Is Trevor hiding an injury?

[Ennder]

Old farts with no velocity live and die by their location, his just hasn't been good with his location so far. I doubt it is an injury.

[adamb100]

He hasnt been pitching like he used to and already has a bunch of blown saves this season. Think he could be hiding an injury to the Brewers?

[PeaveyFury]

Something has to explain his absolute refusal to throw his best pitch.

[BadgerFan]

He's got a dead arm...and he's not hiding it very well.

[PeaveyFury]

A dead arm keeps a pitcher from throwing change-ups?

[markedman5]

I think father time may have finally caught up with Trevor.

[Gobias Industries]

He's struggling with fastball location, and his change up is more of an out pitch, as it's rarely a strike. If he's behind, it's tough for him to throw it. Makes it very easy for ML hitters.

[PeaveyFury]

Everyone saying he's just washed up or that he's finally catching up to his age are ignoring the fact that HE'S NOT THROWING HIS BEST PITCH!

 

Why?

 

If he's behind, it's tough for him to throw it.

 

Ahead 0-1 to Cedeno, for the record.

[Hammer]

Age is not an injury. He is old, stale and played out. Time for a new direction.

[BadgerFan]

A dead arm keeps a pitcher from throwing change-ups?

Yes...his arm is literally dead.

[Gobias Industries]

Everyone saying he's just washed up or that he's finally catching up to his age are ignoring the fact that HE'S NOT THROWING HIS BEST PITCH!

 

 

 

Why?

 

If he's behind, it's tough for him to throw it.

 

Ahead 0-1 to Cedeno, for the record.

Yeah, you got me there. But he's been pitching from behind a lot this year, so I think that kinda explains it.

 

I recall last year, when Trevor was really on early in the year, my dad and I always marveled that guys would just sit there and take til they got 2 strikes on them, watching get me over fb's in the process.

[Mr QL]

If he's hiding one, he isn't doing a very good job of it.

[PeaveyFury]

But he's been pitching from behind a lot this year, so I think that kinda explains it.

 

Yeah, I certainly see your point. But going back to the Cards series and all, even when he was in deep counts and ahead of hitters, he's throwing like 95% fastballs in each outing. He's not trying to get ahead with it- it's always a fastball down the heart of the plate, followed by a second fastball down the heart of the plate. It's just strange as hell- its almost as if he's either afraid to throw it or doesn't want to rely on it, which is getting him absolutely crushed right now.

 

And I agree that if whatever is going on here isn't fixed soon, he's pretty much done.

[markedman5]

TH agrees with you Peavey.

 

"I'm telling you folks, something is going on with Hoffman. Excluding the intentional walk, he threw 20 pitches. Only three were changeups. He threw 13 pitches before throwing his first changeup. This guy is a changeup pitcher. It makes no sense. He now has surrendered five homers in eight innings after allowing only two in 54 innings last year."

[AJAY]

I only recall Trevor throwing his changeup once this season. It was to Jason Giambi when he struck him out to the end the game. Other than that, I am stunned that Hoffman continues to rely on medicore fastballs. That is not how he became a Hall of Fame closer.

 

I also think Ken Macha needs to figure it out much faster when Hoffman clearly doesn't have it. A homerun, a hard single, and a ringing double should have been a big wakeup call to the manager and pitching coach.

 

Not even a visit to the mound?

 

And can we please get rid of that countdown to 600 saves thing in Miller Park? I think it is cursing us.

[owbc]

Saying he's too old is the easy answer but it isn't the right answer. Jamie Moyer is still pitching at 47. Hoffman is in great physical shape. His fastball velocity is the same as last year. He isn't locating his fastball, which could happen to a 20, 30, or 40 year old pitcher. The lack of changeups is puzzling, however. I do not really know what is wrong but I think he should be given a chance to turn it around.

[endaround]

In his career his changeup percentage has been 29.0%. This year coming into this games its been 17.8%

His fastball is exactly the same velocity as it was last year.

[PeaveyFury]

TH agrees with you Peavey.

 

Well, that's certainly the kiss of death on my theory. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Seriously, I'm not looking for excuses or anything- he's been terrible. I'm just trying to figure out why he's being terrible without trying to use the main thing that has gotten him 594 saves. It's like sending Ben Sheets to the mound and having him never throw his curve.

[1992casey]

I think it was totally appropriate to attempt to start a new topic here, but I do smell a merger with the Let's talk Hoffman topic coming on. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Focusing on Adam's lead (what Trevor might be doing that indicates a possible injury, e.g. pitch selection) would justify two topics. If this turns into a catch-all Hoffman topic, a mod will likely merge the two threads.

[And That]

In his career his changeup percentage has been 29.0%. This year coming into this games its been 17.8.

That's almost a 40% drop and easily the lowest % since they started tracking these things. Something is amiss.

 

His fastball velocity is the same as it has been. What injuries disallow you from throwing a changeup? A finger injury?

[Fatter than Joey]

What injuries disallow you from throwing a changeup? A finger injury?

 

A thumb perhaps -- generally you throw the pitch with the same arm-speed, but you use your thumb to generate some friction to slow the ball down...

 

The ball is slower but you still have "arm speed".

 

If your thumb was messed up, you'd have a hard time throwing a circle change or a Hoffman change.

[AJAY]

I am also starting to become suspicious why the Brewers did not give Hoffman regular work in spring training. They handled him like they handled Eric Gagne during the spring of 2008. Unfortunately, they are getting similar results now.

[pitchleague]

could any of this have to do with Peterson trying to change things with Trevor? New pitching coach sometimes has ideas that can "fix" a pitcher. Maybe he's been working with Hoffman to get movement on those fastballs but it's just not happening?

 

I was listening to the 9th in the car on my home. I started to wonder if maybe he was tipping his pitches. But (after watching the DVR) it's pretty hard to tip your pitch when you're only throwing the same pitch over and over again.

 

Frustrating is all this is. Why do we have closers that are good for one year and then garbage after that (Fingers, Ladd, Turnbow, DeJean, Wickman, others)?

[LouisEly]

Hiding an injury? Sounds good.

 

Send him to the DL and bring up Axford. Heck, Chris Smith already has 8 saves for Nashville. He couldn't be as bad as Hoffman.

[DonMoney4Mgr]

At some point a player is just done. It doesn't necessarily have to happen during the offseason. He's 43 and his arm is dead. Add his dead arm and his 8M to the 30M of dead money spent and this team is dead. Did I mention I'm a dead head.