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Torii Hunter Returns To The Twins

Minnesota Twins Centerfielder Torii Hunter
Minnesota Twins Centerfielder Torii Hunter

Torii Hunter has returned to the Minnesota Twins after spending the past seven seasons with other teams. Hunter was drafted by the Twins in 1993 and played full-time with the major league club from 1997 until 2007. He then went to LA to play for the Angels, and for the past two seasons he's played with the Detroit Tigers.

Throughout Hunter's career, he has been a fan favorite to Twins fans everywhere. Even when Hunter was playing against the Twins, the hometown Minnesota fans would cheer him for every one of his at-bats. Social media exploded for Twins fans on Tuesday night when it was reported that Hunter was returning to the team on a one-year $10.5 million deal.

At 39-years old, some question if he can contribute to success on the field. This past year, Hunter hit 83 RBI's, which is more than any member of the Minnesota Twins roster during the 2014 season.

Another reason the Twins likely went after Hunter was because he's a veteran player who understands the game at a very high level. With nine career Gold Glove awards, Hunter will likely be a strong mentor for some of the younger outfielders on the roster, such as Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Arcia.

Will his production and leadership outweight his price-tag? Only time will tell.

Nate Wek is currently the sports content producer and sports and rec beat reporter for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism Broadcasting and a minor in Leadership. From 2010-2013 Nate was the Director of Gameday Media for the Sioux Falls Storm (Indoor Football League) football team. He also spent 2012 and 2013 as the News and Sports Director of KSDJ Radio in Brookings, SD. Nate, his wife Sarah, and three sons, Braxan, Jordy, and Anders live in Canton, SD.