Twinkie Town - Twins sign Torii Hunter: the complete box setAn online community of Twins fans mourning the death of Prince Rogers Nelson.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52554/tt_fav.png2014-12-05T09:30:02-05:00http://www.twinkietown.com/rss/stream/71015442014-12-05T09:30:02-05:002014-12-05T09:30:02-05:00What am I supposed to think about Torii Hunter?
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<figcaption>KURRRRTTTTTT!!!!!!!! Er, TORRRIIIIIII?????? | Leon Halip/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>I'm not sure why, but this struck a much deeper nerve than I ever expected.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I'm going to be upfront: I was never a big <span>Torii Hunter</span> fan. As I always say, I was more of a <span>Jacque Jones</span> person. The first jersey I bought for myself was Jacque Jones. The only bobblehead from my dementedly large collection that I carried with me throughout college was Jacque Jones. My favorite memory from all the many games I have been fortunate enough to see at Target Field is of Jacque Jones <a href="http://m.mlb.com/video/v7254537/?query=jacque%2Bjones" target="_blank">coming up to bat in the first exhibition game at the stadium</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But the real reason I didn't really like Torii Hunter<span>—</span>at least, not as much as compared to many other <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a> fans<span>—</span>is and was because I always thought he thought he was Kirby Puckett. He is not Kirby Puckett.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kirby Puckett was my hero. Most of my earliest memories are of Kirby Puckett. I'm not kidding. I remember the morning after Game 6<span>—</span>me, only 6 years old<span>—</span>waking up and running to my parents to ask what had happened, and them telling me what Kirby had done. Already being a staunch Kirby fan, and a child, I had expected that he would have done what he did. They promised to buy me a hat if the Twins won the World Series. I can remember that so clearly it is almost scary.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But guess what? Kirby Puckett turned out to be an awful person. He abused his wife, to the point he allegedly chain-sawed down a door to get to her and abuse her. Sports Illustrated came out with many of these details after he had retired and had already been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Trying to reconcile this with the player and public persona I knew was hard. It still is hard, especially as a woman.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I can't shake it. I still cry every time I see the classic clips of Kirby.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Which is what got me on Wednesday. I had a tab open to search comments mentioning "Torii Hunter" on twitter and looked over the tweets coming out throughout the day. I kept seeing, "Welcome home, Torii Hunter." And I just started to cry. I'm not sure why. I'm not even particularly a Torii fan. Never owned a jersey, item, anything related to Torii (and unlike Jesse's lame-butt I have like 40+ jerseys and shirseys--phhhttt step up yo' game [just kidding (kinda)]), and yet there I was, just trying to wipe away soft tears because of the so many people who were happy Torii was "home".</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just thinking about Torii <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcQ5De9ZcZc" target="_blank">catching</a> that Bonds Home Run in the All-Star Game; the dang <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE5TkHCtlYI" target="_blank">look on his face</a> when he looked around the corner of the door in that birthday party commercial; the Soul Patrol; how hammy he was in that Subway spot they used to play over and over on the jumbotron at games in the Dome... Yeah, even for me, never really a Hunter fan, I think the Twins tapped into some secret nostalgia.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I do not agree with Torii on his social rights and political views (AT ALL). I think he's a bigot. I don't believe he will particularly help the team on the field (but don't think he'll particularly hurt? <i>Hopefully?</i>). But for some reason this made me really emotional. Maybe just because I'm getting old. Maybe because I'm getting my period? Maybe just because I love to see the younger generation of fans (and Jesse?) get excited that their favorite player is coming "home", like he promised he would. I don't know. Probably like the same way I don't know why exactly I cry so easily when I see Kirby Puckett make that catch, or hit that home run.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I understand and support those who want to boycott the Twins and question this. I do not mean to support Torii's bigoted views in any way. Full heartedly. And Torii Hunter STILL IS NOT KIRBY PUCKETT<span>—</span>but I don't even know how much that is good or bad at this point.</p>
https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/5/7338125/what-am-i-supposed-to-think-about-torii-hunterMaija Varda2014-12-04T19:40:13-05:002014-12-04T19:40:13-05:00On coming to terms with cheering for Torii Hunter
