Article: Torii Hunter Might Not Retire After 2015

[gunnarthor]

 

"Presnt day" and "same situation" are two terms that the Twins should never use. To me the connotations are they are either viewing this team as a team that can win, or that next year nothing has changed. One is an illusion, the other is mind boggling. I understand that normally a one year deal is not a blocker, but in this situation someone should be getting time in the OF after the trading deadline. I don't see Hunter as someone who will be easy to sit down! The bottom line is a team of the future is being run like a team of the present. Nothing good can come from that.

I honestly can't see how anyone can say that.  First of all, we do have a GM who has done this before.  It's not like Ryan doesn't know how to rebuild a team with prospects.  Cripes, he's already on record saying he thinks both Sano and Buxton will debut this season.  I'm always amazed at how upset people get on here about events that haven't happened.  Hunter is not blocking anyone right now and if it ends up that he is, the Twins will do something about it.

[jay]

in this situation someone should be getting time in the OF after the trading deadline. I don't see Hunter as someone who will be easy to sit down! The bottom line is a team of the future is being run like a team of the present.

It seems a bit extreme to conclude that this team is being run in the present at the sacrifice of the future because there's some sort of possibility that Torii Hunter will play some outfield in the last few months of his one-year deal.

[KGB]

 

The bottom line is a team of the future is being run like a team of the present. Nothing good can come from that.

 

I agree, but that is really a front office issue and not a Hunter problem. A player should want to play everyday and play as long as he can. As long as Hunter is productive and teams want to pay him, it's good he want to play. Players not wanting to go into the lineup everyday has been more of a problem in the Twins organization, so I think his attitude is good for the team.

[Brock Beauchamp]

It's March of 2015. Torri Hunter is not blocking anyone. Let's hold off complaining about mismanagement until he starts, you know, actually blocking a prospect.

[Mike Sixel]

This isn't football or hockey with injury concerns. If he has the passion, and is playing well, he should keep playing. That said, he should be willing to consider being a DH......

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

There would be no PR hit if the Twins traded Hunter and called up, say, Buxton.

If anything, fan interest would go up, not down... With all but the dumbest of casual fans, anyway.

Calling up a consensus top prospect might overshadow any Torii transaction, certainly.  But I wouldn't say "no PR hit".  Their PR in that scenario would be best if Buxton was recalled and Hunter stayed (think of the mentorship!).

 

And at this point, Buxton's timeline is so up in the air, I doubt it was a consideration when signing Torii.  I stand by my statement that Torii was not signed to be traded.  I doubt the team has any hopes/plans to do so, regardless of their hopes/plans for Buxton.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Agreed. It seems to be against the Twins' MO to sign a player with plans to trade him. There are good and bad side effects to that strategy.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Also, I know TR got his "Trader Terry" rep back in the 1990's, but even then, he didn't sign many guys and trade them a few months later.  I think Hollins and Morgan were the only notables to be flipped like that.  A few more guys spent multiple seasons as Twins before getting dealt: Carrasco, Swindell, Kelly, Myers.  And he signed a bunch of other veterans that he never traded: Steinbach, Molitor, Tewksbury, Nixon...

 

And given his guaranteed starting role and history here, the Hunter signing is almost certainly in the Steinbach/Molitor mold rather than the Hollins/Morgan one.  (Which is why some are speculating Torii might be in Minnesota for multiple years now, as Steinbach and Molitor each finished their careers with 3 years here, Molitor until age 42).

[Kwak]

The title of the thread: Torii might not retire after 2015 leads the discussion.  "Blocking" someone in 2015 isn't the issue here (another thread? maybe?) it's about 2016.  Whatever "mentorship" value Hunter brings will have been imparted in 2015. The issue is 2016. This season is [supposed to be] a "bridge year", where the 90+ loss seasons end and are replaced by 80+ losses (89 isn't much of an improvement!). Hunter isn't  here to reach the playoffs, his signing is to mollify fans and improve attitudes. Therefore, after 2015--irrespective of Hunter's hitting statistics--it is time to sing Happy Trails to You to Torii.  2016 is the time to play "the future's team", preparing them to become a consistent winner.  There is a reason why people don't schedule reunions every year!  

[Platoon]

Some seem to think I got off track on the thread, and possibly I did. So to stick soley to the whether I think he should be playing question. Yes of course, and I too would have taken the money and run. I just wish he had done it somewhere else. Do I think Torii should be playing after the trading deadline? Of course, but hopefully it's somewhere else! Do I think Torii can play in '16? Absolutely! But I hope it's somew here else!