Torii Hunter News: Pro Sports Daily

Angels' Hunter Provides Stability in the Lineup and the Clubhouse

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October 25

New York Times

"Cause and effect is nearly impossible to quantify in baseball, but there are times when the evidence is almost overwhelming. For the Los Angeles Angels, who hope to defeat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, Torii Hunter's charisma and leadership are often the cause of good results. Known for his ability to delight with his infectious smile and cagey humor, Hunter possesses a gritty, aggressive side that makes him a fierce competitor, too. For instance, after the Yankees had just wiped out a four-run deficit by scoring six runs in the top of the seventh inning of Game 5, Hunter stormed into the dugout and fired his glove against the bench. Whether it inspired the ..."

Hell on wheels

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October 16

New York Post

"Stopping the Angels from leaving tire tracks across the Yankees' backs in the ALCS on the basepaths isn't as difficult as brokering world peace. The Angels are going to run because that's what they do best: Apply pressure on the catcher and outfielders. Against the Yankees this season, they were 17-for-24 in stolen bases, and whenever given the chance, they took an extra base on the Yankees' outfielders. So, how does a team nuke a running game? Score early and keep the legs off bases. Yet, that doesn't always happen. Pitchers can slide step, which quickens their delivery to the plate but depending on the pitcher can reduce velocity on the fastball and remove the bite from breaking balls ..."

Hunter humbled by off-the-field honor

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September 28

MLB.com

"After winning numerous awards throughout his 13-year career, including eight consecutive Gold Gloves, there's not much room left on Torii Hunter's mantel. But Hunter has a special spot reserved for his latest piece of hardware -- the Branch Rickey Award -- because it's not about what's accomplished on the field. Instead, the award is given annually to a baseball figure for humanitarian and community contributions off the field and is also based on the Rotary International's motto: "Service Above Self." And because of that special meaning, Hunter feels it has much more personal value than the other awards he's won during his illustrious career. "I think it's better because it's outside of ..."

Cameron defends stunt as fun

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September 10

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Milwaukee Brewers centerfielder Mike Cameron is aware Torii Hunter did not care for the team's orchestrated celebration after Prince Fielder hit a game-winning homer against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. The episode has sparked discussion among baseball fans, players and coaches. Some found it amusing. And some, like the Los Angeles Angels' centerfielder, found it inappropriate. "I'm old-school," Hunter said. "I could never do that." Cameron, during an interview aired on Sirius XM Radio, referred to Hunter as "one of the most joyful players in the game" but said he disagrees with Hunter's disapproval of Brewers' celebratory stunt. "I didn't really like that too much," Cameron said, ..."

Hunter back on track for return

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August 8

MLB.com

"Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Friday that injured center fielder Torii Hunter could start his rehab assignment early next week with Class A Rancho Cucamonga before rejoining the Angels for their four-game series in Baltimore next weekend. Hunter, who was placed on the disabled list on July 10 because of a strained adductor muscle on his right side, worked out before Friday's game by running the bases and taking batting practice. "He had a really aggressive workout today," Scioscia said. "He ran very well and he's close. I think if his practice keeps stepping up in the next day or two, hopefully he'll be ready for a rehab stint early next week and then join us in Baltimore." Hunter said ..."

Torii Hunter hopes to return next week

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August 8

Los Angeles Times

"The Angels hope center fielder Torii Hunter can come off the disabled list late next week after a short rehabilitation stint in the minor leagues. Hunter's injury -- a muscle strain on his inner right thigh -- has kept him on the disabled list since July 8, and it kept him out of the All-Star game last month. But the 34-year-old Hunter, who was batting .305 when he was injured, had a "really aggressive workout" Friday and "ran very well," said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia. "He's close," Scioscia said. "Hopefully he'll be ready for a rehab stint early next week and then ready to join us probably in Baltimore," where the Angels open a four-game series against the Orioles on Aug. 14. Asked if ..."

Hunter's DL stint dismays him, Angels

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July 11

Orange County Register

"Torii Hunter grew up about 400 miles from St. Louis, a relatively easy 7-hour drive from Pine Bluff, Ark., but he never made the trip to watch his team play. "I couldn't afford those games," Hunter said. He wouldn't have needed a ticket to be in Busch Stadium for Tuesday's All-Star Game. Missing the chance to play in his third All-Star Game so close to his hometown - and to represent the Angels for the first time - was among the hardest things for Hunter to swallow about going on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of a strained adductor muscle. "It's disappointing," Hunter said. "Very." The news was no less discouraging for the Angels, who will be missing the heart of their lineup for ..."

