May 13, 2007 01:15 am
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Torii Hunter says he’s getting older AND better, and his offense this season suggests he’s not just woofing.
Which means the Twins front office finds itself in a contractual pickle it likely didn’t figure on.
The putative plan may have been to cast the 31-year-old center fielder to the free-agency wind rather than overpay a guy whose shelf-expiration date appeared to be looming.
But then Hunter got religion — in this case his quest to take the raw talent that made him successful and apply it toward becoming a professional hitter.
Never mind that he’s gone at it backwards — a veteran picking the brain of hitting wunderkind Joe Mauer — Hunter is making a case that you can teach a veteran streaky hacker new tricks.
Since the last part of last season, he’s become more reliable in the clutch, and more disciplined with two strikes, leaving the Twins in a quandary: Sign him for the un-Twins-like market value that outfielders of his ilk are commanding, or cut loose the most popular Twin not named Mauer.
Popularity is a key element here, because the small-market Twins peddle personalities the way the big-boy teams peddle their championship-caliber products.
So until the Twins can show themselves to be something more than a one-and-done playoff team, they’ll continue to focus on small-ball writ large.
Which is to say, the organization never met a cute promotion it didn’t like, especially when it can tie into personalities and provincialism.
Take those piranhas ... please.
A recent “Little Piranha Fishing Lure” night was followed up a few nights later with “Little Piranha Finger Puppet” night.
Those promotions were blushingly tone-deaf, considering that the piranhas have been largely toothless this season.
And did you know Mauer is a Minnesota kid? The team’s giveaway gurus are bound and determined to beat that one to death, with no fewer than five Mauer-obilia promotion dates on tap.
“Joe Mauer Batting Title Bobblehead,”“Joe Mauer Batting Title Bat,” “Joe Mauer Batting Title Ceremony”...
Evidently, this Mauer guy must have won some sort of batting title.
Here’s another promotion, this one rife with wryness: “Jason Bartlett Growth Chart” night.
The Twins even have giveaways based on popular guys of yore. June 15 is “Bert Blyleven Bronze Statue” night, during which Blyleven won’t realize he’s on live and utter, “They’re going to have to do that ----ing statue again because they just ---- it up.”
Hunter is a good player, on the cusp of becoming an evolved hitter, and is the personification of Minnesota Nice in an Arkansasan’s body.
The Twins front office is in a hotbox on this one because Hunter’s bite dwarfs a piranha’s, he remains superior to whomever the Twins are grooming in the minors, he has a smile made in bobblehead heaven — and he likes it here.
Don’t count Hunter gone just yet. Between his apparent affinity for remaining a Twin, and the organization’s appreciation of his value-added marketability, the two sides may be able to make the money thing work.
Brian Ojanpa is a Free Press staff writer. Call him at 344-6316 or e-mail bojanpa@ mankatofreepress.com.
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