I swear I have NOTHING personal against Trevor Hoffman

I just think he is overrated.
I don’t think he is a Hall of Famer.

And he is KILLING the Brewers! Today he gave up 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th without recording an out, allowing Cincinnati another day alone on top of the NL Central standings.

He has 5 blown saves already and games like this must be quadruply crushing for the Brewers who are in an awful losing streak and seeing their hopes for a playoff run starting to slip away.

Reliever Manny Parra gives the Brewers 4 innings in an emergency start. Marco Estrada throws 4 solid innings in his Brewers debut and they seemed ready to withstand a good Homer Bailey start.

Then in comes Hoffman. And before you can say “Scott Brosius” the game is tied. And before you can say “2 chances to clinch a playoff spot in 3 days in 2007” the game was over…

Hoffman’s ERA is now 13.15.

Even Brad Lidge is thinking “Wow, that sucks!”

It’s early, but not THAT early.

Ken Macha has to pull the plug on Hoffman’s closing career. I don’t buy the whole “Well, he’s a Hall of Famer” argument.

First of all, I don’t think he’s a Hall of Famer. But secondly, Bob Feller is also a Hall of Famer. Should the Indians throw him every 5 days? (OK, bad example, Rapid Robert could probably make it as the Tribe’s #5 starter now.)

Hoffman DID have some great seasons. Even I can admit that. But they are in the rear view mirror.

But when you are trying to make up any ground in this race, you can’t cough up games like this.

And if Macha wants to keep his job, he better make that decision sooner rather than later.

Besides, this is the organization that will fire the manager no matter what the situation is!

It’s nothing personal, Trevor. It is strictly business.

David Price’s season is taking some of the sting out of 2008… but not all of it

David Price had another terrific outing today, this time throwing 6 innings and no earned runs and as of this writing, the Rays are cruising to a victory against Cleveland.

Price is quickly becoming an All Star caliber starter. If the score holds up he’ll be 6-1 with a 1.81 ERA.

So I guess Price coming out of the bullpen with only 14 innings of big league experience and ending the Red Sox World Series defense in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS with a 4 out save including a bases loaded strikeout of J. D. Drew isn’t so bad in retrospect.

He was a stud they had barely seen… oh but still I WANTED that game. It would have made the comeback from the 7-0 Game 5 even sweeter… a chance to go back to back.

I remember talking to someone about my shaky Patriot fandom. I told him “I would trade all three Patriots Super Bowl Titles in exchange for a double by J. D. Drew off of David Price.”

I still would

Johnny Damon… still not a Giant

When I saw Johnny Damon homer again today in the pitchers park that is Comerica (National) Park, I couldn’t help but think of the Giants offensive woes.

I told the Giants to sign him back on New Year’s Day… and I still think I was right.

Now to get the sparkplug they need to kick start the offense will cost them money AND players.

They never listen to wisdom