Hunter, Fuentes deservedly honored

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July 5

MLB.com

"The Angels, two-time reigning American League West champions, will be represented by center fielder Torii Hunter and closer Brian Fuentes in the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis' Busch Stadium on July 14. Hunter, the driving force behind an Angels team beset by tragedy (the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart) and multiple injuries, will be making his third appearance in the Midsummer Classic. Hunter, a Gold Glove winner eight consecutive seasons, was selected on the players' ballot after the starting outfield spots in the fans' balloting went to Jason Bay of Boston, Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki and Texas' Josh Hamilton. Fuentes, the league leader in saves, is making his first ..."

Torii Hunter is the best thing in L.A. baseball

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June 21

Los Angeles Times

columnist Kurt Streeter

"All right, all right. So he's not the biggest, baddest and most powerful. So he doesn't have the glossy name he'd have if his first years had been spent in Boston or New York, or even Chavez Ravine. He doesn't have dreadlocks and an enigmatic, flaky-but-mostly lovable personality. Or a jersey number like 99. Or even a single season with more than 40 home runs. But he does have this: character. The only cheating he's ever been accused of is cheating others out of home runs with a jump and a glove. And this: During this season of baseball in L.A. and its environs, a season of anguish, broken hearts and never-say-never excitement typified by Saturday's 6-4 Dodgers win over the Angels, Torii ..."

Angels win again but may lose Torii Hunter

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June 16

Los Angeles Times

"One minute the Angels were basking in the frivolity of a seven-run inning, cracking up as pitcher John Lackey stood on first base and called for the game ball after his first hit in 27 career big league at-bats and high-fiving each other after Erick Aybar and Bobby Abreu hit back-to-back homers. The next minute they stood in stunned silence, jaws dropped, as their most valuable player, the player they can least afford to lose, Torii Hunter, crumpled on the warning track, writhing in pain after another violent collision with an outfield wall, this one in AT&T Park. One minute, the Angels were on the verge of a lopsided win, with a five-run lead, two out and the bases empty in the bottom of ..."

Hunter says he's still learning about hitting

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May 23

Orange County Register

columnist Mark Whicker

"He was 23 years old, stuck on a 90-foot treadmill in New Britain, Conn., a place that was neither New nor British but seemed a million miles from the big leagues. And from home. As he kept launching vertical outs, Torii Hunter was ready for a horizontal move. "I wanted out," he said. "I was going to quit. Go back to Arkansas, back to school, be with my family. It was a real bad year." Actually, it was more than that. In 1997, in Double-A with the Minnesota Twins, Hunter hit .231. In 1998, it was getting no better. His confidence was gone and his smile, which is his constant accessory these days, was looking for the exit, too. He spent hours in the cramped office of manager Al Newman, ..."

Hunter dedicates sterling grab to mom

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May 11

MLB.com

"I called my mom today to wish her a happy Mother's Day. I said, 'I'm going to try to hit a home run for you, Mom.' I didn't do that, but I took one away. I'm pretty sure she'll be happy with that. Making a catch like that is a feeling that's so good, so awesome, it's hard to describe. I thought I had a chance when Miguel Olivo got into that ball, but I had a lot of ground to cover, because I was shading him over toward right-center. He's got some serious power. There's a lot that goes into making a play like that. You have to get to the wall, but not too close, and you have to time it just right. After the game, I went and watched the replay in the video room with Justin Speier, and he ..."

Hunter having fun in his second year with Angels

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May 3

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Here's a hypothetical question: Would it be easier to sneak past Torii Hunter with a hanging curveball or without saying hello? The answer is neither. At the plate, the Los Angeles Angels outfielder has made a habit of punishing just about any pitch that comes within reach. And in the clubhouse, where Hunter's outsized personality stands out on a team about as colorful as a snowdrift, no one gets by without him asking, "Hey, how ya doing?" But this spring Hunter has taken both the clubhouse charm and the batter's box harm to new levels. And not surprisingly, they are related. A month into his second season with the Angels, Hunter says he is starting to feel more comfortable in his new ..."

