"Torii Hunter agreed to move his act to right field. That doesn't mean he agreed to change his act.

"I just wanted to let you know I can play anywhere," Hunter said after stealing a home run from Boston Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre in the second inning Tuesday. "I'm still an athlete, no matter what anyone thinks. I can play anywhere. Put me at shortstop, I'll make a play there.

"Naw, I'm just talking trash."

It's not all trash. The reputation that helped Hunter win nine Gold Gloves as a center fielder was built in part on his penchant for going up and over outfield walls to steal home runs. According to an unofficial tally kept by the Minnesota Twins PR staff, and extended by the Angels, Hunter has made that play 36 times in his career.

But Tuesday's second-inning catch was his first theft since making the decision to move to right field and clear the way for Peter Bourjos' promotion.

"There is a little pride in there," Hunter said. "I'm a human being. I felt like I was still the best center fielder. It hurts (to give that up). But at the same time, I want to win. I've got to do what I've got to do.

"If this had happened when I was younger, it would have been different. ... But I'm old enough now. I'm mature enough. I can handle it."

Hunter tracked Beltre's deep drive to the low wall in right-center field at Fenway Park like he'd been making that play his whole career. He reached the wall, jumped straight up - "I didn't want to fall over the wall and I almost did anyway," Hunter said - and caught the ball before coming down, banging his right hip on the wall and nearly jack-knifing into the Red Sox bullpen."