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<p>Because sometimes, life and baseball intersect in ways that transcend the sport.</p> <p>Growing up, I was a huge fan of <span>Torii Hunter</span>. Being a bit too young to really enjoy the 1991 World Series, not to say anything of the '87 version, seeing the <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Twins</a> start to turn things around in 2001 and then rally to a division title and a trip to the American League Championship Series in 2002 was a definitive moment in my Twins fandom.</p>
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<p>I loved Brad Radke. Eddie Guardado and <span>LaTroy Hawkins</span> turned lousy careers as starters into good careers as relievers, which was fun. <span>Corey Koskie</span>, <span>Cristian Guzman</span>, <span>A.J. Pierzynski</span>, <span>Jacque Jones</span>, <span>Doug Mientkiewicz</span> - there was something satisfying about seeing these guys win and mature together, saving baseball in Minnesota as we know it. But none of those players had the impact on my emotional attachment to the team as did Torii Hunter.</p>
<p>That's me, in the cover photo of this story. On my 25th birthday, when I was living in New York City, my then-girlfriend bought me an authentic Hunter jersey. I still have it, and to this day it's the only jersey I own.</p>
<p>Why was Hunter so important to me, so integral to my relationship to the Twins as a fan? It's hard to say, and it's probably a lot of little things. He was the first affable and readily identifiable player on the team, or at least he was the first Twins player to attain such a level of national notoriety, since Kirby Puckett. Puckett was one of Hunter's heroes, too, and at the time that was important because what baseball fan in Minnesota didn't grow up with Kirby as one of their childhood idols? Hunter was a legitimate star; he had power, he had speed, he played in center field and earned the Twins a nightly spot on SportsCenter, you just knew he wanted to be a leader, and he claimed to love the team and its fans. He, at least in my eyes, adopted Minnesota as his home.</p>
<p>For all of those reasons and more, Hunter - for me - transcended the level of your typical athlete. You know how it happens - sometimes, for whatever reason, certain people end up meaning more to you. This occurs with family and friends, but it also happens with people to whom you have no personal affiliation: authors, politicians, actors, musicians and bands, and yes, athletes. What happens to those people and what they say, what they stand for, what they believe or don't believe, it has a larger impact on you than most other people who could be considered their contemporaries...especially when it's an issue close to your heart.</p>
<p>As a result, <a target="_blank" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/torii-hunter-having-openly-gay-teammate-difficult-uncomfortable-003930197--mlb.html">Hunter's stance on sexual orientation was particularly disappointing</a>. Everyone should be treated equally and everyone deserves the same rights, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, color of their skin, or sexual orientation, and in a break from one of my tenets on this website, I'll be upfront and say that this is a very important issue to me. Saying that any of those things is "not right" is, essentially, an issue of equality. I feel as though equality should kind of be a no-brainer. When it's not a no-brainer to others, I'm a little surprised; when it's not a no-brainer to someone who means something more to me, I'm disappointed.</p>
<p>I'm not naive enough to think he's alone in his beliefs, and no doubt I've been fans of other players/people/politicians/actors/musicians who have the same beliefs, but the distinction here is that A) most of those people don't make those beliefs public, and B) most of those people haven't meant to me what Hunter has meant. I'm also aware of where Hunter comes from and his upbringing, but I'm not going to use those as excuses.</p>
<p>The juncture I've found myself at in the past, and now again that Hunter is back with the Twins, is a place where I'm having difficulty separating something I feel quite strongly about from someone whom I have looked up to. It's an issue where I've ended up asking myself a number of questions to which I don't necessarily have a lot of answers. Am I advocating Hunter's beliefs by continuing to cheer for him? Should I find it easier to separate my personal beliefs from the teams and players I root for? Maybe I'm just over-thinking the whole thing; it wouldn't be the first time.</p>
<p>I realize that reconciling differing viewpoints with people you look up to is going to be easier for some people than others; in most instances I'd have no issue with that. For any number of reasons, this time I'm having a harder time with it - perhaps because of the issue, perhaps because of the person involved, probably both. Sooner rather than later I'll have to find my middle ground, but until then: have you ever experienced something similar?</p>
https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/4/7337199/when-being-a-fan-isnt-easy-coming-to-terms-with-cheering-for-toriiJesse Lund2014-12-04T09:04:17-05:002014-12-04T09:04:17-05:00Torii Hunter: Media & fan reaction
