By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Marilyn Indahl-Imagn Images | Marilyn Indahl-Imagn Images
Torii Hunter played 19 seasons in baseball with the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels, and Detroit Tigers. He’s one of the best defensive centerfielders of his generation.
Many people think that he has a chance to reach Cooperstown someday. There are major doubts because, as good as he was, it might not be enough to get in. Hunter was a very good player, but he wasn’t elite-level to be a Hall of Famer. It’s getting easier for players to get into the Hall, and it’s time for the committee to be a little more strict when it comes to evaluating which player should get in.
Aside from the Hall of Fame conversation, Hunter was in attendance for the Philadelphia Phillies and Twins Field of Dreams game. It’s the second Field of Dreams event and the first one since 2021. Hunter joined MLB Network to discuss his coaching journey. No one would have thought that Hunter would have been managing young high school baseball players.
Hunter has come a long way in terms of leadership and discipline. The man is about business. Hunter’s mission is to help the next generation become not just great ballplayers but overall good human beings. He knew that he had leadership in him, and a trainer made him open his eyes even wider.
“I remember when I was 31, and I signed with the Angels, and I’m there in Spring Training, and Rick Smith is a guy, a trainer there, and he said, man, you got a gift. You make people feel like you’ve known them for 30 years in 30 minutes,” Hunter said.
Hunter got to play with Byron Buxton and Mike Trout when they started their careers and when Hunter was on his way out the door. He has helped both men by constantly answering their questions.
“Most of the guys who are elite athletes, they ask questions,” Hunter said.
Hunter finishes his career with 2,452 hits, 353 home runs and a .793 OPS. He was also a 5x All-Star and won the Gold Glove nine times.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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