SAN DIEGO - APRIL 26: Pitcher Trevor Hoffman #51 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on April 26, 2008 in San Diego, California. The Padres won 8-7. (Photo by Andy Hayt/Getty Images)
Trevor Hoffman came excruciatingly close to Cooperstown when the Baseball Writers' Association of America's Hall of Fame voting results were announced Wednesday.
The longtime Padres closer finished five votes -- five votes -- shy of induction. His box was checked on 327 of the 442 ballots, leaving him at 74 percent -- one percent short of the required 75 percent.
Hoffman, who retired as the majors' all-time saves leader with 601 before eventually being passed by Mariano Rivera, handled the news with class and admirable optimism:
The good news: Hoffman seems to be a lock for the Class of 2018. But this still has to be gut-wrenching.
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