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Sept. 18, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Torii Hunter (48) singles in a run in the first inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Hunter would be a great addition to an ailing Red Sox team, as he’s a fan favorite and great clubhouse player who could restore a fun-loving attitude to the clubhouse. Along with his intangibles, experience, and offensive capability, he can still play good defense at his age. Hunter put up 13.0 WAR in right field last season, a very respectable number. Although his speed is not as impressive as it once was, he still has a good arm and would create an exceptional right-center duo between him and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Considering Hunter’s age, he probably wouldn’t demand a huge contract. His option, which the Angels declined, was worth $18 million over this season but he’d likely have to take a large cut from that. Still, Hunter would be well worth a contract for two years at around $15 million.

It’s good that some rumors have surfaced on the Red Sox, as I was suffering from baseball withdrawal, and that those rumors are about a move I’d certainly make. Hunter is a potential Hall of Famer with career numbers of .277/.335/.466, 4 All-Star appearances, and 9 Gold Gloves. Not only would he be a solid contributor to the middle of the lineup, but he’s a great guy. I’d be delighted if the Red Sox were able to sign Hunter, and it wouldn’t even take a ton of cash.

Considering the Red Sox just traded away Carl Crawford, there may be an opening in the outfield that Hunter could fill.  With all indications pointing towards a multi-year deal between Cody Ross and the Red Sox, Hunter’s main positions of right or center field may be unavailable.  There is still the hole in left field that could come down to a Spring Training showdown between players like Daniel Nava and Ryan Kalish.  Throw in the possible candidates of Scott Podsednik and Ryan Sweeney and suddenly Hunter appears as an outside chance if both of the aforementioned players return, which is unlikely.

Hunter cites his relationship with David Ortiz as one of the main reasons he would sign in Boston.  The two were roommates when they both played for the Minnesota Twins in what feels like ages ago.  Hunter said Big Papi is one of his best friends in baseball and if Ortiz returns to Boston, that would make the scenario even more attractive.

While it is nice to hear players like Hunter could have the desire to come to Boston, there is the lingering question, do the Red Sox need or even want a player like Torii Hunter?

He’s coming off a 5-year, $90MM deal and will be 38-years old next July.  He would likely sign at a discount considering he only has a year or two left in his career, meaning the Sox could maybe sign him for one year at $10MM.

He owns a career line of .275/.334/.465/.799 and has hit twenty or more home runs in ten of his sixteen professional seasons.  An interesting stat is that he’s only hit 30 home runs once in his career and that was back in 2006 when he played for the Twins. His career numbers at Fenway are impressive, making this case more intriguing.  Hunter is a career .330 hitter at Fenway with an OPS of .869, not too shabby.

This season, Hunter is enjoying a solid year at the plate, at least from a slash line perspective: .298/.351/.433/.784 through 110 games. He only has 12 home runs and has driven in 64 RBI, still making him a threat at the plate.  He is a 9-time Gold Glove winner, proving his defense is superior in the outfield when compared to his peers.

Maybe signing Hunter and having him platoon the outfield isn’t such a bad idea if the price is right.  There has been a lot of talk lately about the future of Jacoby Ellsbury and with the 2103 season potentially being his last in Boston. Hunter and Ross could help bridge the gap to the 2014 season when a prospect like Jackie Bradley Jr. is ready to step into the big leagues and the former Twins all-star can help with that process.

There are not going to be a lot of options in the free-agent market for Ben to go out and secure a superstar outfielder.  Overpaying for Josh Hamilton is an option although it wouldn’t make a lot of financial sense considering what we just encountered not even two weeks ago.

Trading for a player like Justin Upton is also a possibility, but that’s going to cost the Sox some prospects and the time and need is to now build from within the organization where you can.  Signing Hunter would allow some minor league talent to bud a little more before proving they are ready to contribute on an everyday basis, Kalish included.  So the first thing that needs to happen is for the Sox to resign Ortiz, then make the call to Torii Hunter shortly after that during the winter months and bring him to Boston.

Maybe having a player choose Boston will ignite a windfall of future free-agents to follow suit, showing that this isn’t a bad place to play.

LA Angels (16-12) @ Boston Red Sox (12-15)

Fenway Park

Boston, MA

Shootin’ for two, four game sweeps in a row……….