Hunter still loves Twins and their fans

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April 20

Minneapolis Star Tribune

columnist Sid Hartman

"Torii Hunter, who played 11 years with the Twins and is in his second year with the Los Angeles Angels after signing a five-year, $90 million deal with them as a free agent in November 2007, said Sunday that he could envision ending his baseball career by playing at Target Field, the new Twins stadium set to open next season. "I think it's definitely possible. This is where I grew up," said Hunter, who went 3-for-10 in the three-game series sweep by the Twins. The center fielder said he still loves Twins fans. "I know I'm on an opposing team," Hunter said, "but I still love them and hopefully they still love me." Hunter said he is happy playing with the Angels, but he still loves the ..."

Torii Hunter sparks 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs

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April 1

Los Angeles Times

"Many of the Angels' regulars left Arizona on a high note today, bunching eight hits together during a seven-run fourth inning that highlighted an 8-4 exhibition victory over the Chicago Cubs at HoHoKam Park. Torii Hunter sparked the rally with a leadoff home run to left field, and he capped it with a run-scoring single to left. Chone Figgins hit a two-run single, Jeff Mathis hit a run-scoring double and Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero each had run-scoring singles in the rally. All of the runs came against left-hander Sean Marshall, who began the game with a Cactus League-low 1.93 earned-run average. The Angels, who close Cactus League play Wednesday against the Texas Rangers, improved to ..."

Hunter, Angels breathing easier

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March 27

L.A. Daily News

"Torii Hunter found a proactive solution to the high pollen count in Arizona as well as his spring slump, apparently. "It's crazy, man," said Hunter who has been bothered by a sinus infection. "You go to the doctor for a sinus infection then you get hit in the nose. I go get an X-ray and they say, `Well, one thing I can tell you is - your sinuses cleared up.' That was pretty funny." Hunter's second trip to the doctor was prompted by his run-in with the center-field wall during Wednesday's game against the Colorado Rockies. Hunter went face first into the wall in pursuit of a Jeff Baker drive. The ball got there first and caromed off the wall into Hunter's face, hitting him just to the right ..."

Bad news for John Lackey, Torii Hunter

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March 26

Los Angeles Times

"An Angels camp that has been buoyed by the uplifting story of Kelvim Escobar's remarkable recovery from shoulder surgery was hit by a double dose of bad news Wednesday. Ace John Lackey was shut down because of elbow tightness, an injury that could jeopardize his opening-day start against Oakland on April 6. And Torii Hunter was knocked out of Wednesday's 18-11 exhibition victory over Colorado in the first inning when Jeff Baker's long drive hit the wall and caromed into Hunter's nose. The center fielder, already slowed by a sinus infection, made a leaping attempt for the ball before crashing into the wall and crumpling onto the warning track. The ball fell for a two-run, inside-the-park ..."

Hunter, Ichiro among AL Gold Glovers

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November 6

MLB.com

"Torii Hunter and Ichiro Suzuki began collecting Gold Gloves in 2001 and they're still going strong. Some of the names and faces change, but Hunter and Suzuki remain constants among American League Gold Glovers. When the AL Rawlings Gold Glove squad was announced on Thursday, Hunter and Suzuki were recognized for the eighth consecutive year. Whether it's Suzuki racking up an outfield assist for Seattle with his laser-like right arm or Hunter leaping at the wall for a highlight reel catch to help the Angels, the pattern of defensive excellence among those AL West outfielders is well established. The remainder of the 2008 AL Gold Gloves squad includes pitcher Mike Mussina of the Yankees, ..."

Knee 'pretty good,' so Hunter expects to play Sunday

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October 5

Orange County Register

"It was ice on, ice off for Hunter during the Angels' five-hour cross-country flight Saturday. Hunter said the treatment left his hyperextended left knee feeling "pretty good." Hunter injured his knee when he jumped in frustration over a close call that went against him at first base in the third inning of Game 2. Scioscia refused to let him take part in batting practice during the team's light workout at Fenway Park, but Hunter said he would be ready to play Sunday. "I'm good. I'll be in there," he said."

