avatar

Relief Pitcher: Hoffman wants to Meet Mets

by Matthew Cerrone on December 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 am

Free-agent RHP Trevor Hoffman has had talks with the Mets about meeting at the Winter Meeting or in New York, ‘or perhaps both,’ according to the New York Post, who cites the player’s agent.

…unless he is open to being a set-up man, ‘with experience as a closer,’ i hope Omar Minaya’s interest is limited to simply asking for an autograph…

The 41-year-old Hoffman had 3.77 ERA with 30 saves last season for the Padres.

…signing hoffman to a short-term deal to be the team’s closer makes zero sense to me…i bet the Mets agree…let’s say he’s awesome in 2009…great, then what…one year from now the Mets will be in the same boat, searching for a closer, all while Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, etc., are locked in with other teams…

…i suppose the Mets could acquire Huston Street from the Rockies and then sign hoffman to a short-term deal, let him walk next off-season and give the job to street for 2010…but, even still, they would be better off signing rodriguez to a three-year deal, like people believe he will eventually accept…

…rodriguez clearly has the temperament and energy level to close out big guys in New York City…i cannot say the same for Brian Fuentes, street, J.J  Putz, or hoffman, who has actually developed a reputation over the last few years of doing the absolute opposite…

…to me, the single-biggest factor in being a closer in this town is the ability to bounce back from failure – to blow a save and face the fans and reporters, talk radio and the backpages, yet get back on the hill, beneath the white-hot spotlight, and be focused only on success…

…maybe putz can do this, maybe fuentes can as well, maybe street, who knows, but i have seen K-Rod pitch with tons of energy and be successful in a World Series, in Los Angeles, in All-Star Games, in New York against the Yankees, etc., and so i just have a better feeling with him…

According to multiple reports, the Mets will likely meet with the agents for both Fuentes and Rodriguez while in Las Vegas next week for the Winter Meetings.