" Torii Hunter was 16 in the summer of 1992 when he first met Alex Rodriguez, then a star high school shortstop from Miami, at a Junior Olympics tournament in Boise, Idaho.

"He was 6-foot-3, he was the only one using a wood bat — a taped-up wood bat, I'll never forget it — and he hit one 430 feet," the Angels center fielder said last week at Yankee Stadium.

"I went back to Arkansas and told everybody, 'Hey, there's a guy named Alex Rodriguez who is going to be the best player ever.' They were like, 'What? Is he better than Shawon Dunston?' I said, 'Ten times better.' And Dunston was good."

Hunter and Rodriguez were both first-round draft picks in 1993, and though they have never been teammates, Hunter considers the New York Yankees third baseman a friend.

So it was no surprise that Hunter winced when asked whether Rodriguez's inclusion in the 600-home-run club — he needs one to become the seventh player in major league history to reach the mark — is somewhat tainted in light of the fact that Rodriguez used steroids for three years while with the Texas Rangers from 2001-2003."