So far, the remaking of the Twins has the feel of reassembling a hair band that used to play arena shows and sending it on a casino tour. First, the manager. Then, some of the coaches. Now, Torii Hunter, returning to the city that loved him as a young player and lamented his departure via free agency for California around this time seven years ago.
In our house last night, amid both skepticism and excitement, we wondered who else the Twins would bring back. It was a five-minute parlor game that fortunately never got as far as mentioning Tony Batista, but that's how we greeted the news. On social media, it turned the night angry in some of the discussions between supporters and detractors of the deal.
From those who have worked the Twins clubhouse since the terrible years started, one of the themes has been of a lost clubhouse that suffered for lack of personality. As Jim Souhan points out in his column, Hunter, Guardado and Paul Molitor will create change there.
From those whose following of the game includes advanced defensive metrics, adding Hunter to right field and moving the defensively suspect Oswaldo Arcia to left doesn't do anything to help a team that has been suffering for its outfield defense. The blogger Parker Hageman offers this breakdown of Hunter's defense, which has certainly broken down from his days as an elite center fielder. Current numbers speak in ways that counter what we remember from a decade ago.
The best case for the Hunter signing is that it combines the joy of bringing back someone of whom we were pretty much unconditionally fond with the pain of knowing that bringing him back doesn't help on the field. And considering we're talking about someone who will turn 40 during the 2015 season, it has the potential to be an even greater liability than it looks right now.
By the way, I'm dismissing those who think that Hunter has given up on his dream of playing for a World Series team. If the Twins are what we think they'll be, Hunter is a best bet to end up with a contender come the trading deadlines. I'd argue that coming to Minnesota actually increases his chances of reaching that goal.
I'm also not at all concerned about the $10.5 million salary. Last time I checked, Twins ownership is pretty deep pocketed. End of that discussion here.
The bigger issue is: What else? Do the Twins think they can sell a reunion tour of a manager, coaches and a past-his-prime player as acceptable baseball, even when combined with the promise of those talented young players working their way through the minor-league system (when they're not injured or serving drug suspensions)? So far, including the just-announced plans for a new bar and megasuite, the Twins are spending their energy at the cosmetics counter.