Hunter hurt in batting practice as Angels lose to A's

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September 18

L.A. Daily News

"When the Angels clinched their division title a week ago, manager Mike Scioscia said he put a high priority on having a healthy team for the playoffs but he intended to play his regulars and would not "put bubble wrap on them" until the postseason began. Maybe a little protective coating wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. Instead of giving them more time to get healthy for the playoffs, the Angels' early clinching party seems only to have given them more time to add to their injury concerns. They went out and lost to the Oakland A's, 3-2, for the second time Wednesday night with Torii Hunter scratched from the lineup with a self-inflicted injury and Chone Figgins packing for a trip to ..."

Pudge, Hunter suspended 2 games for fight

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September 10

Newsday

"Yankees catcher Ivan Rodriguez and the Los Angeles Angels Torii Hunter were suspended two games each Wednesday for their roles in a bench-clearing scuffle. Rodriguez took an openhanded swing at Hunter after getting shoved in the back by the Angels star, and both players were ejected Monday night. Bob Watson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline, cited them for "violent and inappropriate actions." Both were fined, as was Angels pitcher John Lackey. Los Angeles went on to win 12-1. Hunter, hung up between third and home on Mike Napoli's sixth-inning grounder, came in standing up and bumped into Rodriguez, who tagged him out. Rodriguez appeared to nudge Hunter with his left elbow ..."

Angels' Hunter enjoys second 'rookie' season

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August 12

Orange County Register

"One of the most likable athletes in pro sports just wanted to be liked. "I think I tried to do too much the first three months," Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said of changing teams for the first time in his career this year. "Being the new guy, I wanted to be accepted by my new teammates, by the fans. "Amazing. I've got nine years of experience in the big leagues and I'm still trying to be accepted." Hunter came to the Angels with seven Gold Gloves and two All-Star appearances on that nine-year resume. He also came with a five-year, $90 million contract - the largest in franchise history. But living up to that contract isn't what worried him, Hunter said. "Not because of the contract - I ..."

Angels' Hunter quietly gives $50K for Placentia field

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August 7

Orange County Register

"Torii Hunter's arrival in Orange County has done more for Placentia's children than giving them a great center fielder to watch. Hunter quietly matched the Angels Baseball Foundation donation of $50,000 to build Placentia's first softball field at Kraemer Park. Hunter's $50,000 donation did not become public until just recently - prompting the City Council to name the field after him during its meeting Tuesday night. "He immediately contributed to the community, so we're more than happy to name the field after him," Mayor Scott Nelson said. The field is being built by Magical Builders, which finds contractors to work for such community projects for free. Without the pro-bono work, the ..."

Angels' Torii Hunter vows not to repeat baserunning blunder

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June 21

Los Angeles Times

"Torii Hunter was in full mea culpa mode Friday, taking responsibility for Wednesday night's gaffe, when he forgot there were only two outs, pulled up between second and third base and was tagged out in a rundown against the New York Mets. But there was an extenuating circumstance. "I passed the bag, stepped on [second baseman Damian ] Easley's foot and rolled my ankle," Hunter said. "That took me out of my game. It was the same ankle I broke before, and I kind of lost it. By then, I was in no-man's land. It was too late.""

Hunter gets good advice -- from son

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June 19

L.A. Daily News

"Torii Hunter was driving home from Angel Stadium on Monday night knowing that something wasn't right in his approach at the plate. He had gone 1 for 3 in a 9-6 loss to the New York Mets but couldn't quite put his finger on why things seemed out of sorts. His son, Torii Jr., solved the mystery. "Why don't you keep your head still?" Torii Jr. asked his father. "You've been jumping a lot. Why are you jumping at the ball?" Hunter thought about his son's questioning and concluded he was right. "I didn't believe he said that to me, but it made sense," Hunter said. "I thought about it when I got home and I thought, 'That's right. If you keep your head still, maybe you'll see the ball.'""

Angels' Torii Hunter understands what teammate Gary Matthews Jr. is going through

May 20

Los Angeles Times

"He is the reason Gary Matthews Jr. was forced to adjust to a completely different role this season, so it would be only natural for Torii Hunter to feel a little bit responsible for his friend's struggles. The Angels signed Matthews two winters ago, giving him five years and $50 million, telling him and everyone else they needed a premium defensive center fielder. He played fine defense and he hit .252 with 18 home runs, second on the team to Vladimir Guerrero. Then the Angels, in need of a big bat last winter and unwilling to bid $300 million just for the right to talk to Alex Rodriguez, signed Hunter for five years and $90 million. Hunter, a seven-time Gold Glove winner, moved ..."