Twins’ Hunter Says He Will Retire

Hunter’s passion for the game of baseball is unquestionable.

In that game, Barry Bonds made a bid for a home run in one of the deepest parts of the park. He helped Minnesota to a renaissance of sorts, with the Twins finishing (83-79) after four-straight 90-loss seasons before that.

Hunter spent 12 of his 19 years in major league baseball with the Twins. While he was noted for his spectacular catches in the outfield, he wasn’t too shabby with a bat either, posting a.277/.331/.461 slash line with 353 homers, 1,391 RBI, 1,296 runs, and 195 stolen bases.

Torii Hunter has announced his retirement from Major League Baseball.

“I’ve been married to the game 23 years”, Hunter said. This great game of baseball has done so much for me. That’s one of the things I learned from Torii, who was always talking out there. They say baseball is life and life is baseball, and I used baseball and applied it to my life. “I still think about things he taught me, like visualizing a play before it happens. I still love the game, but time has taken a toll on me mentally and physically”. He orchestrated team dance parties in the clubhouse after every win, and his personality made him a fan favorite on the team.

The legacy of his five-year career with the Angels, however, might be the superstar he left behind.

He made it clear on the season’s final weekend that he wasn’t interested in coming back as a part-time player, which was likely the role the Twins preferred for him. He played for the Twins, the Angels and the Tigers, playing in the postseason most of those seasons.

Hunter played for the Twins from 1997-2007.