Trevor Hoffman surpassed Lee Smith as the all-time saves leader in 2006 and never looked back. The fact that the Padres’ 39-year-old closer was essentially breaking his own record with every save was not lost on fellow reliever Doug Brocail when Hoffman reached a neat-and-tidy 500th save on this date — June 6 — in 2007.
“Five hundred, God almighty; I don’t even have 500 appearances,” Brocail told the Union-Tribune after a 5-2 win over the Dodgers. “I never thought Lee Smith’s record (478) would be broke. I’d like to see Hoffy get to 600. He’s gotten this far.