Torii Hunter 234991 225964698 2008-07-16T06:15:32Z 76.91.53.173 /* Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim */ {{Infobox MLB player| name=Torii Hunter| image=Torii Hunter.jpg| <gallery> Image:th_ph_116338-1.jpg|Torii on the Angels </gallery> caption=Hunter while playing for the [[Minnesota Twins]]| width=300| position=Center fielder| team=Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim| number=48| bats=Right| throws=Right| birthdate={{birth date and age|1975|7|18}}| debutdate=August 22| debutyear=1997| debutteam=Minnesota Twins| statyear=June 9, 2008| stat1label=[[Batting average]]| stat1value=.271| stat2label=[[Home run]]s| stat2value=201| stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]| stat3value=742| teams=<nowiki></nowiki> *[[Minnesota Twins]] ({{by|1997}}-{{by|2007}}) *[[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim|L.A. Angels of Anaheim]] ({{by|2008}}-present) |awards= <nowiki></nowiki> * 2x [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] selection (2002, 2007) * 7x [[Gold Glove Award]] winner (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) }} '''Torii Kedar Hunter''' ({{pronEng|ˈtɔɹi}}, born [[July 18]], [[1975]] in [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas]]) is a [[Major League Baseball]] [[outfielder]] for the [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim]]. Hunter has shown his athletic ability, having taken away many home runs throughout his 11 year baseball career for the [[Minnesota Twins]]. [[ESPN]] commentators have called Hunter a "daily [[web gem]]," referring to ESPN's nightly highlight reel. He has won seven consecutive [[Gold Glove Awards]] for his defensive prowess. He currently resides during the off-season in the [[Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex]] suburb of [[Prosper, Texas]]. He is a cousin of former MLB outfielder [[Choo Freeman]].<ref>[http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=292&p=2&c=619211 Scout.com: Choo Freeman Signed to Minor Contract<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Despite the same spelling, Hunter was not named after [[torii]], the gates to a Japanese [[Shinto]] shrine. Hunter himself says jokingly, "I think, when my mom filled out the paperwork after I was born, she accidentally put two 'I's."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://mst3kdave.com/articles/Torii.20.questions.txt.html | title=David Brown's 20 Questions With Torii Hunter | first=David | last=Brown | date=[[May 14]], [[2006]] | accessdate=2008-02-18}}</ref> ==Professional career== ===Minnesota Twins=== Torii Hunter was selected as the Twins' first-round pick in {{by|1993}} out of high school, and made his first appearance with the Twins as a [[pinch runner]] in [[Baltimore]] on [[August 22]], {{by|1997}}. It was not until {{by|1999}} that Hunter began starting regularly, playing in 135 games for the Twins. He finished with only one [[Error (baseball)|error]] in 292 chances in the outfield. Hunter exploded onto the scene in the beginning of April in {{by|2000}}, but his batting average dropped to .207 by the end of May. Hunter was subsequently sent down to [[AAA (minor league baseball)|Triple-A]] to work on his mechanics at the plate; however with Hunter's new approach at the plate, he caught fire in the month of June, capping it with a two-[[home run]], seven-[[Run batted in|RBI]] game and being named the Twins' Minor League Player of the Week and Player of the Month. After a 16-game [[hitting streak]], four consecutive games with home runs and three [[Grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]]s, Hunter was recalled by the Twins on [[July 28]]. Hunter was named both Best Defensive Outfielder and Most Exciting Player in [[Pacific Coast League]] by Baseball America for 2000. In {{by|2001}}, Hunter led the Twins in [[at bat]]s, home runs and outfield [[Assist (baseball)|assists]] (with 14 - tied for second best in the league), and was second in RBI and [[total bases]], leading the Twins to their first winning season since {{by|1992}}. Hunter led all major league center fielders in [[range factor]] (3.29), and was named Best Defensive Outfielder in the [[American League]] by Baseball America. He also won his first [[Gold Glove Award|Rawlings Gold Glove Award]] in 2001. In {{by|2002}}, Hunter began to post near [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]] numbers, and was a serious contender for the award a good portion of the year. In the month of April, he went 39-105 (a .371 clip) with nine home runs and 20 RBI, winning American League [[Player of the Month]] honors. Hunter was selected by the fans to his first [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]], in [[Milwaukee]], becoming the first Twin since [[Kirby Puckett]] in {{by|1995}} to start an All-Star game in center field. One of the biggest moments came in the first inning, when, with two outs, [[Barry Bonds]] sent what appeared to be a towering home run to right-center field. Hunter, who had built a reputation for his outfield thievery in the American League, showed off his talents - jumped and caught the ball in a stunning spectacle. He was playfully lifted by Bonds en route to the dugout: a show of respect for Hunter's defensive play. After