Torii Hunter: Filling the Attitude Gap

Hmm. Tewksbury miht have been washed up but his ERA was under 4.5  Rick Porcello was mentioned as a trade target and his career ERA is within what Tewksbuy's was. Just a nitpick.

Look over the list of players that are free agents.  When Hunter was signed what other option was there on the market. At the end of the year in hindsight you could point to an all star team of inexpensive players.  What inexpensive rf should have they taken?

Hunter had a poor series against the Angels, every other series he was more than respecable. To denigrate Hunter because the team sucked is a needless attempt to manipulate without using fact.

Seems like this article is about Terry Ryan more than Torri's attitude.

Torii Hunter's OPS+ last year was 114. Jordan Schaefer's was 75. Josh Willingham's was 96. Jason Kubel's was 73. Is it really so far fetched to ascertain that adding Hunter is an increase in outfield production for this team?

"re-signed Capps in 2012 and Carl Willis in 2005"

Suppose it is only a matter of time before someone points out here that Carl Willis was the pitching coach for Cleveland in 2005. Maybe you meant 1995?

As long as we have the attitude gap filled, who cares about the one in left center.

If attitude did not come from the manager and coaching staff, it's sure not going come from a 39 year old with declining skills.  For $10mil, I can hire a lot of cheerleaders!

The importance of an individual player's "makeup" is way underrated in my view. On the other hand, I really question the assumption that an individual's "leadership" often can have a large impact on the performance of those around him. My guess is that this notion is way overrated.

Molitor was a great acquisition.  If Hunter produces like Molitor in his first year this is a great signing One would think from the article that signing old players is all that Ryan did and that the Twins were really bad during his reign.   As far as I am concerned the worst move was Bartlett and that is less for the signing and more for the including him on the 25 man.

What a tedious and biased article.  I am sorry, but posting a faux analysis piece while really just bloviating about Ryan is bogus. Torii Hnter has been a winner for many years. He is a leader and still can drive in runs. He is exactly what this team needs.

If I were you, I'd take note that several people like the posts that disagree with you in one way or another. Wiseone, linus and twins saudi fan, right on.

Couldn't be more right, Thrylos.

The title said "attitude gap"

When you look back at the Tom Kelly Twins it was said that no one worked harder than they did. They did extra. Sometimes I get the impression that the team has lost that. Fundamentals, basics, repetitions. Perhaps Hunter is a throwback to that time as he came up when some were still here he had that kind of work ethic. It is not 100% on the field, it is the 100% off the field that may be missing.

According to baseball edge 381of some degree of catchable balls were hit to RF. 55 ended up not caught. They did, according to Inside Edge, lead the league in 0% balls caught in RF. Hunter was better in geting to balls that they thought a RF should get to. He did not get to any that were not in range. I Hunter probably knows how to play the hops, angles and back up the cf better.  I do not know if it will make it a wash have a better outcome when the ball is bouncing out there.

Back in the day the Twins were a low revenue team, low budget team. I don't really care what Ryan did then. It is a different set  of circumstances now,. Free agent compensation is different. The Twin's revenue stream is different. The 2011 team that Ryan took over had  14 players making over 2 mill a year. Only Baker and Cuddyer were worth the money. He doesn't want to get in that situation again. The stats projectiion guys must have shown him some worth for the Hunter contract.