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Jon Morosi tweeted the news this morning that Padres legendary closer Trevor Hoffman would be the bullpen coach for Great Britian in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Trevor Hoffman, senior advisor to @Padres, will serve as bullpen coach for Great Britain (@GB_Baseball) at @WBCBaseball qualifier in Sept.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 15, 2016
Some of our favorite Pads fans across the Atlantic were thrilled.
@jonmorosi @gaslampball @Padres @GB_Baseball @WBCBaseball I'm so happy I could cry @Jimmyid #UKPads
— Alex Hoad KentOnline (@AlexHoadKOL) August 15, 2016
But I, like many of you, wondered the reason why Hoffman wasn’t instead on the American staff. The answer came from Morosi several hours later. Hoffman’s mother a former ballerina came from Great Britain.
I forget precisely where in England she was from (Stockport rings a bell – Hells Bells of course – although I’ve nothing to back that up other than that being my memory and having no clue why I might have plumped for Stockport if it was somewhere else), but a USA Today feature on him confirms that his mother Mikki met Trevor’s father in London before moving to the States.
Anyway he must feel the need to spread the love.
Story behind Trevor Hoffman’s role as British bullpen coach: His mother, Mikki, is English; she danced for the Queen as a young ballerina.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 15, 2016
This is just the kind of thing that Hoffman needs to do to pad his Hall of Fame resume. Can’t hurt, unless they blow a save.