the game, when asked about the play, [[Chicago Cubs]] [[right fielder]] [[Sammy Sosa]] dubbed him "[[Spider-Man]]". Although there were no awards given at the All-Star game, because the game ended in a tie, the memorable catch was later awarded as the Best Defensive Play of the Year by the fans. On [[July 18]], after being [[Hit by pitch|hit by a pitch]], Hunter threw back the baseball directly at [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]] [[pitcher]] [[Danys Baez]] and was suspended by the league for three games. However, Hunter, along with an improved team and solid [[bullpen]] pitching, led a resurgence in the latter half of the season which powered the Twins to win the [[American League Central Division]]. The team would advance to the [[American League Championship Series|ALCS]], where they would lose to the [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim|Anaheim Angels]] 4 games to 1. The Angels went on to win their first [[World Series]] Championship. Despite losing in the ALCS, it was still a very good year for the ballclub, and by far the best year for Hunter. He led the club in home runs, RBI, and [[stolen base]]s, and was tied for the lead in games and [[Double (baseball)|doubles]]. Hunter won the team's [[Calvin Griffith|Calvin R. Griffith]] Award as Most Valuable Twin for 2002. He ended the season a respectable sixth in the MVP voting, and also earned his second Gold Glove in center field. Hunter was additionally voted baseball's Best Defensive Player Award for 2002 by the fans. Hunter struggled offensively in {{by|2003}}. Although he played in a career high 154 games, he often struggled at the plate, achieving an OPS ([[on-base plus slugging]]) of .763 and a [[batting average]] of just .250, .039 lower than in 2002. He stole just six bases, while being thrown out 7 times, easily the worst ratio of his career. His defense was still strong enough to win his third straight Gold Glove for his play in center field. Hunter missed much of the {{by|2005}} season after breaking his ankle and tearing ligaments when he attempted to scale the right field wall in [[Fenway Park]] on [[July 29]]. Despite playing essentially only half a season, Hunter was awarded his fifth consecutive Gold Glove. On [[Mother's Day (United States)|Mother's Day]], [[May 14]], [[2006]], Hunter was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a [[pink bat]] to benefit the [http://www.komen.org Breast Cancer Foundation]. On the last day of the regular season, Hunter hit his career-high 31st home run, helping the Twins to their fourth division title in five years. On [[October 10]], The Twins notified Hunter that they had picked up his $12 million option for the 2007 season, keeping him from becoming a [[free agent]]. ===Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim=== After turning down a three-year, $45 million deal in August of 2007 from the Twins, Hunter went on to sign the largest contract offered to him. <ref>http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3087513</ref> On [[November 21]], he signed a five-year contract with the [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim]] worth $90 million. He replaced [[Gary Matthews Jr.]] as the everyday center fielder.<ref name="angels">{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/angels/2007-11-22-hunter_N.htm|title=Angels land Torii Hunter with five-year, $90M deal||publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=[[2007-11-22]]|accessdate=2007-11-22}}</ref> ==Controversy== During the end of the 2006 season, the [[Kansas City Royals]] swept the [[Detroit Tigers]] to push the Twins to the AL Central title. Afterwards, Hunter promised [[Champagne (wine)|champagne]] to the Royals as a sign of gratitude. He purchased four $500 bottles of [[Dom Pérignon (wine)|Dom Perignon]] and sent them to the Royals' locker room before the start of a game between the clubs. Giving a gift to a member of a team in exchange for beating another team violates MLB rules - specifically, MLB Rule 21-b. Neither Hunter nor Twins general manager [[Terry Ryan]] were aware of the rule before the exchange. The Royals organization returned the champagne.<ref name="MLB rule">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2847416|title=Hunter's Bubbly Gift to Royals Broke MLB Rule||publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=[[2007-04-24]]|accessdate=2007-04-25}}</ref> On [[June 6]], in reaction to comments by [[Detroit Tigers]] outfielder [[Gary Sheffield]] concerning the future of [[African-Americans]] in baseball, Hunter suggested on a Fox Sports Radio show that the proliferation of [[Latino]] players in Major League Baseball restricted opportunities for black players, stating that "Ten years from now, you'll see no blacks at all" in the Major Leagues.