The always animated and always entertaining, Torii Hunter announced his retirement on Monday, ending his 19 year career where it began, as a Minnesota Twin.
Hunter began his career with the Twins back in 1993 when he was drafted in the first round (2oth overall) out of Pine Bluff High School in Arkansas. Hunter spent the next several years bouncing around the Twins’ minor league clubs, and spending some time with the Twins in 1998 and 1999. In 1999, Hunter played 135 games with the Twins and finished the year batting a moderate .255, but by May of next year, his average had dropped down to .207 and he was sent back down to the minors.
But Hunter wasn’t down and out yet, and had his best minor league season in 2000 with the Salt Lake Buzz, where he slashed an incredible .368/.403/.727 and was recalled back to the Twins.
By 2001, Hunter led the Twins in at-bats and home runs and was second in RBIs and total bases. And though they missed the playoffs, Hunter helped lead the Twins to an 85-75 record (6 games behind the Cleveland Indians), for their first winning season since 1992. Hunter was also named the Best Defensive Outfielder in the American League by Baseball America, and won his first of nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards.
In 2002, Hunter had another fantastic year, batting .289 with a .859 OPS, and hit 29 home runs (a career high at the time). He also won the American League player of the Month award in April, and made his first of five All-Star Game appearances. As an added bonus, he became the first Twin to start an All-Star game in center field since Hall of Famer, Kirby Puckett. It wasn’t just a good year for Hunter, but the Twins as well, as they won their division and made their first postseason appearance since 1991, and advanced all the way to the American League Championship Series, but were defeated by the Anaheim Angels four games to one.
Hunter continued to play with the Twins through 2007, where he helped lead them to three more division titles, but the team was never able to advance past the American League Division Series. In that time, Hunter continued his defensive brilliance and in 2006 he hit a career high, 31 home runs.
In 2008, Hunter left the Twins and signed a five year $90 million deal with the Angels. In 2009, Hunter hit .299 with 22 home runs and earned his first Silver Slugger award. After five years with the Angels, Hunter signed a two year deal with the Detroit Tigers. In his time with the Tigers, Hunter hit .295, 34 home runs, 167 RBIs, and earned his second Silver Slugger award in 2013.
And in 2014 Hunter returned to where his career began, back in Minnesota with the Twins, in what would be his last year in baseball. In his final year with the Twins, Hunter hit 22 home runs (not bad for a 40 year old man) and slashed .240/.293/.409.
After a 19 year career, Hunter will retire with a .277 lifetime batting average, 2,452 hits, 353 home runs, 5 All-Star game appearances, nine Golden Glove Awards, two Silver Slugger awards, and holds the Twins record for most 20/20 seasons.
In a post from Instagram, Hunter said of his retirement, “My family and I feel as though the time has come to close the door on this chapter in my life. I’ve been married to the game for many years and now it is time to start a new chapter. I have learned a lot during this journey, and I appreciate the opportunity that God has given me to play this great game. Some will say that I am retiring from baseball; but I will say that I am transitioning, because BASEBALL will be a part of my life forever.”
Thank you for the many memories and your contagious smile, @toriihunter48! pic.twitter.com/YF1PQ2j9NE — Minnesota Twins (@Twins) October 27, 2015
