Goodbye Torii

This just in, Twins Beatwriters have some inside info. It turns out that Torii Hunter might be leaving Minnesota. Thankfully, there is no way that we will loose Johan Santana. However, the loss of Hunter is significant. In honor, here are my top three Hunter moments.

3. 2002 All Star Game Take Web Gem: What's better than robbing a home-run in the All Star Game? Robbing it from Barry Bonds. In case you forgot, this was the year that Barry was trying to actually get fans and sports writers to like him. Barry's reaction was very unBarry; after Hunter's catch, Bonds joked with Hunter and picked him up like a rag doll. Had Bonds not been trying to get people to like him, he would have gone straight to the dug-out, started crying, and then proceed to punch Jeff Kent in the face.

2. Summer 2002, Vs. The Indians: In the summer of 2002, the Twins and Indians had a nice little rivalry going. Late in a game, the Indian's pitcher threw one at Hunter and hit him intentionally. I was wondering if Hunter would charge the mound or gracefully walk to first. Gladly, Hunter did neither, he got up, grabbed the ball, and hurled it right back at the pitcher. Hunter had a hot head, and I like that in a player.

1. June 28th, 2006, day game against the Dodgers: This was a special day for me. Two days after Hannah was born, my Grandpa, Dave, myself, and my cousin went to a Thursday game against the Dodgers. It was the bottom of the first inning and the bases are juiced for Torii Hunter. My Grandpa is the biggest baseball fan I have ever met. Somehow he had never been to a Twins game at the Dome; He looked like a kid in a candy store the whole day. As Hunter came to the plate I leaned over to my Grandpa and said: "If Hunter hits it out of the park, this place it going to go crazy." Two pitches later, Hunter slammed one over the fence and my Grandpa was on his feet yelling. It was an awesome moment.