Stick a fork in Hunter, he is done.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I think depending on how this season unfolded (like, if he hadn't fallen off the last month or two), there was a real chance he could have been asked to start again in 2016.

[drjim]

 

I think depending on how this season unfolded (like, if he hadn't fallen off the last month or two), there was a real chance he could have been asked to start again in 2016.

 

Sure, if he was good they might have brought him back. And it might have been smart.

[drjim]

As bad as he has been recently, he helped prop up the team in May and provided almost enough bridge to get the three young OFs together. That, combined with limited other one year deals available for OFs, makes this deal perfectly acceptable in my mind - so long as they don't bring him back (and they won't). Paying too much on a one year deal when they are still under budget doesn't bother me a whole lot.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Sure, if he was good they might have brought him back. And it might have been smart.

It's rarely smart to bring back a guy who declines but doesn't quite fall of a cliff.  It usually means he will fall off that cliff.

 

Hence, why Torii falling off that cliff recently might have this silver lining.

[ScrapTheNickname]

I hate this thread.

 

The Twins got one stellar half out of Hunter, and one half that was horseshi*.

 

Everyone can acknowledge this.

 

He won't be back.

 

This can be acknowledged now.

 

Players fade away at the end. They all do. Goodbye, Torii. Thanks for the great first half with the bat, and the leadership (do doubt about it) all season long!

[drjim]

I do hope that he accepts reality and retires at the end of the season instead of holding out for a job and getting no offers.

[Loosey]

I'd be fine if the brought him back as an "Outfield Consultant".  Basically do the same thing he does now except never play in a game. 

[DaveW]

He will end up on the yankees

[Platoon]

Good analogy, not sure I agree on the odds though.

TR might still think he passes the "eye test"! It was really obvious last night how he was jumping the fast ball, and hoping to catch up to one. I was really surprised they threw him as many as they did.

[jimmer]

 

TR might still think he passes the "eye test"! It was really obvious last night how he was jumping the fast ball, and hoping to catch up to one. I was really surprised they threw him as many as they did.

not sure how he passed TRs eye test last year so it's possible he will this year

[ashbury]

TR needed to sell tickets in Dec 2014 and the rest (eye-test, etc) is just public relations.

 

TR already has multiple ways to tell tickets for 2016. He won't sign Hunter.

[DaveW]

I don't know a single soul who bought a twins ticket saying "oh boy! I gotta go see hunter play today!"

 

I'm pretty sure his signing didn't result in ten million dollars worth of tickets being sold.

[ashbury]

You live out East, right? Who do you know who buys Twins tickets in any quantity?

 

I doubt Torii sold $10M of tickets to the locals all by himself, but the bar wouldn't be that high.

 

Terry Ryan signed Torii in order to sell more tickets, because his was a marketable name.

[USAFChief]

I don't know a single soul who bought a twins ticket saying "oh boy! I gotta go see hunter play today!"

I'm pretty sure his signing didn't result in ten million dollars worth of tickets being sold.

There is often a louder cheer at TF for Hunter than Mauer.

[twinsnorth49]

There is often a louder cheer at TF for Hunter than Mauer.

True, been there, heard it. Hunter remains a very popular player with a large proportion of ticket buyers.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I do know some people whose interest in the Twins, waning since 2011, was renewed a bit last winter with the Hunter re-signing.

 

Of course, of those people, I am not sure how many actually followed through with ticket or merchandise purchases. (Kind of a limitation of many non-blockbuster offseason moves, it's too removed from the season to generate much action from casual fans.)

 

And of course, far more people I know have seen a far larger and perhaps more actionable interest spike since the recall of Miguel Sano. I question the need to superficially pique fan interest when a talent like that is just a couple months away.

[DaveW]

You live out East, right? Who do you know who buys Twins tickets in any quantity?

 

I doubt Torii sold $10M of tickets to the locals all by himself, but the bar wouldn't be that high.

 

Terry Ryan signed Torii in order to sell more tickets, because his was a marketable name.

I know plenty of people who live near or around Minnesota, I did grow up in the Midwest after all. Ticket sales didn't increase one iota until the twins actually started winning a bunch of games. Signing Hunter doesn't move tickets, winning games does. It's really not a difficult formula.

 

Calling up Sano and Buxton moves tickets. Hunter? Nah, it's just a nice story for the writers covering the team and gives people a nostalgic feeling when they watch the twins play.

