Background and career
Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and Milwaukee Brewers, including more than 15 years for the Padres. Hoffman was the major leagues' first player to reach the 500- and 600-save milestones, and was the all-time saves leader from 2006 until 2011. The National League (NL) leader in career saves, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. Hoffman currently serves as senior advisor for baseball operations for the Padres. Hoffman played shortstop collegiately at the University of Arizona and was drafted in the 11th round by the Cincinnati Reds. After not having much success batting, he was converted to a pitcher, as he was able to throw up to 95 miles per hour (MPH). The Marlins acquired Hoffman in the 1992 expansion draft, and he pitched for Florida until he was traded to the Padres, mid-season in 1993, in a deal that sent star Gary Sheffield to the Marlins. Hoffman recorded 20 saves in 1994 in his first season as Padres closer, and in the following years, he became the face of the franchise after Tony Gwynn retired. Hoffman collected at least 30 saves each year for the next 14 years with San Diego, except for 2003 when he missed most of the year recovering from shoulder surgery. After the Padres did not re-sign him following the 2008 season, Hoffman pitched for two years with the Brewers before retiring after the 2010 season. Hoffman was selected for the All-Star team seven times, and twice he was the runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award, given annually to the top pitcher in the league. Hoffman retired with MLB records of fifteen 20-save seasons, fourteen 30-save seasons (including eight consecutive), and nine 40-save seasons (including two streaks of four consecutive). He also retired with the highest career strikeout rate of any reliever. Though Hoffman entered the majors with a powerful fastball, an injury after the 1994 season permanently diminished his fastball velocity and forced him to reinvent his pitching style; he subsequently developed one of the best changeups in baseball. Hoffman's entrance at home games accompanied by the AC/DC song "Hells Bells" was popular with fans. After retiring as a player, Hoffman returned to the Padres as a special assistant in the front office. In 2014, he became the team's pitching coordinator at their upper minor league levels, which included working with the Padres general manager. The following year, Hoffman's role expanded to overseeing pitching instruction at all levels in the minors.
Hoffman was born on October 13, 1967, in Bellflower, California. When he was six weeks old, Hoffman had to have a damaged kidney removed because an arterial blockage had formed there. His father, Ed, who stood at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), was a Marine and a veteran of the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. He later became a professional singer before he quit being on the road and got a job at the post office. He was also an usher at California Angels games; he was known as the Singing Usher, leading the crowd in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in the seventh-inning and filling in if the designated national anthem singer did not show up. Ed would often bring Trevor to the games with him. Hoffman's mother, Mikki, was an English-born ballerina and came from an athletic family. Her father, Jack French, was a professional soccer player with Southend United FC before World War II. She met Hoffman's father in a play in England in which she was performing and he was acting and singing. Hoffman was taught by his mom to take responsibility. "Bad workmen always blame their tools," Mikki would say. Hoffman's older brother, Glenn, was nine years older and played shortstop in the Boston Red Sox organization. During summer vacation when Hoffman was 10 years old, he joined Glenn while he was playing in Pawtucket. His oldest brother, Greg, was 14 years Hoffman's senior and a mentor to his two younger brothers. After Hoffman's first Little League game, Greg asked him how he did. Hoffman said, "I went 2-for-4, double, RBI." Greg replied, "That'll be the last [blanking] time you tell me how you did. When I ask you how you did, it's how the team did." Hoffman never forgot that. Given their age difference, Hoffman considered his brothers more role models than playmates. "[Glenn] was the guide while Greg was the drill instructor", said Hoffman. Because of his damaged kidney, Hoffman was not allowed to play football or wrestle. Hoffman went to Savanna High School in Anaheim, as had Glenn, and following his more-talented older brother put pressure on Hoffman. Ed, who did not trust that coaches would protect Hoffman's arm, stopped allowing his son to pitch after he was 12 years old. Standing at just 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) and 130 pounds (59 kg), Hoffman played shortstop at Savanna, but nobody offered him a scholarship out of high school. He grew three inches over the summer and continued playing at Cypress College, and later for the University of Arizona from 1988 through 1989. Arizona was afraid of the liability if Hoffman's remaining kidney got hit by a baseball. "I told them the one kidney I have is on my right side. That's not the side that faces the pitcher when I hit, so it was O.K. They bought it", said Hoffman. He led Arizona in hitting in 1988 with a .371 batting average, 35 points better than teammate J. T. Snow. Other notable teammates included Scott Erickson and Kevin Long. Hoffman exhibited a strong throwing arm playing shortstop.
