TREVOR HOFFMAN
Trevor Hoffman, baseball’s all-time leader in saves, has thrown his last pitch with the San Diego Padres. It didn’t have to be this way.
Hoffman who has spent the last 16 years with San Diego had already agreed to a hometown discount. Unfortunately, San Diego’s owner, John Moores, is going through a messy and costly divorce. In an effort to maximize the profit from his baseball team (which he may be selling to pay off his ex-wife) Moores is slashing the team’s payroll. Last year the Padres payroll was $72 million. By getting rid of ace pitcher Jake Peavy, outfielder Brian Giles, Hoffman and a few other players, Moores can cut his team’s salaries more than fifty percent.
Hoffman has taken under market value for years to remain with the Padres. Still, with more than $59 millon in career salary, Hoffman was willing to take a paycut. The team’s initial offer to Hoffman was for just $4 million a year. That’s less money than he made ten years ago. Before he even had a chance to consider it, the Padres suddenly pulled their offer to Hoffman off the table. They unceremoniously kicked their pitching legend to the curb.
Moores literally doesn’t even care about his baseball team anymore. After his soon-to-be-ex-wife got the tickets to his owner’s box, Moores apparently quit going to Padres games. He reportedly went to ONE Padres game all of last season.
Also, word is nobody from the Padres organization called Hoffman to thank him for his years of service. They apparently notified Hoffman of his departure via fax. You stay classy, San Diego!
JOHN AND BECKY MOORES
