Trevor Hoffman to Stay Padre

[zippyjuan]

Trevor Hoffman turned down a three year, $21 million offer from Cleveland to stay in San Diego. The reported deal offers him a guarantee of $13 million for two years plus in incentive laden possible extention that could bring the deal to $20 million. Hoffman is about 42 saves from becoming the all time leader in that category and he saved 43 out of 46 opportunities this past season- one of his best ever. His age is sometimes questioned, but Hoffman keeps himself in better shape than many other players and there is no reason he can't continue to be successful. The Padres also traded second baseman Mark Loretta to the Red Sox for backup catcher Doug Mirabelli and also traded Sean Burrows to the Devil Rays for pitcher Dewon Brazelton. Earlier the Padres resigned Brian Giles and traded for Vinni Castillo hoping to boost the National League West champion team for next season. Fans would probably have revolted if Hoffman had been allowed to leave like favorite Tony Gwynn did at the end of his career.

[sizemic1]

Good for Trevor! I'm a little surprised about Loretta. The Padres are really shaking up their club.

[bendogg]

Yeah! My boy Trevor is STAYING with the Pads! This is awesome news! I expected him back and Giles to go bye bye. Trev gave me a scare as he seriously considered Cleveland's $21 million guaranteed 3-year deal. What a treat it would be to see him get the saves record live next year!

Giles and Hoffman were the 2 biggest question marks in free agency, and I'm glad to see them both back.

Sean Burroughs got traded for an iffy pitcher from Tampa Bay. Good riddance Burroughs! I always cringed when he came up to plate in the middle of an important rally.

Loretta was a consistent Gwynn-like hitter, but that injury made 2005 a bad year for him. He will make $3.75 million next year. I don't know if it is the last year in his contract or if he's arbitration eligible next year. The UT reported that the Padres leading 2nd Base prospect is Josh Barfield, who has over 2,000 minor league at-bats and who is doing well.

[Merlin]

...His age is sometimes questioned, but Hoffman...

Considering that he is not a power pitcher and that he relies on a good change up he should be able to last longer than most. But still that was a lot of money being talked about.

[RIVERWIDOW]

YEAH!!! Now if only they could dump Klesko.Its too bad that Loretta had to go but worth it to keep Trevor.
I had a feeling that Brian would stay because his kids are here. Also his mom has some health issues and she is also here.

[bendogg]

Nice try on Klesko! I think he has some no-trade veto options if not a complete no-trade clause. Also, he is making like $10 million in '06 and doesn't deserve more than 3! If he was traded, you know the Padres would be picking up most of his '06 salary. Might as well have him here if you're going to pay him anyway. Who knows... he may even break out and have a good year. Doubtful, but stranger things have happened.

[wackosaurus]

Nice to read that Trevor will be back!!!

In addition to Klesko having a no-trade clause in his contract, Chan Ho Park also has a no-trade clause. I am always shaking everytime he comes out to pitch for the Padres. Last season, he would either give up one or two runs per outing or, as he did when he pitched against the Dodgers in LA, he gave up the motherload of runs in only a couple of innings (if my memory serves me correctly). Both Klesko and Park salaries take up a big portion of the Padres salaries (I think 10M and 15M, respectively?).

All in all, I am glad Trevor and Brian are both staying. It would've been nice to have Loretta stay because of his double play combo with Khalil but I guess you can't have everything in your Padres team.

[Sirrich3]

Feel bad for Loretta! Nice to see Trevor.. Hmm Burroughs gone too

[bendogg]

Ramon Hernandez signed a 3-year $27.5 million deal with the Orioles today. The Padres did offer him arbitration, which helps them because they get a few extra draft picks. Now, if they could just develop this talent and NOT trade it away without giving it a chance (see Xavier Nady, Jason Bay, & maybe Oliver Perez).

[Merlin]

Ramon Hernandez signed a 3-year $27.5 million deal with the Orioles today.

Things seem to go in cycles and it seems to be the time of the cycle when baseball GM's start making deals that they will come to regret. Ramon at $9mill a year? Wow. Lots of contracts being signed that will hamstring clubs in the future.

[SpikeDig]

Yeah, we're a small market team, but with the newer management and Small Ball style of the Oakland Athletics a few years back, we'll see what we see. Remember 96 & 98? Glory days...if we could only light another fire like pitching coach Dave Stewart (another former A) did to the whole pitching staff. Alas, it was led by Kevin Brown, a true #1 starter back then which uplifted the whole staff to pitch like no tomorrow. The offense wasn't too bad either: Finley, Caminiti, Gwynn, Joyner, and big boy Greg Vaughan who sometimes carried the whole offense & team on his back single handedly w/the long ball. Can anyone else reminisce? Any 1984 Padres fans out there?

[bendogg]

I was wrong about the Hernandez contract. It was for 4 years. Still, that's a damn lot of money for him. More power to him though, I'm sure he's crying all the way to the bank!

[Itsme]

Tha bad part was that Hoffman and Loretta were close friends. Hoffman did not know that in order to pay for him they would trade Loretta. After Hoffman made his announcement, within the hour they announced the Loretta deal. Hoffman was really pissed because he felt he was being made the scapegoat for Loretta having to be traded.

[bendogg]

That's crap! It's the Padres's fault that Chan Ho Park is getting $15 Million this year and Klesko is getting $10 Million. Lorretta was only making $3.75 Million, but I'm sure they have their reasons.

One more thing: Trevor didn't get a lot of money! If memory serves, his last contract was a fat one giving him about $8 Million a year. I expected him to get closer to $9 or $10 Million a year like Wagner and the other relievers/closers have been getting this month. That San Diego discount must be huge.

You will NEVER meet a better guy than Trevor. I've met him quite a few times and he remembers my name! I went to Chicago to watch the Padres play the Cubs a few years back and I went down by the field during batting practice to see him. He had a baseball signed (with my name on it) before I could even ask him for an autograph. That is one of my most prized autographs, and I have over 1,000 between the Padres & Chargers!