Hoffman to Brewers, 1 year for $6 mil plus $1.5 mil in incentives

[joepepsi]

T.H reporting the deal is sealed: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/37268769.html

[sargennm]

TH confirms

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/37268769.html

 

A reliable source familiar with the negotiations just told me that the Brewers have reached agreement with closer Trevor Hoffman on a free agent deal. It should be announced very shortly.

 

I don't know yet if they settled on the Brewers' initial offer of one year plus an option for 2010 or if they had to guarantee a second year to beat the Dodgers for Hoffman's services. And I don't have financial details yet but I'll get them to you ASAP.

 

So, the Brewers have their closer. And he's baseball's all-time saves leader. He might be 41 but he still converted 30 of 34 saves last year and is the best ever in conversion rate (89%).

 

I'll post more details as I get them. But the deal is done.

[Pudster13]

http://msn.foxsports.com/...pears-headed-to-Milwaukee

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3818472

 

Sweet!

[gobrew23]

YES...

[Wesrob1]

Woo Hoo!!!! Closer.... CHECK!!! Next up hopefully a call to Sheets to come back home!

[PrinceFielder28]

that makes my day!

 

I like the way you think Wesrob1!

[MillerParkSouth]

simply glorious. I wonder what the financial terms are if he chose us over LA on 1 year deals.

[jjfanec]

The fox report says the first year is 6 million with incentives that could bring it up to 7.5. It does not say anymore than that. Sounds like a good low risk deal.

[Crew2323]

[StearnsFTW]

Excellent news. I was hoping for a 2 year deal, but I'll definitely take it. I'd much rather have Hoffman at this price than Wood or what he got, or K-Rod or what he got. Nice job Doug!

[secondsith]

I would have to agree on the idea of bringing back Mota too. He was solid for the second half after a shaky beginning of the year. It would also give them some much needed depth in the bullpen and gives options in case of injury to the starting rotation.

[Oldcity]

This should be a very solid move. Time to turn the attention to starting pitching.

[dpapo]

Per Haudricourt,

"Apparently, the Brewers did not have to guarantee a second year to sign free agent closer Trevor Hoffman. I just was told the deal is for one year, and there's probably an option for 2010."

 

"The Brewers probably will make the official announcement sometime before noon."

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/brewers.html

[fondybrewfan]

$6.5M seems to be overpaying a bit, but at this point I don't really care. I am pretty comfortable with our bullpen right now, Doug just needs to add a #3 type starter (Or Sheets) and I will be pretty confident that the Crew can compete this coming year

[secondsith]

I wonder if the Brewers will still attend the pitching session with Cordero? Would they still make a move to get him even though they now have a closer? That could be a awesome settup/closer combo if Cordero could come back from his surgery and put up around the same numbers.

[patrickgpe]

wow, as pessimistic myself and many on the board were yesterday, mark a ponied up and made it happen. It proves that you can get players like him, if we are willing to overpay. I'm glad they did it. I was not looking forward into going into spring training with mcclung or cv as our closer.

[joepepsi]

$6.5M seems to be overpaying a bit, but at this point I don't really care. I am pretty comfortable with our bullpen right now, Doug just needs to add a #3 type starter (Or Sheets) and I will be pretty confident that the Crew can compete this coming year

Looking back, paying Gagne $10 million was overpaying. I don't think this is. I think it's reasonable to expect 35 saves and very few 9th inning blow ups.

[brewmann04]

Adding Hoffman makes the Bullpen even stronger and yes if they added Chad that would be awsome.

Now the 2 other needs are a LH bat and Starter and hopefully Melvin working on that.

I would love for them to add Abreu.

[yoshii8]

I don't see how you can consider 6.5 overpaying, IMO that is a very reasonable rate for a very good closer. I don't care if he is 41, he is still an excellent pitcher, and I can't wait to see him closing out games for the Crew.

 

Maybe now Peavy would approve a trade to Milwaukee?

[Patrick425]

fondybrewfan[/b]]$6.5M seems to be overpaying a bit, but at this point I don't really care. I am pretty comfortable with our bullpen right now, Doug just needs to add a #3 type starter (Or Sheets) and I will be pretty confident that the Crew can compete this coming year

 

Yeah, if that's the correct number, I have to agree that it's a bit more than what I was expecting. I wonder what the Dodgers were offering and how much of a factor them having Broxton figured in to the equation to come to Milwaukee.

 

The Brewers needed a closer and I'm glad they were able to land one of the best, however, I'm going to play the glass is half empty role here. Hoffman is 41 and is coming off a year where he posted an ERA that was one full ER above his career ERA. Also he allowed more HR/IP than at any point in his career. 7 of the 8 Hrs he allowed were in pitcher friendly Petco Park.

 

I'll be happier when they land a Starter. I was somewhat disapointed to see that Smoltz is probably going to the Red Sox. I was holding out hope there.

[secondsith]

I see it as better to overpay a little bit to get him to pitch here than to have to go find yet another solution to fill your gaps. I don't think the Brewers wanted to have to go to "Plan D", as another poster said. I don't think Jolio would be a good decision as "Plan D"

[Mike2k33]

Thank you for the unexpected birthday present, Doug. I'm far more comfortable with this deal than I was with Gagne's.

[crewcrazy]

They probably had to overpay a bit to lure him away from the West Coast, but I almost never have a problem with one year deals. I agree that it'd be great if they could sign Chad Cordero for cheap or even bring back Mota at a reduced price to add more depth to the bullpen, but I like the way it's shaping up, especially if they can get a starter to ensure that Villy and McClung stay in the bullpen.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

So can all of the "nobody wants to come to Milwaukee" bickering finally end now?

[jjfanec]

The Brewers needed a closer and I'm glad they were able to land one of the best, however, I'm going to play the glass is half empty role here. Hoffman is 41 and is coming off a year where he posted an ERA that was one full ER above his career ERA. Also he allowed more HR/IP than at any point in his career. 7 of the 8 Hrs he allowed were in pitcher friendly Petco Park.

If you look at the rest of his stats he actually had a good year. His WHIP was below his career average, his K/9 was up from the previous years and his road ERA was very good. The home runs are scary but it could easily just be small fluke since that was the only number that really went up, and obviously his ERA which was directly tied to the home runs.

 

I know this is minor but people here are saying 6.5 is the deal but all I have seen points to 6 million with a chance to be 7.5 with a CLUB option. To me that is a great deal. We have the option power for the second year and we are only paying 2.5 million more that what Torres would have received for a better closer in my mind.