Hoffman was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round with the 288th overall selection of the 1989 MLB draft, and he signed for $3,000. Prior to the draft, Reds scout Jeff Barton talked to Hoffman about playing another position. Hoffman was open to anything that might advance his career, and they talked about catching or pitching with his exceptional arm. Barton ranked Hoffman's arm an 80 on a 20–80 scale, where 60 was above average and 80 was a rarity. Hoffman played shortstop and third base for the Reds' Single-A affiliate Charleston. In his first 103 games, he only batted .212 with 23 runs batted in. Not showing much batting potential, Hoffman was converted to pitcher in 1991 at the suggestion of Charleston manager Jim Lett, who also grew tired of Hoffman overthrowing first base. Hoffman threw 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) and recorded a 2.90 ERA with 169 strikeouts in 142+2⁄3 minor league innings over two seasons while alternating between relieving and starting at Single-A Cedar Rapids, Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Nashville.
Left unprotected by Cincinnati in the 1992 MLB Expansion Draft, Hoffman was selected by the Florida Marlins with the eighth pick in the first round. In his first major league season in 1993, Hoffman learned by observing Marlins closer Bryan Harvey's balanced demeanor. After earning two saves in 29 appearances with the Marlins as an unknown rookie, Hoffman was traded midseason to the San Diego Padres during San Diego's 1993 fire sale. The Padres sent third baseman Gary Sheffield and pitcher Rich Rodriguez to the Marlins for Hoffman and pitching prospects José Martínez and Andrés Berumen. Padres general manager Randy Smith said at the time, "The only way to acquire quality players is to give up quality." The year before, Sheffield had won the NL batting title and made a run at the Triple Crown. Smith insisted that Florida include Hoffman in the deal. Padres fans, upset at the trade, booed Hoffman during his first several appearances. He allowed three runs in his one-inning debut with San Diego, eight runs over his first three outings, and blew his first save opportunity as a Padre. He pitched 39 games for San Diego, who finished the season with 101 losses, and ended his rookie season with 79 strikeouts in 90 innings with a 3.90 ERA and five saves. During the strike-shortened 1994 season, Hoffman took over closer duties from an injured and ineffective Gene Harris in mid-April. Hoffman recorded 20 saves and a 2.57 ERA while averaging 10.9 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (K/9). The weekend after the strike began, Hoffman, playing Nerf football at Del Mar Beach near San Diego, dove for a pass and landed awkwardly on his right shoulder. He later played volleyball and landed on the shoulder again while going for a dig. He heard a strange sound. In 1995, he had a 3.88 ERA and 31 saves and averaged 8.8 K/9. Hoffman pitched hurt from spring training through the season and finally had off-season rotator cuff surgery. "[Hoffman] never bitched about his arm, which was killing him from Day One ... He was out there when most guys wouldn't have been", said Smith. This is also the year during which he developed his changeup.
