When Trevor Hoffman signed with the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 2009 season, there were some people out there that actually weren't excited about it.
Hoffman is Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader, a sure-fire Hall of Fame member, and one of the best closers of all time, if not the best. After the debacle that the Eric Gagne signing turned out to be...shouldn't it have been sheer relief if nothing else from the fan base?
Even still, there were skeptics. Hoffman had no problem proving those people wrong.
He started out 2009 on the disabled list due to a strained oblique muscle suffered during spring training. It cost Hoffman about a month of the regular season, but the patience to wait until he was fully healthy paid off in that he suffered no setbacks during the season.
Following his first appearance as a Brewer on April 27, Hoffman put together a sparkling season.
He didn't give up a run until June 14.
He saved 37 games.
He ended the year with a 3-2 record, a 1.83 ERA, and his seventh career All-Star appearance.
Hoffman had only signed a one-year deal for 2009 though. The 2010 season began taking shape shortly after the end of the 2009 season, when Doug Melvin took care of Hoffman to the tune of a one-year deal with an option for 2011.
Hoffman had one of the best seasons of his career in his first as a Brewer. He plans on reaching 600 saves, a milestone that the city of Milwaukee will appreciate greatly. He'll have plenty of opportunity to reach the milestone, to be sure. Milwaukee affords plenty of close games as a rule.
Suffice it to say, the closer is one of the handful of positions that are absolutely taken care of for 2010.
Hell's Bells will ring out loud and proud in Miller Park again next season and Brewers fans will be more than happy to partake in the festivities again.
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