Monday, October 05, 2009
Trevor Hoffman re-signs with Milwaukee
Posted by Evan Brunell
I've heard some criticism for the deal, given that it's $8 million less for Milwaukee to spend on its starting pitching. I disagree.
Hoffman certainly is unlikely to post a 1.83 ERA again, lowest since 1998. However, there's no reason to think he won't save 37 -- the number he racked up this year -- again. There's also no reason to think he will turn into Brad Lidge circa-2009. For a competitive club like Milwaukee, you need a dominating closer. Hoffman is that closer.
The Brewers will have a very busy season ahead with many players (including Prince Fielder) eligible for arbitration. As a result, they're currently only projected for $47 million in guaranteed contracts, a year after checking in with an $80.2 million payroll.
The payroll is there to bring in help for starting pitching, plain and simple -- especially if the Brew Crew trade or non-tender J.J. Hardy, who made $4.65 million this year and won't get a massive paycut, if he even gets one. Other possible non-tenders include Dave Bush and Seth McClung.
Again, the money will be there. But you can't win games in this day in age without a closer. You can't hope to make the playoffs without a good closer. There's something to be said for starter's peace of mind knowing when they turn the ball over to the bullpen, they won't blow it.
Resigning Hoffman, to me, is rather logical.
Evan Brunell is currently editor of Fire Brand of the American League, a Red Sox blog he began in 2003. He also scores games at Fenway Park for MLB. He was the co-founder and president of MVN, an independent sports media web site.
The guaranteed contracts and last season’s payroll are a bit misleading. The Brewers have 7 or 9 guys who are arbitration eligible. That $47 million is only 7 players or so. They have a bunch who are arb-eligible who are going to see some kind of a raise. Even if we just take those 7 players, they have to add 18 others and have $33 million to do it in order to match the 2009 payroll. Add in the arb-eligible increases and it’s probably down to $25 million for another 10 players. They need a CF and a catcher and they need at least 2 starting pitchers. They also have to hope that McGehee didn’t just have a fluky season.
I feel like we should hold off praising this signing or criticizing it until we at least know how much money the Brewers have to spend because they don’t have as much as has been implied here.
All of that said, I have no problem with an $8 million deal for Hoffman. On its own it’s a really good deal.