On April 10th, Torii Hunter went 0-2 against the New York Yankees. On May 10th, White Sox pitchers left him hitless in four at-bats. In between, Hunter engaged in one of the most captivating things in sports: a hitting streak.
Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak stands as arguably the most daunting feat in baseball history. It is one of three records I believe will never be broken. To break it, a player must be at the top of his game for two months. A prolonged hitting streak takes an incredible amount of skill and luck. With all the little things that beat up ball players over the course of a season, it’s nearly impossible to be 100% everyday. And how often does a guy drill the ball all over the park only to go 0-4? Then sometimes a streak is continued with a slow roller that sneaks by the second baseman.
Hunter’s streak went 23 games, which is about the point when the national media will take notice. 23 games doesn’t seem like much considering he was still almost a week away from the Yankee Clipper’s halfway point, but it was an amazing accomplishment. Torri is a decent batsman, but not the kind of hitter who can keep a prolonged streak going. He has good speed, and when he’s hot, few Twins in recent memory can match him. But, unlike most players who reach the 20’s, he swings for the fences and strikes out too often.
Hunter’s streak is tied for fourth longest in Twins history. During the streak, he batted .373 with 15 extra-base hits and had 11 multi-hit games. He hit five home runs, 19 RBIs with a .660 slugging percentage. Remarkably, Hunter kept hitting despite more than the usual aches and pains. He missed two games after straining his shoulder during the sixth game of the streak. He was also hit in the face by a pitch then went 5-13 in the next three games.
Hunter is having the best offensive season of his career. He’s hitting .324 with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs. Without his production, the Twins would be even further back in the standings.
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