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<p>Let's jump around this interweb and see how everyone else has been reacting to the Twins signing Hunter.</p> <p>First we'll get to what the beat writers and opinion-havers are putting down online, and then we'll get to your Twitter reactions.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Mackey_The_emotional_and_logical_sides_of_signing_Torii_Hunter120214">Phil Mackey</a> - "Logic says Hunter might not help the Twins much on the field at his advanced age. Emotion says to hell with it."</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Zulgad_Hunters_decision_to_return_to_Twins_was_likely_multifaceted120214">Judd Zulgad</a> - The Twins gave Hunter an opportunity that nobody else could: a chance to cap off a legacy. Judd also speculates, very briefly at the end of the article, that this could be the start of a new chapter in Hunter's baseball career - one that doesn't end when he's done playing.</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Wetmore_5_thoughts_on_what_signing_Torii_Hunter_means_for_other_Twins120314" target="_blank">Derek Wetmore</a> - Wetmore's five thoughts include comparisons to previous "clubhouse leader" ex-Twins, as well as the signing's impact on other players on the roster.</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/284605591.html" target="_blank">Howard Sinker</a> - The money isn't an issue - it's about whether or not the Twins can sell a reunion tour. Also a great point about how this move can help Hunter take his pick for playoff contenders.</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2287440-torii-hunters-homecoming-an-ideal-fit-for-young-talented-minnesota-twins" target="_blank">Jacob Shafer, Bleacher Report</a> - Jacob calls this an "ideal fit," talking about how Paul Molitor wants a strong-willed group of players. He also says that, while Hunter himself may not help the Twins win games in 2014, his tutelage may help the team win games in the future by helping to bring the young talent along.</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24860239/torii-hunter-follows-heart-back-to-minnesota-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with-twins" target="_blank">Mike Axisa, CBS Sports</a> - Mike compares it to Ken Griffey Jr. returning to the Mariners. I mean, we know how that worked out (it didn't), but Axisa says this move is "pretty darn cool." He congratulates Torii for going out on his own terms, and is the perfect role model for a young club. For the normally metric-focused Axisa, his breakdown is a little surprising.</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/12/twins-to-sign-torii-hunter.html" target="_blank">Jeff Todd & Steve Adams, MLB Trade Rumors</a> - Hunter's acquisition "goes beyond on-field production," but qualify that statement by saying that he'll need to be closer to average as a defender if the Twins are to get any on-field value out of the deal.</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://aarongleeman.com/2014/12/03/twins-sign-torii-hunter-for-10-5-million/" target="_blank">Aaron Gleeman</a> - "Make no mistake, the Twins are paying for nostalgia here. Even if Hunter exactly duplicates his 2014 performance--which is always unlikely at age 39--he'd be average offensively for a corner outfielder and well below average defensively. Any further decline on either side of the ball would make him a liability and as with most 39-year olds there isn't a whole lot of upside to balance out the potential major dropoff."</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins/torii-hunter-signing-is-hard-to-figure-r3229" target="_blank">Nick Nelson, Twins Daily</a> - Signing Torii Hunter is hard to figure.</p>
<p><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/torii-hunter-in-the-outfield-just-how-bad-can-it-be-r3230" target="_blank">Parker Hageman, Twins Daily</a> - Parker examines the data, particularly on the defensive side, and notes that the "data, however, doesn't lie. It just is. And what the data says is that Hunter is not able to catch everything an average right fielder is able to. This notion could leave the pitching staff frustrated in 2015."</p>
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<p>Welcome back to the twins <a href="https://twitter.com/toriihunter48">@toriihunter48</a> !!!!! It will be a honor to play along side my hero growing up.</p>
— Aaron Hicks (@AaronHicks31) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronHicks31/status/539967937608957952">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><span>Aaron Hicks is clearly excited to see Hunter returning to his roots. Let's hope that something positive can rub off between Hicks and Hunter.</span></p>
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<p>Torii Hunter brings back his leadership, determination & fight to win, positive attitude, respect of the game and his willing to play hurt!</p>
— Bert Blyleven (@BertBlyleven28) <a href="https://twitter.com/BertBlyleven28/status/540185828807675904">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p>All that stuff is great, and I'm assuming that Bert draws a strong distinction between "playing hurt" and being injured. Because otherwise, lauding a player for playing hurt is counterproductive and downright stupid.</p>
<h4>Your reaction</h4>
<p>Here are your reactions from the Twinkie Town <a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TwinkieTown" target="_blank">Facebook</a> feeds.</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> What's next? A six-year deal for Julio Franco?</p>
