The Unsung Heroes of the Milwaukee Brewers

Trevor Hoffman has received immense praise for his work this year, and rightfully so. He has 16 saves in 17 chances this year with a 1.31 ERA, and he is very likely to make a return trip to the All-Star game next month.

But Hoffman would attribute much of his success to four players that usually go largely unnoticed to most fans. Without the great play of Seth McClung, Todd Coffey, Mitch Stetter, and Mark DeFelice, the Brewers' season would have a much different feel than it currently does.

McClung and Coffey are quite the pair. They look like they could be tag team champions in the WWE, not major league relief pitchers. The red-headed duo has overpowered batters all season. They also give manager Ken Macha the ability to rest other arms, as each can pitch multiple innings if needed.

McClung will likely be called on to do even more for the Brewers, as he is the leading candidate to make a start on Saturday. After Dave Bush was put on the disabled list, and with Manny Parra still not ready for a return, the Brewers will likely turn to McClung.

McClung isn't a stranger to making starts, having made 49 in his career. In the bullpen, however, McClung is a stud. He has a 3-1 record with a 3.24 ERA in 41 2/3 innings pitched.

Coffey has been the choice for tight situations this season. If there are runners on base late in the game and the Brewers need to hold a lead, you can bet that Coffey will be sprinting in from the bullpen.

Coffey is 2-1, with a 2.83 ERA in 32 games this season, and he always seems to make the right pitch to get out of every jam he has encountered this season.

Every great bullpen needs a situational lefty that can get the one or two tough outs in that game. Mitch Stetter has been superb this season. He is 2-0, with a 2.82 ERA in 33 games this season.

His slider has been devastating to left-handed hitters. In fact, the last 11 outs that Stetter has recorded have all come via the strikeout. He has made it quite easy for many fans to forget just how good Brian Shouse was for the Brewers.

But no pitcher has been as good for the Milwaukee Brewers this season as DeFelice. He has been so good that many national pundits have called for his inclusion in the All-Star game.

Middle relievers are never members of the All-Star roster, and the fact that DeFelice is getting the attention he is speaks to his greatness this year.

DeFelice has largely relied on one pitch this year for his success: The cut fastball. It is the pitch that has made Mariano Rivera a future Hall of Famer, and now DeFelice is experiencing the greatest success of his 12-year career.

In 27 games this year, DeFelice has pitched 28 innings, has a 2-1 record, and an ERA of 1.61. He has struck out 25 batters and only allowed 18 hits. His workload may increase if McClung has to stay in the rotation for any length of time.

If the Brewers expect to remain competitors for the remainder of the season, Hoffman will have to hold up physically and continue pitching at an All-Star level. And for Hoffman to get those opportunities, the rest of the bullpen needs to continue to be the unsung heroes of the team.