The Twins Cities buzzed on Thursday with news a that the Wolves were bringing back Kevin Garnett to finish his career with the team he broke in and became a star with.
And the ripple effect from that day-changing news reached southwest Florida, where one Twins player couldn't believe the developments over the last few months.
``I was like, `Wow,' '' outfielder Torii Hunter said. ``It's crazy for this to come full circle like this.''
Garnett comes back to the Wolves to lend his experience to young players on a team trying to learn how to win. On December 3, Hunter signed with the Twins, as he comes back to lend his experience to young players on a team trying to learn how to win,
Garnett is 38. Hunter is 39. Both are multi-time All-Stars. Both were respective among the best defensive players in their respective leagues. Garnett is a former league MVP, while Hunter received MVP votes in four separate seasons.
And both have thrown punches at teammates.
``It's pretty cool that they brought him back,'' Hunter said. ``He helped them to the playoffs. Dude has fire. I think that's what they were looking for.''
Just when Wolves fans got their first taste of the kid Garnett in 1996-97, young Torii debuted - albeit one game - in 1997. Both moved on to teams with championship dreams, with Garnett winning one with Boston and Hunter still yearning for his first World Series appearance.
Since they were in the Twin Cities at the same time, they eventually met each other and struck up a casual friendship.
``We always respected each other's game and have respected each other out in public,'' Hunter said. ``He came and supported me at some games and some playoff games. I would go and support him.''
(reporter's note: I do remember Garnett showing up at the Dome with a Twins jersey on. Can't remember if it was a playoff game).
`` Even when I went to the Angels, and he went to the Celtics and played the Lakers in the playoffs in 2008. we saw each other,'' Hunter said. ``Me and my son Torii Jr., went to a playoff game and after the game he was able to talk to KG. (Torii Jr.) was excited about that.''
Now their paths cross once again, in a town starving for a winner, on teams with young players who need mentoring.
``Hopefully it can create a little bit of a spark in each team,'' Hunter said. ``He was that guy to fire up a team and make everyone around him better. And he expects everyone around him to do their jobs.
``That's what I see in Kevin Garnett.''
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La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts.
Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.
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