[DaveW]

Attendance of Twins home games:

Game 2 2015: 21,000 2014: 23,000

Game 3 2015: 17,000 2014: 21,000

Game 4 2015: 21,000 2014: 21,000

Game 5 2015:  24,000 2014: 24,000

Game 6 2015: 18,000  2014: 24,000

Game 7: 2015: 18,000  2014: 21,000

Game 8: 2015:  18,000 2014: 22,000

Game 9  2015: 19,000  2014: 21,000

 

 

It continues like that until the Twins were in first place and were winning a lot of games. The reality is, Hunter didn't increase ticket sales at all. If that was the "goal" of bringing him in, it failed, especially in the early season, if they brought him in to be an everyday OF, it failed, because he has fallen off a cliff and been replacement level or worse overall (Worst player in baseball since July 1st)

Again it sucks to see it end like this, but the signing never should have been done in the first place, there were tons of better options that would have better served the Twins, options that would probably have them up a game or two on Texas at this point instead of down a game.

 

[DaveW]

 

 

There is often a louder cheer at TF for Hunter than Mauer.

Everybody gets a louder cheer than Mauer at TF. Because most of the fans are rubes who read the daily fishwraps where all they do is rip Mauer and his contract.

[woolywoolhouse]

I was at the game last night (9/2 - Twins beat White Sox 3-0). It saw Hunter's first hit at Target Field since July. And he wasn't on the DL over that time-frame, and he played at least 2/3 of the games; he just hadn't had a hit in his home park in over a month. (He delivered a week grounder through W.Sox's weak left side of the infield for a single.)

But in the eighth inning, he played catch with a little kid in right field. The kid was in the stands, and him and Hunter through the ball back and forth a couple of times. Got the biggest non-Sano-homer applause of the night in that little corner of TF. 

 

Of course, that does not win your team games, especially in a pennant race. I can only assume when Hicks returns (he went 4-4 in a rehab game the same night with a homer) we might see the outfield of the future (Rosario, Buxton, Hicks) against righties, and swap Hunter and Rosario against lefties (Rosario had a couple ugly Ks last night against the Sox's southpaw.)

[DaveW]

I wouldn't swap Hunter and Rosario against LHP regularly. Rosario had two nice hits against one of the best LHP in the game the night before. His .683 OPS against LHP isn't great, but it's likely better than what Hunter will produce down the stretch, and that isn't even getting into how Rosario is vastly superior in the field, arm, etc.

[ashbury]

Ticket sales didn't increase one iota until the twins actually started winning a bunch of games.

Source?

 

We're talking about last December, and establishing the baseline of game attendance, not walk-up sales in May.

[DaveW]

Source?

 

We're talking about last December, and establishing the baseline of game attendance, not walk-up sales in May.

I posted the first ten games of the last two seasons. One would think if hunter was moving tickets, people would be showing up more early in the season, when in fact they were showing up less.

 

Some people refuse to admidt it was anything less than a good signing. "Ticket sales" "leadership" etc

[ashbury]

You're ignoring what I said, about establishing the baseline of ticket sales in the off season. Torii wasn't signed to sell tickets in April.

[USAFChief]

Everybody gets a louder cheer than Mauer at TF. Because most of the fans are rubes who read the daily fishwraps where all they do is rip Mauer and his contract.

So then we agree. There are probably people who watch TV, or buy tickets, because of Hunter.

[AlwaysinModeration]

I think fans like players who are joking around, having fun, seeming to enjoy the game. Hunter flashes that million dollar smile and fans like him.

 

Sano seems to be affable in the same way. Moreso than Rosario or Buxton. Definitely more than Mauer.

 

I think that factors in to the cheers a lot...and maybe more than the actual numbers that they put up.

[spinowner]

What was not true when Dave started this thread is true now. He is done. And he has succeeded in the role he was signed to fill. To sell tickets? No. To contribute as a player? No. To contribute to the development of Aaron Hicks to the point where he is a major league player? Yes. Does he have anything to contribute to the Twins next year? IMHO not as a member of the 40-man roster.

[DaveW]

Per Aaron Gleeman:

 

Least valuable American League outfielders according to @baseball_ref WAR:

-1.5 - Torii Hunter

[jimmer]

 

Per Aaron Gleeman:

Least valuable American League outfielders according to @baseball_ref WAR:
-1.5 - Torii Hunter
-1.2 - Hanley Ramirez
-1.2 - Dustin Ackley


for all the talk of him helping the team
In May, he has probably lost as many if not more games in every other month for the Twins. They would have been better served signing anyone else or no one at all.

yeah, but can't forget.  Without Hunter, Hicks doesn't evolve into a quality player :-)

[DaveW]

yeah, but can't forget. Without Hunter, Hicks doesn't evolve into a quality player :-)

I know YOU are joking but others aren't and it really doesn't make any sense. Hicks issue was never his defense, he is taking good at bats, something hunter has nothing to do with. If anything he is taking a cue from mauer who has patience instead of hunter who pops out on the first pitch 40% of the time