Torii Hunter LA Times Article

by Carl Johnson on Feb 16, 2008 10:20 PM PST Comment 9 comments

With due deference to Rob at 6-4-2 and ihearhowie, here's an article about Torri Hunter and his rise from an extremely difficult childhood to a very large contract.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-hunter17feb17,1,6233963.story?page=1

This is the kind of thing that makes you forget about stupid contracts, or at least alter your viewpoint.

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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someone to blame for your stash?

"There was one benefit to having a drug addict for a father."

my signature sucks

by proletariat on Feb 17, 2008 10:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Since day one, Hunter has been great

A few 24K gold tidbits from early on after signing him:

1. "They [Rangers] made it hard because my family is here. My son (Torii Jr.) is in seventh grade. But even Torii told me, 'Dad, I don't want you to be here if they're going to lose. If you're here and we lose, kids are going to make fun of me in school."

2. Neighbors such as former NFL star Deion Sanders tried convincing Hunter that he'd be a hero in Texas. Sanders told him most of the former Cowboys like Michael Irvin are as popular as when they played.

"But those guys won Super Bowls," Hunter said. "The Rangers never won anything."

3. "I paused for a minute," Hunter said. "I could feel myself get emotional. I had the Minnesota Twins in my head. I just kept hoping and praying they would kick the door in and say, 'Here we go, we want you for the next five years.' "It never happened. Now, can you believe it? Me and the Rally Monkey are friends."

4. Then I thought about 2002, and the rally monkey. This rally monkey has been a thorn in my side and in my nightmares, so I'm just happy to be a part of this organization and be a part of the monkey. I thought about kidnapping him plenty of times, but now the monkey's going to be my friend. I'm really going to like this monkey. We're going to be in the malls together, walking the beach, everything. So that's my buddy and my new best friend -- and (broadcaster) Rex Hudler."

5. Torii Hunter was so happy to sign with the Angels and get a chance to win a World Series, he said Saturday, that he was willing to defer nearly half the $90 million on his five-year contract if it would make it financially easier on the Anaheim club.

"It doesn't have to be $18 million a year; we could defer 10, 20 years from now," the former Twin said. "I could make $8 million next year; that's what I was willing to do to win."

The Angels told the seven-time Gold Glove winner thanks, but there was no need to defer the deal.

"I'm still willing to do it, though," Hunter said. "Any time their budget gets close to the threshold, or whatever, I will defer at any time. I'm talking about three months from now, two years, three years. That's because I want to win."

...and my personal favorite:

6. "Maybe I can do some damage and get about three rings out of this."

Wake me up on opening day.

by 101halo on Feb 17, 2008 2:28 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

.com

by Bilko 420 on Feb 17, 2008 4:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

hmm

kind of what i think we all know, but its interesting to start thinking of options. it wouldnt seem to make sense to look at free agents like joe nathan unless he was willing to take what we offered frankie (3 years, 34 or 35 i think?)

by ihearhowie2.0 on Feb 17, 2008 5:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This whole business pisses me off

K-Rod is worth 3 years/34 million, no doubt. 5 months ago, he would have drooled over such a contract, and it would have been groundbreaking. Once again, those vile pieces of shit ruin the market for the entire sport by signing Mariano to one of the most insane and inane contracts in baseball of the last decade. Now suddenly the Angels have to worry about losing their elite closer because those dipshits throw out money like they're made of it. It's, frankly, unfair. Closers shouldn't be getting $15 million a year. That's $250,000 to pitch an inning. One inning. And now the sport is once against ruined, and we're going to lose a star player so that the Yankees or someone else can snatch him up without a care in the world.

We may be big-market now, but there's still just no competing with the Yankees in $$$. They're always in a spending league of their own.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Feb 17, 2008 6:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs