By TwinsWin83
This is a sad week for several reasons. The Twins have just five games remaining and for the second time in six seasons I will be forced to struggle through watching a Twin-less postseason. Even more disheartning is the fact that I have less than a week left to see Torii Hunter dawn a jersey with MINNESOTA stitched across the chest. Should Hunter and the Twins part ways it will be the end of an era but if the front office had any idea what was good for the future of the franchise they would step up and make Torii a Twin-for-life, just like they did for another player who roamed 
center field at the MetroDome more than a decade ago.
I've been a Twins fan long enough to know this isn’t going to be how things unfold, however. The hour glass is quickly draining for the player who was the heart and soul of the Twins teams that brought baseball back to the forefront of Minnesotans minds. The teams that Torii Hunter led following the 2000 season saved baseball in our state and it's hard to fathom how such an organization (an organization that might not even exist if it weren't for those ballclub’s that defied its payroll and became a perennial winner) would not be willing to make any sacrifices to keep Torii here.
I find it hardest to picture Torii Hunter in another teams jersey next season, and then I stop and think about who might be standing in center field of the new ballpark on opening day 2010. To picture anyone out there but Hunter seems blasphemous. The new stadium isn’t exactly The House That Torii Built, but its damn close.
It all goes back to a Twins game I was watching a few months ago where I saw an 8, maybe 9 year old kid pleading with a hand-made sign that read, “Mr. Pohlad, Torii is my Kirby.” It seems so simple yet rings so true. If the Twins let Hunter go this offseason he will never get the chance to make that leap from local sports hero to Minnesota sports legend. Kirby got that chance on the big stage, in the 91’ World Series, and he single-handedly took control of Game 6 with a leap and a blast, instantly transforming himself from hero to legend. It’s hard to imagine Torii never getting that chance in a Twins jersey.
But then again, one can always hope.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Death of an Era
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11 comments:
Pills:
Call me crazy but I think the Twins will resign Torii. I think they will do it because they know they have a better chance of keeping him then Santana and losing both would a pr nightmare for the Twins and would put new GM B.SMITH in a hole he could never get out of no matter if the Twins won the WS the following year. I am guessing they will give him something like 4 years 60 to 64 million.
Best case scenario (that's realistic) Hold on to Torii, and trade Santana for a buttload of hitting prospects. This teams offense was terrible enough, then losing Hunter's 100 rbi and 30 homeruns would be completely devistating - regardless of how good your rotation/bullpen is.
And with or without Santana, this rotation is going to be very good next season. Let's hope Silva keeps his word and signs for a discount. We could really use him especially if we trade Santana.
I like that idea BizMarkie. I think it is reasonable, certanly with the deep rotation we have (albeit young). We need hitting, and we need to keep Torii. Period. Johan will be too expensive to resign no matter what, so we either trade him now and get some players for him or lose him outright after next year and get nothing in return. Bring Torii back.
Pills:
Now were talking. Trade Santana for a third basemen and some prospects and go with the young pitchers. Take the money saved off of Santana and lock up Morneau and Cuddyer, after somewhat subpar seasons, for the long-term at cheaper price. And if there happens to be 10-15 million left after signing Torii and these guys for the long-term, we use it for our new DH/LF the Mule!!!!!!!!!!
thanks for making me sad, twinswin83.
The Kirby/Hunter comparison never really sat well with me. Hunter is a good baseball player but not close to a first ballot HOFer.
I made that picture because Kirby and Torii are comparable in the sense that they were/are both the energetic face of the twins. And when the Twins sucked (93-00) they were about all we had.
Kirby: ROY, 9 time all star, charismatic
Hunter: 2 time all star, charismatic
i dont think puck was ROY
Thats a sweet picture.
I think soup was referencing that kids sign mentioned in the above post.
Hunter doesn't compare with Puckett on the field, but in terms of charisma and popularity, he is the only one that comes close. Thats what the kid meant.
"Puckett was Baseball America's Appalachian League Player of the Year in 1982, California League Rookie of the Year in 1983, and Minnesota's Rookie of the Year in 1984, becoming the ninth player in major league history to debut with four hits in a nine-inning game and leading AL outfielders with 16 assists."
Ooops... somehow I thought he was mlb's as well.
Who is to say that if Torii found himself on the big stage of the World Series like Puckett did that he couldnt carry the team on his back in a big game like Kirby did.
I think that Torii is that kind of leader, where he could do that and where he could make the big catch and the get the big hit. He has been that kind of leader for the Twins, and lets not forget Torii has been on more winning Twins teams the Kirby was, he has just never got that chance on the biggest stage in baseball.
Not to take anything away from Kirby but Game 6 transformed him into a first ballet HOFamer. Before then he was a great player but that moment rocketed him into another world of stardom. Who is to say, if given the chance, Torii couldnt do the same?
I've never been as big a Torii backer as most Twins fans, but I realize his importance to the team. My hopes now rest on Torii staying in the AL so I can cheer him louder than any opponent has ever deserved to be cheered before.
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