In both 1996 and 1997, Hoffman pitched over 80 innings, with 111 strikeouts, averaged approximately 40 saves, and had ERAs of 2.25 and 2.66. In 1996, the Padres entered the last three games of the season in Los Angeles trailing the division-leading Dodgers by two games. Hoffman recorded saves in each of the final three games against the Dodgers, as the Padres won the NL West for their first division title in 12 years. After finishing the season with 18 straight saves, Hoffman was named The Sporting News NL Fireman of the Year in 1996, and received votes for both the Cy Young Award and the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. The Padres played the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1996 National League Division Series (NLDS) and were swept in the series 3–0. Hoffman entered Game 2 with the score tied and one out and inherited runners on second and third. A run scored as he retired the only two batters he faced, and the Padres lost 5–4. In Game 3, Hoffman recorded the loss as he came into the tie game and allowed a 2-run homer to Brian Jordan for a 7–5 loss. The following season on June 23, 1997, he came in with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and struck out J. T. Snow to save the 11–6 win over the San Francisco Giants and became the Padres' career saves leader with 109, passing Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers. San Diego won only 76 games that year, but Hoffman ranked second in the NL with 37 saves. During the 1998 season, Hoffman began entering save situations in Padres home games to the entrance music of AC/DC's "Hells Bells" playing over the public address system, an event that came to be known as "Trevor Time". The tradition began July 25, 1998, and the song was chosen by a Padres salesman. The crowd was excited by the tolling of the bells from the song, and the scoreboard showing Hoffman running in from the bullpen. Hoffman preserved a 6–5 win against the Houston Astros by striking out Moisés Alou to end that game and converted his 41st consecutive save opportunity, tying an MLB record at the time. The following night, Hoffman's streak ended on an Alou home run, though the Padres ended up winning the game. It was Hoffman's only blown save of the regular season. On September 1, he saved a 9–8 victory over the New York Mets for his 45th save, breaking the club record set by Mark Davis in 1989 when he won the Cy Young Award. On September 12, the Padres clinched their second division title in three years after Hoffman saved an 8–7 win over the Dodgers. In a 4–3 win over the Chicago Cubs on September 14, he worked a perfect ninth inning and became the fourth reliever in MLB history to reach the 50-save mark. Hoffman had a career-high 53 saves and a career-best 1.48 ERA. His saves tied the NL single-season record set in 1993 by the Cubs' Randy Myers. Opponents batted .165 against him, and the first hitters he faced hit .129. His ERA in save situations was 0.49, and he struck out 10.6 hitters per nine innings. The Padres were 62–4 in games he pitched. Hoffman was runner-up in the Cy Young Award race that year to Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves, despite receiving 13 first-place votes to Glavine's 11. Hoffman was left off of six ballots. Hoffman and Adam Wainwright in 2009 are the only two pitchers to ever receive the most first-place votes and not win the Cy Young. Hoffman won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award and captured another Fireman of the Year Award. He finished seventh in NL MVP voting. Facing the Houston Astros in the 1998 NLDS, the Padres won the series 3–1. Hoffman earned two saves, both in 2–1 wins. In Game 1 against Atlanta in the 1998 National League Championship Series, Hoffman entered to stop a rally in the eighth inning with a 2–1 lead. He allowed a run in the ninth, tying the game, after converting 53 of 54 save attempts during the regular season. After Padre Ken Caminiti hit a home run in the top of the 10th, Hoffman got two outs but ran into trouble and was taken out after throwing 43 pitches. He was credited with a win as the Padres held on, 3–2. Hoffman entered Game 3 with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth, and he struck out Javy López on three pitches to end the inning and would save the Padres' 4–1 victory. San Diego was up 3–0 in the series and would go on to win 4–2. The Padres reached the 1998 World Series, but lost the series 4–0 against the New York Yankees, who finished with an MLB-record 125 combined regular season and playoff victories and the third-best overall winning percentage (.714) for a World Series champion. In his only appearance in the series in Game 3, Hoffman entered in the eighth with a runner on and no outs and a 3–2 lead. Later in the inning, he surrendered a three-run homer to Scott Brosius, the eventual World Series MVP, and the Padres lost the game 5–4.
Hoffman signed a $32 million contract extension with San Diego in March 1999 for the 2000–03 seasons. At the time, it was the richest contract ever given any Padre or any relief pitcher. The Padres held an option for $10 million for 2004. Hoffman's contract included a no-trade clause, the first the Padres had ever granted. Following their World Series appearance in 1998, the Padres lost key players to begin the 1999 season and finished under .500 each season from 1999 through 2002, while finishing either fourth or fifth in the five-team NL West each year. Hoffman saved 56% of the team's wins during that span. He set MLB records with his fifth overall and fourth consecutive 40-save season in 2001, as well as his seventh consecutive 30-save campaign. In 2002, he extended his MLB record with his eighth straight 30-save season. Hoffman was named to the All-Star game in 1999, 2000, and 2002. On June 10, 1999, Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth inning in a 2–1 Padres victory over the Oakland Athletics for his 200th career save. On August 15, 2001, Hoffman recorded his 300th save in a 2–1 home win over the Mets. He became the face of the Padres franchise after right fielder Tony Gwynn retired at the conclusion of the 2001 season. Hoffman broke Dennis Eckersley's record for most saves with one team (320) in 2002. Sports Illustrated placed Hoffman on the cover of their May 13, 2002, issue with the headline "The Secret of San Diego: Why Trevor Hoffman of the Padres is the best closer (ever)".
