led the Padres to another N.L. West title. On the season, Hoffman saved 46 games with a 2.14 ERA, finishing 2nd in the N.L. Cy Young voting to Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
#6. June 6, 2007: Dodgers v Padres
Pitching at home in San Diego, Hoffman pitched a scoreless 9th inning for his 500th career save, preserving a 5-2 win for the Padres. The winning pitcher was fellow Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, who won his 338th career game.
#5. August 6, 1993: Rockies v Padres
In 1993, Hoffman earned the first of his 552 saves with the San Diego Padres and he earned it in an “old school” way that would have made former Padres closers Rollie Fingers and Goose Gossage proud. Pitching at home against the expansion Colorado Rockies, manager Jim Riggleman summoned his rookie relief pitcher to protect a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 7th inning with the bases loaded and one out.
Hoffman struck out Eric Young and then induced Dante Bichette into a forceout at 3rd base to escape with the one-run lead intact. Hoffman then pitched the final two frames to preserve the Padres victory. The eight-out save was the longest of Hoffman’s entire career.
#4. September 16, 1996: Padres v Giants
This is the one non-save on the list for Trevor Hoffman. It was September 16, 1996 and the Padres were in the middle of a pennant race. The Friars were in San Francisco and manager Bruce Bochy summoned his closer to get out of a jam in the top of the 9th inning. The score was 1-1, there was one out and the Giants had runners on 1st and 2nd base. Hoffman retired Rick Wilkins and Rich Aurilia to get out of the jam.
After Hoffman pitched a scoreless 10th, San Diego’s Steve Finley hit a solo HR in the top of the 11th to give the Pads a 2-1 lead. Bochy brought Hoffman back out to pitch the 11th and finish the game. The Giants loaded the bases but Hoffman struck out Aurilia to close out a win for himself and the Padres. Hoffman threw 49 pitches, the second highest total of his career.
#3. September 7, 2010: Cardinals v Brewers
In September 2010, Trevor Hoffman saved his 600th career game. 2010 was Hoffman’s last season in the majors and it was the second of two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers after having saved 552 games in 16 seasons with San Diego. Hoffman struggled in his final MLB season, going 2-7 with a 5.89 ERA with just 10 saves and 5 blown saves.
In this, his swan song in baseball, the longtime closer had for the first time in his career lost the responsibility of 9th inning duties (to John Axford). Hoffman, now 42 years old, had gotten off to a miserable start to the season, with 3 losses, 5 blown saves and a 13.15 ERA in his first 14 games. Hoffman had lost the closer job sitting at 596 career saves.
In the next 22 games, Hoffman pitched much better, posting a 2.45 ERA and, with the Brewers fading out of playoff contention, manager Ken Macha decided to give him a chance to reach the magic milestone of 600 saves. Hoffman picked up saves 597, 598 and 599 in August before the big night at Miller Park in September.
With the Brewers up 4-2 in the bottom of the 9th, Hoffman was summoned into the game pitched a scoreless frame to secure save #600. After two other appearances in non-save situations, Hoffman earned a save in his final MLB contest with a scoreless 9th inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
#2. October 3, 1998: NLDS Game 3 (Astros v Padres)
The Padres, N.L. West Champions for the 2nd time in 3 years, won a franchise-best 98 games but were matched up against the Houston Astros, who had acquired future Hall of Fame starter Randy Johnson at the trading deadline for the stretch run and finished the season with 102 wins.
With the series starting in Houston, Trevor Hoffman saved Game 1, preserving a 2-1 victory in which Padres’ ace Kevin Brown out-pitched the Big Unit. The Astros took Game 2.
In Game 3 of the NLDS, with the series tied at 1 game each, Brown was back on the hill on three days rest, pitching against Mike Hampton. Brown and Hampton each gave up just one run in 7 innings. In the bottom of the 8th, the Padres took a 2-1 lead on a solo home run first baseman Jim Leyritz, who had a penchant for big October blasts.
With a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 9th, Hoffman came into the game and struck out the side in order, getting swinging strikes from Carl Everett, Ricky Gutierrez and Pete Incaviglia. The Padres won the NLDS 3 games to 1, advancing to the team’s first National League Championship Series since 1984.
#1. October 10, 1998: NLCS Game 3 (Braves v Padres)
Having vanquished the Astros in the NLDS, the Padres took on the N.L.’s team of the 1990’s, the Atlanta Braves, in the NLCS. The Braves, winners of 106 regular season games, were heavy favorites but the Friars took the first two games of the series in Atlanta and, back at home in San Diego, were trying to win their third game in a row.
Hoffman, normally a “clean 9th inning closer,” was summoned by Bochy to extricate San Diego from a bases loaded jam with two outs in the top of the 8th inning, with the team clinging to a 2-1 lead. Hoffman struck out Javy Lopez on three pitches to strand all three runners.
The Friars gave Hoffman some breathing room by scoring two runs in the bottom of the 8th. The Pads’ closer then wrapped things up in the 9th inning. After two Padres losses in Games 4 and 5, Hoffman was on the mound to finish a 5-0 Game 6 win, sending the Padres to their first World Series appearance in 14 years.
There you have it: 10 great moments in the long career of Trevor Hoffman. Hells Bells are ringing. It’s Trevor Time in Cooperstown.
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