Hoffman throws off mound; closer by committee in Milwaukee?

Trevor Hoffman threw off a mound on Wednesday, experiencing no issues with the oblique injury that sidelined him late in spring training.

"It's good to be back on the slope," Hoffman said. "I didn't throw as many strikes as I would have liked, but I think the key was to come out of it pain-free."

Hoffman will throw off a mound again Saturday in New York. The next step after that is to be determined, according to manager Ken Macha, but Hoffman indicated that he could join the Triple-A Nashville Sounds in Memphis as early as Tuesday to begin a Minor League rehabilitation assignment.

That means Hoffman is at least 10 days away from returning to the big leagues.

Fantasy Impact: The Brewers don't have a great option at closer after Hoffman. They need him back. Manager Ken Macha suggested that a few Brewers relievers might get chances to close games alongside de facto closer Carlos Villanueva, who has struggled in the role. Macha mentioned Todd Coffey, Seth McClung and Mark DiFelice as pitchers throwing better than Villanueva right now.

Broxton is closer material

If Jonathan Broxton is the Dodgers closer this year, is that such a bad thing? Losing out in the Trevor Hoffman sweepstakes might leave the Dodgers with less depth in the 'pen, but Broxton is strong and talented. He's certainly more than capable of handling the closer role.

Broxton struck out 88 batters in 69 IP in 2008. He saved 14 games while filling in as closer. He's a no-brainer to star in the position with his 3.02 ERA and a 1.174 WHIP last season.

Brewers closing in on closers

The ongoing saga that is the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen continues to twist in the wind. Rumors of Trevor Hoffman blowing in from San Diego were one thing. Now, from the East, like a cold Nor'easter comes injury-ravanged Chad Cordero into the conversation.

The Brewers have been tracking his rehabilitation since the Washington Nationals nontendered Cordero last month, and have already seen him throw at least once.

The Brewers have been linked to Cordero before, once rejecting a trade offer that would have sent Cordero to Milwaukee for second baseman Rickie Weeks during the 2007 Winter Meetings. That was at the height of his run as the Nationals' closer, a four-year period from 2003-07 in which Cordero notched 127 saves. Along the way, before his 26th birthday, he became the second-youngest player in Major League history to reach the 100-save plateau (Francisco Rodriguez owns that title, recording his 100th save as a 25-year-old).

I understand the attraction, but hasn't Milwaukee learned about shaky closers from their 2008 mess at the back of the bullpen? Eric Gagne and company proved more to be stooges than musketeers or even amigos. Now Brewers candidates Hoffman (aging) and Cordero (injured) offer them little in terms of probable stability at a position that demands it. Good luck!