— Josh Krueger (@87Twins91) <a href="https://twitter.com/87Twins91/status/539929875675500544">December 2, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> for the love of God why?? Overpriced & not needed.</p>
— Michael D (@ColdBeerPizza) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColdBeerPizza/status/539971247883685888">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I HATE THIS SO MUCH, JESSE</p>
— Jessica F (@jessicann713) <a href="https://twitter.com/jessicann713/status/539971374346141696">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p>I love <a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> and it's expert knowledge on the subject, but I can't help but be pumped to see Torii Hunter back in Minnesota!</p>
— Greg Jensen (@JensenGregory) <a href="https://twitter.com/JensenGregory/status/539980588363812864">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p>However, a commenter on <a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> said he's getting season tickets now that Torii's back. Uh.... good luck with that.</p>
— Andrew Bryzgornia (@BryzTwinkieTown) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryzTwinkieTown/status/539990155692888064">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I'm sick.. But glad torii is back.. Now just don't stop and have this be your only singing this off season</p>
— Ben W (@mntwins020733) <a href="https://twitter.com/mntwins020733/status/540113841167040513">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I don't get what all the fuss is about. He's an upgrade over Hammer at about the same cost on a one-year deal.</p>
— James_Mathewson (@James_Mathewson) <a href="https://twitter.com/James_Mathewson/status/540114092380680193">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I've hoped for Torii to come back with every trade rumor since he went to the Angels. Class act, talented, fun to watch.</p>
— Jess Anderson (@jma0611) <a href="https://twitter.com/jma0611/status/540114209330446336">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> same same. Less excited about the outfield, more excited to see my childhood hero.</p>
— Braeden (@braeden_j) <a href="https://twitter.com/braeden_j/status/540123776910757888">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> paid a lot to downgrade our outfield. Nostalgia over winning. This team is broken.</p>
— Pedro Munoz (@PedroMunozMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/PedroMunozMN/status/540143172119433216">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I love Torii, but we didn't need offense. We need pitching and defense. He offers neither at this point in his career.</p>
— Nick Calo (@PRH1987) <a href="https://twitter.com/PRH1987/status/540143494753693696">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I died a little inside.</p>
— Mike Bates (@MikeBatesSBN) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeBatesSBN/status/540186033556443136">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> Nonplussed</p>
— myjah (@KirbysLeftEye) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirbysLeftEye/status/540186757028126721">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> My neck and butt hurt. The rope broke and I fell on top of the chair.</p>
— H.M.S. Pinniped (@hmspinniped) <a href="https://twitter.com/hmspinniped/status/540186770869329920">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I'm torn. He's a fan favorite for a reason. But the signing feels like nostalgia over being competitive</p>
— Scott Toenges (@DocToenges) <a href="https://twitter.com/DocToenges/status/540190634800578560">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> conflicted. Good leader, great guy, no defense</p>
— Richard Stevens (@rstev02) <a href="https://twitter.com/rstev02/status/540192396525330433">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I think there is a legitimate chance he is the worst everyday player in baseball next season.</p>
— Dan Petes (@ProspectNav) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProspectNav/status/540207154381455361">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> Brings publicity but doesn't bring class. Another washed up loudmouth.</p>
— Brian Hohlen (@BrianHohlen) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianHohlen/status/540274378127052800">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I like it considering the OF situation and numbers wise he would've been the second most productive hitter we had</p>
— Palmer (@shanepalmquist) <a href="https://twitter.com/shanepalmquist/status/540280346366197760">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> I'm consumed with happiness!!</p>
— Bianca (@lupusslugger) <a href="https://twitter.com/lupusslugger/status/540186574151888896">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/TwinkieTown">@TwinkieTown</a> Absolutely!! No doubt about it.</p>
— Bianca (@lupusslugger) <a href="https://twitter.com/lupusslugger/status/540187005938700288">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p>There has been a great deal of discussion about Torii Hunter on the Twinkie Town Facebook page. Here's just a little taste.</p>
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<p>That's what everyone else seems to be feeling, and emotions are all over the board. Having been able to sleep on it for two nights, how are you feeling? My own thoughts on the topic will be coming up later today.</p>
