Jeff Hoffman has been inserted into the rotation to begin the season for the Cincinnati Reds and has done a nice job thus far. So far this season, Hoffman has started 3 games and holds a 2.93 ERA with 2 wins, 12 strikeouts in 15.1 innings pitched. Hoffman joined the program and answered a variety of questions including advice to young players here in the Capital Region. Make sure to listen above and see the recap below:

  • Hoffman likes to keep an edge and not get to comfortable. It has been a good mixture early on and has been a fun start to the season.
  • He has been focused on where he is throwing the fastball and where he has chances to get more swing throughs and missing barrels and try to keep the heater in good spots. He is not throwing more breaking pitches but thinks the percentage of pitches thrown will even itself out.
  • The Reds approach for their pitchers is trying to punch everybody out as the philosophy is to not let anybody hit the ball. If teams become patient, it makes it a little tougher for Hoffman who had to adapt to that in his start versus the Diamondbacks.
  • Hoffman looks back fondly on playing Little League and other baseball in the Capital Region. His advice to young kids is to have fun, meet new people and play as much baseball as possible.
  • In terms of dealing with failure, he says it is important to know that it is going to happen in baseball. You have take the little things, like a good swing or good contact, and build off of those things and apply it to your next opportunity.

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