Hoffman Ready to Ring in His 500th Save

San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman holds one of the balls he used in collecting 497 career saves while posing in a memorabilia room at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Monday, May 28, 2007. The all time save leader has a ball from each of his saves. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) (Lenny Ignelzi - AP)

SAN DIEGO -- One night soon, Trevor Hoffman will pepper home plate with his remarkable changeup and unremarkable fastball, get the final out for the San Diego Padres and become the first big leaguer to reach 500 saves.

While it caused a ruckus locally when Hoffman became baseball's all-time saves leader late last season, reaching this plateau will inspire a sense of amazement among his teammates and peers.

"It's going to be awesome to see that five-zero-zero up on that board," Padres starter David Wells said. "I'm just going to stare at him and see how he takes it in."

Greg Maddux, the Padres' other elder statesman, thinks it'll be pretty cool, too.

"He's raising the bar, isn't he?" Maddux said. "He's just going somewhere that no one's ever been. I think he's going to change it for closers behind him, give them something to shoot for."

Hoffman, of course, doesn't think it's a big deal. A laid-back surfer dude at heart, he'll probably just go about his routine and treat it as another day at the ballyard, as he has since he got his first save as a rookie in 1993 with the expansion Florida Marlins.

With 15 saves in 17 chances this season, Hoffman is at 497 as the Padres open a three-game series at Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, then play three at Washington.

"In reality, is it much different than 479?" Hoffman said during the weekend. "I mean, it's a number that's still exceeding the second person, but because it has a different number at the beginning and zeros, it becomes maybe more ominous.

"I understand the difference. But I don't think there really should be a whole lot of hoopla surrounding it. I'm not trying to downplay it. I'm not trying to minimize the accomplishment by any means, but 479's kind of the transition number, I thought."

Hoffman reached 479 on Sept. 24, breaking Lee Smith's big league record and setting off a rocking celebration at Petco Park.

"I'm not looking to stop at 500, to be honest with you," the 39-year-old Hoffman said. "I'm trying to do my due diligence and remain productive. It's a progression. I also understand the place in history that it stands for. I'm breaking a new barrier and I'm respectful of that. I'm respectful of the guys I've passed along the way."

Hoffman has a fan in the guy he vaulted to get to the top of the list.