https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/4/7326753/twins-sign-torii-hunter-what-theyre-sayingJesse Lund2014-12-03T17:36:03-05:002014-12-03T17:36:03-05:00What Hunter does & does not bring to the Twins
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<p>The Twins didn't need Hunter and Hunter didn't need the Twins. Yet it still happened. So: what are we getting out of this deal?</p> <p><span>Torii Hunter</span> wasn't the free agent outfielder that the <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Twins</a> needed. The Twins needed an outfielder who could play the outfield well, and if he could hit a little bit that would be a plus, too. Minnesota wasn't the team that Hunter needed, either. He needed a team that could offer him one final crack at a World Series ring.</p>
<p>Why did Hunter choose the Twins? The common refrain right now is that it was a heart over head decision, because he <i>wanted</i> to come back to Minnesota. Terry Ryan and the Twins wanted Hunter for a couple of reasons that have nothing to do with on-field performance.</p>
<ul>
<li><span>Mentoring young players</span></li>
<li><span>Being a leader</span></li>
</ul>
<p>The pundits are dealing the same line: some decisions transcend money/analytics; this was all about going home. It's a wonderful narrative to spin, even if you ignore that the move may not help you win ballgames. So, let's try to put it all together. What can and cannot Torii Hunter bring to the Minnesota Twins, both on and off the field?</p>
<h4>Torii Hunter cannot play defense</h4>
<p>We've covered this before, but Torii Hunter was the worst defensive right fielder in baseball in 2014. Whether you want to look at players who qualified for he batting title, or whether you just lump in everyone who played at least 200 innings at the position, Hunter was by far the worst. <span>Oswaldo Arcia</span> and <span>Curtis Granderson</span>, if you could theoretically mesh how bad both players were in the field into one bad player, still wouldn't be as bad as Hunter was.</p>
<p>What made him so terrible? His range. Over the last few years Hunter's defense has been on the decline, and in his age-38 season it's not much of a surprise that his legs have stopped cooperating. None of this is useful to a Twins team that didn't have a problem scoring runs, but had more problems preventing them.</p>
<h4>Torii Hunter can probably still hit a little</h4>
<p>There are a few things worth noting about Hunter's offense. He still hits the ball hard, posting a 21.3% line drive rate and a 20% hard-hit rate. The hard-hit rate would have led the 2014 team.</p>
<p>Hunter started last year strong but faded through June, and after play on July 1 was hitting .249/.274/.409. But in the second half, Hunter raked with a .318/.358/.479 triple slash. The walk rates are way down and the isolated power hasn't topped .170 since 2010, but with a quantity of plate appearances he's capable of knocking out 15 home runs provided this isn't the season where Hunter's talent collapses in on itself.</p>
<h4>Torii Hunter cannot provide reliable production</h4>
<p>2015 will be Hunter's age-39 season, and he'll turn 40 on July 18. He's well past the point where a player's performance can fall off of a cliff, and we all know he's done well to be as good as he's been so late into his 30s. Yes, Hunter's 2014 offensive numbers imply that he's still a guy that can hit (he produced at a rate 11% above league average), but even 39-year old Hall of Fame players have found history to be a cruel mistress.</p>
<h4>Torii Hunter can put butts in seats</h4>
<p>The reaction to Hunter's signing has been varied, but there is no shortage of fans who are happy with the move. A friend of mine did some math this morning. He figured that Hunter alone would put an extra 1,000 fans at every home game; that seems a little optimistic to me though, so let's say 500. 500 tickets, at a mean cost of $35.00 per ticket, for 81 games, means an extra $1,417,500 in revenue.</p>
<p>It's a good way of looking at it, but do you know what will sell tickets better than Torii Hunter? Winning baseball games and being competitive in August and September. Maybe Hunter is a part of that - a part of what will become a competitive Twins team later in the 2015 season - but he can't do it on his own.</p>
<h4>Torii Hunter can be a presence</h4>
<p>Some people will say leader, some people will say distraction, but somewhere in the middle is presence. Hunter's mouth has gotten him into interesting spots on countless occasions, and whether he's punching teammates, disclosing personal issues of teammates, calling teammates out through the press, or announcing his homophobic viewpoints in public, he's far from a model player and leader no matter how the narrative is spun.</p>
<p>But none of that means he can't be a good mentor to young players. He can show them how to prepare, not just for a game but for a long and grueling season. He can show young guys how to dress. He can show <span>Aaron Hicks</span> and <span>Byron Buxton</span> how to read and position and study. He can take them out, buy them a good suit, and show them what it's like to be a representative of the team for whom you play.</p>
<p>Should Joe Mauer be able to do some of that? Absolutely. But there are a lot of young guys on this team, and whether you like Hunter as an individual or not it's impossible to deny that he can be magnetic. People are drawn to that. If Torii Hunter wants to be a good mentor, and that certainly seems to be the case from top to bottom, then I have no doubt that he'll be the best mentor the Twins could ask for.</p>