<ref name="blacks">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2897303|title=Twins' Hunter: '10 years from now you'll see no blacks, at all'||publisher=''[[ESPN.com]]''|date=[[2007-06-08]]|accessdate=2007-11-20}}</ref> ====Highlights==== Hunter began the {{by|2007}} season with one of the fastest starts to a season in his career, featuring a 23-game hitting streak starting in mid-April and ending on [[May 10]]. However, Hunter insists that he does not care about individual stats or streaks, he only cares about winning games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_5850976?nclick_check=1|title=Hitting streak? Hunter doesn't want to hear it||publisher=[[Pioneer Press]]|date=[[2007-05-09]]|accessdate=2007-05-09}}</ref> Hunter hit three grand slams in 2007: [[April 17]] in [[Seattle Mariners|Seattle]], [[May 18]] in [[Milwaukee Brewers|Milwaukee]], and [[August 15]] again in Seattle. Hunter was selected as an [[All-Star]] for the 2007 All-Star game in [[San Francisco, California]], making it in on the players ballot. Hunter declined to sign a three-year $45 million deal with Minnesota in August. On [[October 27]], Hunter won the Players Choice Award for [[Marvin Miller]] Man of the Year.<ref>[http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/awards/pa MLB - awards - Yahoo! Sports<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On [[October 29]], Torii filed for free agency. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3086066|title=Twins have 15-day window to negotiate with free agent Hunter||publisher=[[ESPN.com]]|date=[[2007-10-29]]|accessdate=2007-10-29}}</ref> On [[November 6]], it was announced that Hunter had been awarded his seventh consecutive Gold Glove Award. Hunter then received the award in the opening series against the Minnesota Twins, his former team. == Career statistics == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" ! Season !! Team !![[Games played|G]] !! [[At bat|AB]] !! [[Run (baseball)|R]] !! [[Hit (baseball)|H]] !! [[Double (baseball)|2B]] !! [[Triple (baseball)|3B]] !! [[Home run|HR]] !! [[RBI]] !! [[Walk (baseball)|BB]] !! [[Strikeout|SO]] !! [[Stolen base|SB]] !! [[Stolen base|CS]] !! [[Batting average|AVG]] !! [[On base percentage|OBP]] !! [[Slugging average|SLG]] !! [[On base plus slugging|OPS]] |- ![[1997 Minnesota Twins season|1997]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |1 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||.000 ||.000 ||.000 ||.000 |- ![[1998 Minnesota Twins season|1998]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |6 ||17 ||0 ||4 ||1 ||0 ||0 ||2 ||2 ||6 ||0 ||1 ||.235 ||.316 ||.294 ||.610 |- ![[1999 Minnesota Twins season|1999]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |135 ||384 ||52 ||98 ||17 ||2 ||9 ||35 ||26 ||72 ||10 ||6 ||.255 ||.309 ||.380 ||.689 |- ![[2000 Minnesota Twins season|2000]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |99 ||336 ||44 ||94 ||14 ||7 ||5 ||44 ||18 ||68 ||4 ||3 ||.280 ||.318 ||.408 ||.726 |- ![[2001 Minnesota Twins season|2001]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |148 ||564 ||82 ||147 ||32 ||5 ||27 ||92 ||29 ||125 ||9 ||6 ||.261 ||.306 ||.479 ||.785 |- ![[2002 Minnesota Twins season|2002]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |148 ||561 ||89 ||162 ||37 ||4 ||29 ||94 ||35 ||118 ||23 ||8 ||.289 ||.334 ||.524 ||.858 |- ![[2003 Minnesota Twins season|2003]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |154 ||581 ||83 ||145 ||31 ||4 ||26 ||102 ||50 ||106 ||6 ||7 ||.250 ||.312 ||.451 ||.763 |- ![[2004 Minnesota Twins season|2004]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |138 ||520 ||79 ||141 ||37 ||0 ||23 ||81 ||40 ||101 ||21 ||7 ||.271 ||.330 ||.475 ||.805 |- ![[2005 Minnesota Twins season|2005]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |98 ||372 ||63 ||100 ||24 ||1 ||14 ||56 ||34 ||65 ||23 ||7 ||.269 ||.337 ||.452 ||.789 |- ![[2006 Minnesota Twins season|2006]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |147 ||557 ||86 ||155 ||21 ||2 ||31 ||98 ||45 ||108 ||12 ||6 ||.278 ||.336 ||.490 ||.826 |- ![[2007 Minnesota Twins season|2007]] ||[[Minnesota Twins|MIN]] |160 ||600 ||94 ||172 ||45 ||1 ||28 ||107 ||40 ||101 ||18 ||9 ||.287 ||.334 ||.505 ||.839 |- !colspan="2" |Total* || 1234 || 4492 || 672 || 1218 || 259 || 26 || 192 || 711 || 319 || 870 || 126 || 60 || .271 || .324 || .469 || .793 |} : *Statistics through end of 2007 season. ==References== {{reflist|1}} ==External links== {{Baseballstats | mlb=116338 | espn=3723 | br=h/hunteto01 | fangraphs=731 | cube=H/Torii-Hunter}} *[http://www.toriihunter48.com The official website of the Torii Hunter Project] {{start box}} {{succession box | before = [[Eric Chavez]] | title = [[Player of the Month|American League Player of the Month]]| years = April 2002 | after = [[Jason Giambi]]}} {{succession box|before = [[Albert Pujols]]|title = [[Players Choice Award| Players Choice Marvin Miller Man of the Year]]|years = 2007|after = Incumbent}} {{end box}} {{Minnesota Twins}} {{Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim roster navbox}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Torii}} [[Category:1975 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Major league center fielders]] [[Category:Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim players]] [[Category:Minnesota Twins players]] [[Category:American League All-Stars]] [[Category:Major league players from Arkansas]] [[Category:African American baseball players]] [[Category:Gold Glove Award winners]] [[Category:People from Pine Bluff, Arkansas]] [[Category:People from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex area]] [[de:Torii Hunter]] [[fr:Torii Hunter]] [[ja:トリー・ハンター]] [[zh:托利·杭特]]