Hunter interested in joining Nationals

Hunter interested in joining Nationals
Twins' potential free agent-to-be has close ties with Young
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- After the World Series comes to an end, Twins outfielder Torii Hunter is expected to file for free agency, and he said on Wednesday that he has an interest in playing for the Nationals because of his close relationship with first baseman Dmitri Young.
Young and Hunter have known each other since the early 1990s, when Young played with Hunter's cousin, Basil Shabazz, in the Cardinals' Minor League system.

In fact, before the trade deadline in July, Hunter campaigned for the Twins to pick up Young for the pennant stretch, but the Nationals ended up signing Young to a two-year extension.

"I want to watch and see what's going on. I'm interested [in going] anywhere," Hunter said by phone on Wednesday. "Dmitri Young makes it very interesting. I've always wanted to play with Dmitri. He has been one of my buddies since I was 18 years old. I used to watch those guys play and hang out. I've known him a long time."

Hunter also said that Washington's large African-American population is a factor in his interest in playing for the Nationals, as he would like to be a leader in the community. Hunter said the Braves have also piqued his interest, for the same reason.

"I always talk to my wife about being interested in playing in front of the African-American fans and trying to get the African Americans back to playing the game," he said. "If I go to Atlanta or D.C. and make a difference that way, I would love it. Trust me -- D.C. is very interesting to me as well as Atlanta."

Hunter, considered one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, has won six consecutive Gold Gloves and helped the Twins reach the postseason four times this decade. He is coming off a season in which he hit .287 with 28 home runs and a career-high 107 RBIs for Minnesota.

But even though the Nationals are looking for a center fielder, can they afford Hunter? Though the team has not ruled out signing free agents, team president Stan Kasten said during a luncheon with the local beat writers more than a month ago that the organization would not pay outrageous prices.

Hunter declined to say how much he was seeking.

"I can't tell you [how much money] it will take to come to Washington -- not as a free agent," he said. "What's fair is fair. That's all that matters. That's one of many teams I will be watching. With Dmitri Young over there, it makes it very interesting."

Are you KIDDING me??!!

D.C.? It's really happening there lol!

Just the thought of this is ridiculous!!

They've got a hell of a team...

catbox_9 wrote:

They've got a hell of a team...

So I've heard...

Hunter, White Sox share mutual interest
Free agent outfielder to meet with GM on Sunday
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

Torii Hunter certainly doesn't seem ready to commit to one team during his first foray into free agency.

But judging by his comments during a Chicago radio interview on Thursday morning, the White Sox clearly are in the running for his services -- if not the early leader.

"I play well in Chicago," said Hunter during his chat with hosts Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman on ESPN AM 1000. "The grass is true [at U.S. Cellular Field], and everything is going good for that place right now."

Hunter plans to meet Sunday with Ken Williams, focused on the White Sox general manager's plans to win in 2008. Hunter expects to hear good things from Williams but already knows quite a bit about the South Siders going into this get-together.

As Hunter pointed out, he's played nine or 10 games per year at U.S. Cellular for the past seven seasons and knows the outfield layout almost as well as he knows the Metrodome. Hunter has just a .252 average over 59 games at the White Sox home, with 13 home runs, 16 doubles and 52 RBIs.

Being able to practice his own particular brand of thievery in center ranks high on the list for Hunter, and he gave high marks to the White Sox fence in center. In fact, Hunter would turn down a good fit, team-wise and money-wise, if he doesn't feel the field is conducive to helping his new team defensively.

"That's 100 percent accurate," Hunter said. "Listen to those words and that will tell you where I might be ending up. I have to visit fields where I've never played and see if the grass runs true. I love defense so much that if the field is not right, I'm not taking it."

When asked about the money or years he was looking for through free agency, Hunter laughed and declined to talk about potential deals. When asked about what other teams he intended to meet with, Hunter laughed again and took the fifth. Hunter did admit that he had heard about interest from teams such as the Rangers, Nationals and Dodgers, among others, but that he intended to take this process slowly and carefully.

"You don't want to wait too late, but you don't want to jump on it too early," Hunter said. "I don't want this decision to be rushed because it could be a decision of a lifetime.

"I'm going to kick back and think back about it. Whatever team I end up with, I think I'm going to end my career there."

This Gold Glove center fielder, who just took home his seventh straight defensive prize from Rawlings, also gave high marks to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. Hunter knows Guillen from both his playing days and as the man in charge, talking about Guillen, "the character," and the guy cracking jokes during batting practice and during the course of a game.

The fact that Guillen is a "player's manager" also seems appealing to Hunter.

"He sticks up for his players," said Hunter of Guillen. "There might be a chance I probably would play for him one day."

Guillen holds Hunter in similar high regard, with the 32-year-old believed to be the White Sox prime offseason target. White Sox fans haven't always felt the same affinity toward Hunter, especially after his torpedo shot of catcher Jamie Burke during a late-July game against the White Sox in 2004.

Minnesota ended up winning that particular contest and moved on to win the American League Central. That sort of hard-nosed play could help heal any existing old wounds if Hunter ultimately picks the White Sox.

While Hunter certainly wouldn't commit, he seems to have a belief production such as his 28-home run, 107-RBI effort from 2007 in Minnesota could be surpassed in Chicago.

"I could hit 35 home runs at U.S. Cellular, and I could steal about 20," said Hunter with a laugh. "I love that wall. I have a lot of family and friends in Chicago.

"It has always been fun for me there. If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't be talking to Kenny Williams on Sunday."