I don’t know if it’s ever been done in baseball before.  If a team has swept both 4 game series against the same team, but that’s what the Red Sox will try and accomplish as they kick off a four game set against the LA Angels at Fenway Park on Monday night.  (more…)

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AP Photo

On Wednesday afternoon, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times wrote an interesting article about the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s active interest in bringing Carl Crawford to the West coast. The article explicitly points out the belief that the Boston Red Sox and Angels will go head-to-head in a bidding war for the talented 5-tool outfielder, but Torii Hunter believes the Angels will win Crawford over. It’s a bunch of talk from the Angels, but do they really pose a threat to the Red Sox and likely the Yankees who will all be in the mix for the outfielder? After a disappointing 2010 campaign that resulted in a  80-82 record and a 3rd place finish in the AL West, owner Arte Moreno knows that the pressure is on to improve the team and make them contenders in 2010. If that’s the case, money may be flowing more in LA than ever before. (more…)

The first and most obvious would be the game between the Red Sox and Angels, in Game 1 of the ALDS series.  As home plate umpire Joe West and CB Bucknor, who was calling the plays at first.  Both had horrible nights and played a huge part in the outcome of the game.  With West if was his lack of consistency in calling the balls and strikes all night.  Since it seems and if you paid attention to the TBS Pitch Zone, he had a different strike zone for either team.  Which was great for the Angels, but killed the Sox and their hitters the entire game.

Case in point being that Jon Lester and the Sox were being squeezed all night when it came to the strike zone.  While John Lackey and the Angels seemed to have the calls going their way all evening.  Which is down right horrible and wrong if you ask me, no matter who you root for.  Now I will add that it’s one thing if an umpire is consistently horrible and calls it the same for both teams.  But that’s not what West did, since he was obviously showing “bias” towards the Sox, with those calls.

Then it was the despicable night that Bucknor had at first base.  Which MLB should be ashamed for and doing something about it.  Like removing him from the rest of the series, would be a nice start.  As he was clearly against the Sox.  Sorry people there’s just no denying that.  Since anyone who watched the game knows it for a fact.  He blew two separate calls within the games first 5 innings.  They were both calls that hurt the Sox and quite possibly effected the games outcome. 

Now I do need to mention that the Angels did not “directly” score runs due to those calls.  Because they didn’t.  What it did do for the Angels was help them face Lester.  Especially as his arm became tired, from having to toss more pitches.  As the calls by West and Bucknor forced Lester to throw about 15 more pitches (early on) than was necessary.  Which changed things as the game moved later into it, since by throwing those extra pitches.  Lester became tired quicker and his pitches weren’t as smooth as they normally are. 

Which is exactly what the Angels needed as they struck for 3 runs off the bat of Torii Hunter in the bottom of the fifth.  With Lester’s pitch count getting up there (due to the umpires) Hunter used it for his advantage and took a pitch deep from the tiring Lester.  Sending it deep into the rock quarry in center-field.  Giving the Angels a much needed 3-0 lead at the time, while providing the only runs they needed on that night.  Like I said Bucknor’s bad performance at first didn’t directly cost the Sox, but it did indirectly in the long run.

Then let’s flashback a few days to the 12th inning of the game between the Tigers and Twins.  Brandon Inge of the Tigers, is at the plate with the bases loaded and one out.  The first pitch from Twins reliever Bob Keppel, actually hits Inge on the uniform, but it’s called a ball.  So instead of Inge going to first, the Tigers scoring a run while still having the bases loaded.  Home plate umpire Randy Marsh made the wrong call (as replay would show you) which cost the Tigers at least one run. 

If not more, since no one knows what might have happened the rest of that inning, if the right call was made.  Not only did the call by Marsh “screw” the Tigers at the moment, it cost them the game.  He was also a key part in them losing the AL Central and ending their season.  All Marsh needed to do was ask for help (from another umpire) and they might been able to make the correct call.  

Something even better would have been the ability to use instant replay in these matters.  Since MLB is all ready using replay when it comes to home-run calls.  Why not expand the measures of the replay so it can be utilized in other key areas of the game.  Especially when they involve game changing moment, like in this case.  Plus we all know that if MLB had the chance to use replay,these calls would have been overturned.  Hell we all know that MLB and their umpires could have used it back in 2007 when the Rockies Troy Tulowitzki made that “phantom” tag of home.

They didn’t learn their lesson back in 2007, which makes me wonder why I’m wasting my time talking about now.  It’s not MLB ever owns up and admits (steroids) that they have a problem.  What makes me think they’ll actually start taking responsibility now.  Besides it just might be there way to ensure that THEIR favorite team, the Yankees return to the World Series.  By screwing teams that might derail them, like the Tigers and Red Sox!

For fans of the Boston Red Sox you’ll notice that the Sox have players leading for the moment in two categories.  As Kevin Youkilis (1st Base)and Jason Bay (OF) are both currently in the lead for their respective positions.  With plenty of time left in the voting there’s still time for Red Sox Nation to cast their votes and help push Dustin Pedroia (2nd Base) Mike Lowell (3rd Base)and Jason Varitek (C) as well as Jacoby Ellsbury (OF) up the voting ladder and into the starting line-up!