<h4>Torii Hunter is a goodwill gesture</h4>
<p>Hunter is a recognizable face and name, and he's not a bad hitter. Fans, by and large, remember him fondly from his glory years with the Twins. Players recognize him as a talented ambassador of the game, and will see his addition as an installment of faith in them from the front office. It allows Hunter to retire a Twin - which is what he has always wanted.</p>
<p>Goodwill gestures do not win ballgames. The Twins must now take care of the larger priorities: making the team better in 2015 and in the future. That means finding a starting pitcher, and it might also mean another outfielder - one who can play some very good defense - because with Arcia in left and Hunter in right we're looking at one more year of plodding corner outfielders. He was worth all of 0.3 fWAR in 2014, and unless he can recoup a little value on the defensive side it's hard to see him topping more than 1.0 fWAR this year.</p>
<p>How I feel about this move personally is a trickier issue. I'll get into that a bit more tomorrow, because I need to sleep on it. As you may know by now, I have complicated feelings about Hunter as a fan.</p>
https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/3/7326679/what-torii-hunter-does-and-does-not-bring-to-the-minnesota-twinsJesse Lund2014-12-03T10:52:46-05:002014-12-03T10:52:46-05:00Twins sign Hunter: 25 and 40-man roster fallout
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<p>Jesse looks at what impact the signing of Torii Hunter will have on the 25 and 40-man rosters.</p> <p>Where the roster is concerned, the combination of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/2/7324699/torii-hunter-agrees-to-1-year-10-5-million-deal-with-the-minnesota">Minnesota's choice to sign</a> <span>Torii Hunter</span> and to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/3/7325603/twins-will-tender-contracts-to-all-arbitration-eligible-players">tender the six remaining arbitration eligible players contracts</a> means that the 40-man roster is once again full. Terry Ryan and the <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Twins</a> certainly aren't done getting ready for 2014, but not having room to maneuver certainly makes that job more complicated.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/3/7325603/twins-will-tender-contracts-to-all-arbitration-eligible-players" style="font-size: 12px;">As we covered this morning, to make room on the 40-man roster the Twins now have to go a new route</a>:</p>
<ol>
<li><span>Outright a player, or designate someone for assignment. <span>A.J. Achter</span>, <span>Logan Darnell</span>, <span>Stephen Pryor</span>, <span>Aaron Thompson</span>, <span>Eric Fryer</span>, <span>Chris Colabello</span>, <span>Chris Herrmann</span>, and <span>Chris Parmelee</span> are all players who could go quite easily.</span></li>
<li><span>Make a trade. I'm of the opinion that a number of players around the league, who were considered non-trade candidates, ended up in the same boat as <span>Eduardo Nunez</span> or <span>Brian Duensing</span> and stayed on the roster. Swapping non-tender candidates, or pulling off another trade involving 40-man roster players, is by nature more difficult because more than one team is involved, but Terry Ryan will be exploring possibilities.</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span>Number one seems like the easier and more obvious answer, particularly because there is still plenty of fat to be trimmed from the roster without concerning ourselves with players who are slightly more expensive. A couple of those players have the added benefit of having been on the 25-man roster, meaning the Twins would kill two birds with one stone.</span></p>
<p>Assuming a 12-man pitching staff, the Twins will carry 13 position players on the active roster. Those players will be selected from this pool.</p>
<p><b>Catcher:<br></b><i><span>Kurt Suzuki</span>, <span>Josmil Pinto</span>, Eric Fryer</i><br><b><br>Infielders:<br></b><i><span>Joe Mauer</span>, <span>Brian Dozier</span>, <span>Trevor Plouffe</span>, <span>Danny Santana</span>, <span>Eduardo Escobar</span>, <span>Kennys Vargas</span>, Eduardo Nunez, <span>Chris Colabello, Chris Parmelee</span></i><br><b><br>Outfielders:<br></b><i><span>Oswaldo Arcia</span>, <span>Aaron Hicks</span>, Torii Hunter, <span>Jordan Schafer</span>, Chris Herrmann</i></p>
<p>That's a total of 17 players, all of whom are on the 40-man. Four of them won't make the trip north, and we can narrow that list down pretty quickly: Fryer, Colabello, Parmelee, and Herrmann are all easy calls. <span>Colabello and Herrmann both, to the best of my knowledge, have one option year remaining. Considering that they are on the margins of the active roster, that's a good thing. Fyer and Parmelee, however, are out of options.</span></p>
<p>Still, jettisoning Fryar and-or Parmelee doesn't make space on the 25-man roster. Similarly, p<span>layers like Achter, Darnell, and Thompson are all good options for clearing space on the 40-man, but because they aren't guys who are likely to be a part of the team out of spring training there's only so much to be gained from their departure when the team needs to bring in talent for the Major League club.</span><span> </span></p>
