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Is Hoffman a Hall of Famer?

	Donald Miralle/Getty Images

This question should be broken down into two parts:

1) Will Trevor Hoffman make the Hall of Fame?
2) Does Hoffman deserve to make the Hall of Fame?

I'll take the first part ... uh ... first. The best thing that can happen to Hoffman's Hall of Fame candidacy -- other than continuing to pitch at a high level -- would be for Bruce Sutter to gain election to the Hall of Fame next year. Sutter has some serious momentum on his side, having gone from a 23.9 percent showing in 1994, his first year on the ballot, to 66.7 percent this year. Only inductees Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg received more votes. And when you take into account the weakness of next year's list of new additions to the ballot, things are looking very good for Sutter and, by extension, Hoffman as well. Look at how their careers compare:

Sutter: 661 games, 1,042.1 IP, 77 HR, 309 BB, 861 K, 300 Saves, 2.83 ERA
Hoffman: 725 games, 792.0 IP, 73 HR, 230 BB, 885 K, 414 Saves, 2.78 ERA

Right away you can tell they played in vastly different eras in terms of closer usage -- Hoffman has 114 more saves than Sutter but has pitched in 250 fewer innings. In other words, Sutter's saves weren't the one-inning cheapies we see so much of today. In and of itself, Sutter's election won't get Hoffman into the Hall, but it's fair to say Hoffman isn't getting in if Sutter doesn't.

But you just can't pile up saves like pancakes year after year and expect to get in. The relievers who are in the Hall of Fame each bring something extra special to the table. Rollie Fingers was a 100-plus innings workhorse with three World Series rings; yeah, Mariano Rivera (four rings) is getting in too by the way. Hoyt Wilhelm (2,254 1/3 innings) wouldn't know a cheap save from an iPod. Dennis Eckersley was an above-average starting pitcher for more than a decade before ushering in the era of the one-inning closer.

Where does Hoffman fit in here? He doesn't have much postseason glory to boast about, at least not yet, and he hasn't revolutionized the game the way Sutter did with his split-fingered fastball and Eck did with his role. Where you sit on his candidacy depends more on what you think of modern-day closers -- are they overhyped specialists or a crucial piece of any winning ballclub? Considering Hoffman's amazing longevity and my growing belief that dominant closers really are worth their weight in gold (or at least silver), I would favor his election.

-- Jacob Luft (1:00 p.m.)

Toiling away in the relative anonymity of San Diego won't help his chances. Ask most fans to name the dominant closers of this era, and Hoffman won't make many lists. He should, but I'm not convinced that means he should make the Hall. Other than Rivera, I'd have a hard time voting for any closers from this era. The save has been cheapened too much.
-- Mike, Rapid City, S.D. (1:11 p.m.)

Hoffman does deserve to be in the Hall of Fame because of his longevity and consistency. The way he has pitched this year with a Rod Beck fastball is remarkable. Into the Hall with Hells Bells blaring loud!
-- Daryll Dorman, San Diego (1:36 p.m.)

I really am sick and tired of hearing that Rivera makes the Hall and Hoffman needs to make a case. Rivera has had the benefit of pitching on the biggest stage for the biggest team. I would argue that Hoffman has been equally as dominant but has not been surrounded by as good a supporting cast. Hall of Fame induction should be simple for Hoffman. He was withot a doubt the most dominant closer of his era. No one has done it as well or for as long.
-- Mike, Indianapolis (1:56 p.m.)

How can you put Mariano Rivera above Trevor Hoffman as a candidate for Cooperstown? I understand that four rings are important but becoming the leader in career saves seems like a more dominant role as a closer. "One-inning cheapies?" If saving games in the 21st century is so easy why is there such a huge need for them and why are closers having such a hard time staying dominant? Also, Hoffman would definitely make the Hall by your standards if he hadn't been snubbed for the 1998 NL Cy Young.
-- Alex, San Diego (2:01 p.m.)

I noticed you didn't mention Lee Smith, the all-time saves leader, who is still waiting for a call from Cooperstown.
-- Chris, Bangor, Maine (2:26 p.m.)

It's a shame that I know more about Dustin Hoffman, Abbey Hoffman and former Red Sox shortstop Glen Hoffman than I do about Trevor Hoffman. He's been saving game in San Diego ... who cares? Come to Boston and pitch, and then I'll rubber stamp his entry into the Hall of Fame. And what about Lee Smith and Jeff Reardon?
-- Al Blanchard, Bangor, Maine (3:06 p.m.)

I have always been a pure numbers guy when it comes to the Hall of Fame voting. I think that if Sutter gets in then so does Hoffman. Obviously Hoffman isn't going to a first-ballot type of guy but I think he will get in. In an era when the home run ball has loomed large, he is giving up a dinger every 10 innings (bet Eric Milton would kill for that ratio) and he is striking out more then a batter an inning. He gets my vote, that is as soon as I get one.
-- Jason Stewart, Cleveland (3:11 p.m.)

Considering that only the elite starting pitchers get into the Hall, and no reliever is equivalent to an elite starting pitcher no matter what scale you use (i.e. win shares), it's hard to see any closer being worthy. I think closers are critical to a team's success, but that's not the same as being Hall-worthy.
-- J.D. Bolick, Greenville, N.C. (4:01 p.m.)

Being a Padres season-ticket holder I've watched Hoffman trot in from the bullpen with Hells Bells blaring and each time I've gotten chills. What he brings to the table is something you can't put a statistic or price to. Watching him shut down some of baseball's best sluggers with that nasty changeup has been awesome.
-- Bill Kizer, Ventura, Calif. (4:06 p.m.)

I don't believe someone called Trevor Hoffman the most dominant closer of his era. And then the idiocy to say that he's got a better case for the Hall. Hmmm ...I seem to recall Trevor Hoffman serving up a blown save home run to Scott Brosius. Not Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez ... Scott Brosius. Yes, Hoffman has been stellar, but the most dominant of his era? Hardly. Not if he can't close out a World Series game against Scott Brosius.
-- Jason, Stamford, N.Y. (4:16 p.m.)

How can you have a discussion about closers and the Hall of Fame and not mention Rich Goassage, who I would put in the Hall before Bruce Sutter. If Fingers and Eckersley are in than Gossage deserves it too, ahead of Sutter and far ahead of Lee Smith. Look at the stats of Gossage, as was pointed out those closers worked more than one inning. Gossage won championships with the Yanks and took the Padres to the World Series.
-- Mike Lane, Las Vegas (5:21 p.m.)

Blowing a save to Brosius, as reader Jason writes, is a reason for Hoffy to be ignored by the Hall? Oh, brother. How about blowing a three-game lead to the BoSox in a best-of-seven series?
-- Tom Waltz, San Diego (5:21 p.m.)

It's premature to vote ANY closers into the Hall for which the prime criteria is career achievement. We lack the historical perspective to know what the career "gold standard" is for closers, unlike starters. Let the Veterans Committee sort out the late-relief pioneers and maybe by the year 2030 or so there'll be a better perspective. In the meantime, consider that 15 years of averaging 15 wins adds up to 225 career wins, which will generate little-to-no Hall of Fame discussion, but averaging 25 saves for 15 years would yield 400 career saves.
-- David Young, Los Angeles (5:36 p.m.)