SATURDAY: ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Padres offered Hoffman a $4MM salary for ’09, plus an option for ’10 that includes a buyout. Tough call for Hoffman.
THURSDAY: Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune talked to Padres GM Kevin Towers about the Hoffman situation. Towers says he made an offer to Hoffman on Friday and has yet to receive a response.
TUESDAY: Trevor Hoffman wants to continue pitching. The Padres would like to retain his services. It sounds like a perfect match. According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, the two sides could get something done soon. The Padres will offer their long-time closer a deal this week, in hopes to sign him before the beginning of free agency.
Hoffman made $7.5 million in his age-40 season, posting a 3.77 ERA and recording 30 saves for the last-place Friars. Despite his highest ERA since 1995 and the fewest innings since his injury-shortened 2003 campaign, he thinks he’s got plenty of innings left in his arm:
"Well, I think I have more than one [season left]. My body feels good. My arm feels a heck of a lot better than it has the last few years. The competitive juices are still there."
Brock speculates that Hoffman could be in line for a one-year deal with incentives, possibly with a team option for 2010. That sounds reasonable enough. Will it be enough for Hoffman, though?