<p>As it stands, the Twins can fit all of the arbitration-eligible players onto the active roster. But if they are to add another outfielder, then we start to look at options like Aaron Hicks starting the season in Triple-A or the team swallowing whatever contract they end up handing off to Jordan Schafer or Eduardo Nunez. These are the players on the fringe of the Major League roster, and they are that much closer to the edge now that Hunter has been signed and the 40-man is now full.</p>
<p>It seems as though the Twins could have made things much easier on themselves by non-tendering one or two of their arbitration-eligible players last night. Instead, we get to talk about not just Hunter's signing, but how in the hell the team will be able to add additional talent.</p>
https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/3/7325601/twins-sign-torii-hunter-40-and-25-man-roster-falloutJesse Lund2014-12-02T21:19:24-05:002014-12-02T21:19:24-05:00Torii Hunter agrees to 1-year deal with the Twins
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<p>WE'RE GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER!</p> <p>According to Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, and multiple other sources, former-Twin Torii Hunter has agreed to a 1-year, $10.5 million deal with the Minnesota Twins.</p>
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<p>Source: Hunter deal with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Twins?src=hash">#Twins</a> is one year, $10.5M.</p>
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/539959610766266368">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p>torii hunter returns to the twins. $10.5M, 1 yr. nice story. <a href="https://twitter.com/BNightengale">@BNightengale</a> 1st.</p>
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/539962805517287424">December 3, 2014</a>
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<p>hunter had personal connections w. many twins people & obviously wanted to come "home." chance to tutor buxton, hicks too.</p>
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/539965758256984064">December 3, 2014</a>
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More details forthcoming.</p>
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<h4>EDIT:</h4>
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<p>7 of torii gold gloves won in minnesota from 1997-07. in 7 yrs since w/angels & tigers he made $106M. deal pending physical</p>
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/539967147892805633">December 3, 2014</a>
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https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/2/7324699/torii-hunter-agrees-to-1-year-10-5-million-deal-with-the-minnesotaMaija Varda2014-12-02T12:04:09-05:002014-12-02T12:04:09-05:00Torii Hunter likely heading to a contender
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<p>Which is more or less what we knew all along, but it's a good thing nevertheless.</p> <p>The free agent wire has been buzzing this morning with the news that the <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Texas Rangers</a> are pushing hard for <span>Torii Hunter</span>. And that's not a surprise. But with Hunter apparently looking to make a decision soon, where there's smoke in these circumstances there is often fire.</p>
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<p>Also told that Hunter is still talking to other clubs, and plans to make his decision "soon.'' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rangers?src=hash">#rangers</a></p>
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) <a href="https://twitter.com/jcrasnick/status/539797505698197504">December 2, 2014</a>
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<p>Mike Berardino chimed in at roughly the same time with a pair of telling tweets.</p>
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<p>Source w/one of several teams still in Torii Hunter sweepstakes: "He wants to sign with a contender."</p>
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeBerardino/status/539797574127857664">December 2, 2014</a>
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<p>Source doubts Torii Hunter signs w/<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MNTwins?src=hash">#MNTwins</a> or any non-contender: "He's gonna dance with 'em for awhile, then go home with the one he wants"</p>
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeBerardino/status/539798458790465538">December 2, 2014</a>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.twinkietown.com/2014/11/30/7311253/minnesota-not-as-likely-for-torii-hunter-as-other-clubs" style="font-size: 12px;">We went over the other potential suitors for Hunter on Sunday night</a>, and with the <span>Nelson Cruz</span> signing for Seattle it's the Rangers that are starting to look like the best fit. With a healthy team, Texas could quite easily bounce back in 2015 and contend.</p>
<p>This could be the final contract Hunter signs. If he has a chance at a championship, he needs to take it - and that's the best thing for the <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Twins</a>, too.</p>
https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/12/2/7320043/torii-hunter-likely-to-head-to-a-contenderJesse Lund2014-11-30T18:56:13-05:002014-11-30T18:56:13-05:00The Torii Hunter saga: Twins "not as likely?"
