Just last September, Torii Hunter was talking about retiring following the 2012 season. An offseason of rest and rejuvenation seems to have quelled that urge, as Hunter recently told ESPN's Mark Saxon that he'll look to play for another two or three seasons after his contract expires this season:
"I'm just going to keep playing and get it out of my system, because I don't want to go home and be like, 'I've got like two or three years left,'" Hunter said. "I know I've got two or three good years in me. My body's good, my athletic ability is good. I can go out there and play."
Hunter, 36, struggled at times in 2011, but finished with a torrid two-month stretch in which he hit .324/.396/.537 with 10 long balls over the season's final 51 games. That tear propelled his home run total to 23 — the tenth time in 11 seasons that he's broken the 20-homer barrier. Only an injury-shortened 2005 (14 homers in 98 games) broke that streak.
Hunter is entering the final season of the five-year, $90MM contract he signed with the Halos following the 2007 season. The Angels and Twins are the only organizations he's ever known in his 19-year professional career. Minnesota selected Hunter with the 20th pick in the 1993 draft, and he's totaled a .274/.332/.467 line while winning nine Gold Gloves in his career.
I thought i remember him saying that 2012 could be his last season after his contract was up.
Did you even bother to read the article, or did you just comment after seeing the headline?
To be honest, no.
Ah, literacy.
“Just last September, Torii Hunter was talking about retiring following the 2012 season.”
That’s the first sentence after the headline. I guess it was too much to follow.
Obviously it was. Sorry i offended everyone on here. Would you like a written apology?
yes.
Wouldn’t that be redundant?
I don’t get it. You seem humble and honest when you apologized and said no, but now you have an attitude. What’s the deal?
Solution: next time read what you comment on
19 year career? He has 12 years of service time.
Drafted in ’93
I really hope the Twins can find a way to pick him up next season. I know the outfield is cluttered, but maybe he could DH or something. I’m not sure if he was totally serious when he said he was “never coming back” to Minnesota, but I’m sure the fans, and management, would welcome him back.
Yeahhhhh no… He has stated that he doesnt want to play for any other team than the Halos. He told Arte he would play 2nd base if he had to.
I like your name. haha.
Why not 3rd base, Torii would be at least as good there as Trumbo, probably better?
To be fair, he also said he wanted to spend his entire career with the Twins at one time.
Things change. And if a team offers him more playing time than the Angels, then you can bet he will leave the Angels just like that.
I hope he comes back to DH for the Twins. I wouldn’t put a whole lot of faith into Torii Hunter quotes. I don’t think he puts much thought into what he’s going to say before he says it.
Well i wonder if he thinks he has a shot at the HoF. 3 more good years he would have about 2250 H, 350HR, 1250 RBI, 9 maybe 10 GG (this is all very best case scenario) Hmmm it would be close but I still dont think he makes.
Yea I was looking at his numbers I dont think he will make it. Over the course of a decade though he was the best fielding CF in baseball, he just didnt put up great enough offensive numbers. Still a good player though, even if he is a bit racist.
Well you do have the DH for 14 teams and most probably in a few seasons all 30 teams.
Kirby Puckett had 2300 H, 207 HR, and 1085 RBI and he got into the HOF. Hunter only has .037 less career OPS.
Just sayin’
Not a fair comparison at all.
Puckett’s career ended abruptly due to being injured in the line of duty. He had plenty of good years left in him, and that was taken into account by the voters.
Puckett was always regarded as one of the premier players over the length of his career. After his first 7-8 seasons, there was little doubt that he was of a Hall of Fame trajectory given his production and his reputation. I don’t think anyone has ever thought of Hunter as a HoF caliber player – thought certainly a very good player (and I say this as a life-long Twins fan) but not in the class of Kirby Puckett.
Take a look at Puckett’s season hit totals and AVG during his prime years then maybe it will become clear why he is in.
I’d love to see Hunter back next year but there’s just no room for him. All because of that horrible Wells trade. The case can be made that it’s Vernon who is taking at-bats away from Abreu this season and next season a spot on the roster from Torii. Thanks Tony!
He’ll play with the white Sox before his career is over…KW always gets his guy
I think the Angels should offer him a 1 year contract extension worth $6 million with two mutual options for 2013 and 2014 for $3 million. Next year, Hunter will become our 4th outfielder with Trout moving to LF and Vernon going to RF.
6 mil for a fourth outfielder is kinda outrageous. Not to mention we have players in the minors (Jeremy Moore) who can be a 4th OF. Also, Trumbo might start to get playing time in the OF. I love Torii but I just dont see him with us after this year.
It’s more of a respect thing if anything, he might not be worth it but I don’t see the front office having an issue with it. He does have value to this team if he can produce similarly to last year. If that’s the case then Hunter > Moore. He would get at-bats in LF, RF, and DH and be a nice bat off the bench. If both of the mutual options were used than 3 years/12 million for a 1.5-2 WAR player is fair.
Dont get me wrong I would mind that deal at all, however I think Torii wants to play and be a starter. I think he will retire before he becomes a 4th outfielder.
6 mil is a bargain compared to the Angels usual 4th OF budget
We don’t need Hunter next year. If possible I would love to see him traded this year. There is just no reason to spend that kind of money on him.
For another team $6m for the year would be a reasonable price. For a team like the Angels who already have a crowded outfield he’s just a redundant resource. I would much rather put that $6m towards something else.
I disagree, if Hunter can produce like his 2011 season then he has value to our team not just as a 4th outfielder but as a DH vs. LHP (Morales can’t hit lefties). He could be a great piece on our team for the next couple years for fairly cheap because he wants to play here.
I remember a while back, I was young and the Yankees signed Johnny Damon to play Center Field after Bernie retired. I was a little prejudice towards Damon because he was a Red Sox before hand and I didn’t quite grasp the concept of Free Agency. I was so angry and screaming that they should have signed Torii Hunter. There really wasn’t a point to this I’m just wondering what people will think.
Youre now old?