Minnesota Twins: Torii Hunter's a Hall of Famer

For the Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter, it shouldn’t be a question of if, but when he will be enshrined in Cooperstown

With the MLB and NFL recently revealing their latest Hall of Fame selections, it got me thinking about the chance of one of the Minnesota Twins’ all-time greats – Torii Hunter.

Right around the start of last season, this question was brought up during one of our Monday mailbox sessions. We ultimately decided that while Torii is an all-time great Twin, it is unlikely he will be a Hall of Famer.

Well here we are, Hunter has since retired and was recently elected into the Twins Hall of Fame.

So I would like to once again raise the question: Should Hunter be a Hall of Famer?

For me, I believe it is an astounding yes. And here’s why.

Hunter may not have the offensive resume of Harmon Killebrew or Dave Winfield but to be fair, not many people do. Hunter was known more for his defensive numbers but was still a consistent and solid hitter in his career, hitting .277, collecting 2,452 hits and blasting 353 home runs while driving in 1,391 runs.

He was also a nine-time Gold Glove winner, five-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger.

Jun 27, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Torii Hunter (48) hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

All in all, solid number but to get a better gage of Hunter as a Hall of Fame candidate, we should look no further than 2009 inductee Jim Rice of the Boston Red Sox.

Hunter’s and Rice’s numbers were very comparable as both collected 2,452 hits in their respective careers, Rice hit 29 more home runs, drove in 60 more runs and hit .298 vs Hunter’s .277.

So the real question is does Rice’s 29 home run, 60 RBI advantage really matter when it comes to voting players into the Hall of Fame? Maybe, but those numbers could easily be made up over the course of one season and shouldn’t be what holds Hunter back.

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The duo is also among the most prominent when it comes to individual accolades. Rice was an American League MVP, eight-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, three-time home run leader and two-time RBI leader.

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Where Rice is lacking is where Hunter excelled. Hunter’s defense made him one of the best at the position in the modern era and his nine selections are just three behind the likes Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente for most all time.

So should Hunter make the Hall of Fame? Defensively, it can be argued there was no equal during his prime. Offensively, his numbers were solid but nowhere near as dominant as someone like Ken Griffey Jr. or Manny Ramirez.

But if Rice’s selection in 2009 is any indicator, the voters are willing to elect someone who is not only deserving but does not necessarily fit the mold of a player with huge career numbers such as 500 home runs and 3000 hits.

And while the voters tend to make emotional decisions regarding their ballots, Hunter was never one to upset the media. He was a great man on and off the field who was never accused of cheating, never involved in a true scandal and always had a million-dollar smile on his face.

That personality may not be the reason Hunter gets in but if the question for the Hall is if this player was one of the best at his position who played an overall great game, Hunter should then be considered an all-time great of our generation of baseball players.

Next: Top 20 Prospects: #5 Jorge Polanco

For what it’s worth, he has my very, very biased vote for the Hall of Fame.

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Minnesota Twins: Torii Hunter’s a Hall of Famer

By Jordan Wickstrom | Feb 19, 2016

For the Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter, it shouldn’t be a question of if, but when he will be enshrined in Cooperstown

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