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<figcaption>Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Minnesota Twins fourth on Torii Hunter's preferred destination list?</p> <p>On Saturday, Gerry Fraley of SportsDay by the Dallas Morning News noted that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> were one of four teams currently heading the pack for the services of <span>Torii Hunter</span>. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a> are on that list too, of course, as are the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Mariners</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a>.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/11/texas-rangers-on-torii-hunters-short-list.html/">From Fraley's brief</a>:</p>
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<p><span>Hunter told the Los Angeles Daily News on Saturday that Baltimore, Seattle and the Rangers are at the top of his list. Hunter said Minnesota, his original club, is also a possibility but not as likely as the other clubs.</span></p>
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<p>Not as likely as the other three clubs? That's okay.</p>
<p>Fraley notes that the Rangers did come after Hunter in 2012, when he deal with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> expired. Hunter's home has also been in Texas for the last ten years, and it's been common speculation that the Rangers would be on the shortlist of Torii's desired locations. Here's the situation as it applies to Hunter in each of the three other cities.</p>
<h4>Baltimore</h4>
<p><span>Nelson Cruz</span>, Nick Markakis, and <span>Delmon Young</span> are all free agents, leaving <span>Adam Jones</span> in center field and uncertainty otherwise. <span>Steve Pearce</span> could be penciled into left field after his big season, although <span>Alejandro De Aza</span> might be the better defender. De Aza could be non-tendered, however. As it stands right now, the Orioles could give Hunter playing time quite easily between left field and designated hitter.</p>
<h4>Seattle</h4>
<p>If the Mariners want to continue committing playing time to <span>Dustin Ackley</span> as their left fielder, after his good second half, there is room at designated hitter for Hunter. Corey Hart and <span>Kendrys Morales</span> aren't in the cards. If Seattle does actually trade <span>Michael Saunders</span>, Ackley could occasionally slide into right and leave Hunter to patrol left. The playing time isn't as obvious as it would be in Baltimore, but it's easy to see Hunter getting 300 to 400 plate appearances in Seattle.</p>
<h4>Texas</h4>
<p>The Rangers had all the bad luck this year and finished in last place. If they're healthy this season they should compete, provided they can make two or three good choices in free agency. In the outfield, <span>Leonys Martin</span> is in center and <span>Shin-Soo Choo</span> in right, but by declining <span>Alex Rios</span>' option and making him a free agent, right field is open. <span>Mitch Moreland</span> has power, but he was terrible in 2014 and the Rangers certainly wouldn't avoid picking someone up simply to protect Moreland's playing time.</p>
<p>We know that the Twins should be trying to do better than Hunter when it comes to left field. The lineup needs help, and the pitching staff could use a player who is mobile enough to create positive value in the field. While Hunter could provide Minnesota with a little bit of offense, it would be a gamble; that's the upside on how Hunter could contribute to this young Twins squad, depending on how much credit you'd be willing to grant him for his intangibles.</p>
<p>Personally, I think Baltimore is the best fit for Hunter. Plus, he'd look good in black and orange.</p>
https://www.twinkietown.com/2014/11/30/7311253/minnesota-not-as-likely-for-torii-hunter-as-other-clubsJesse Lund