Hunter: A tantrum, a strip tease, and some needed leadership
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We like the pizzazz Torii Hunter brings to the Twins as much as the next blogger, but we still have to admit: This pitch is too close to take with two strikes and even if it's outside, it's not the type of call to do a Target Field striptease over.
But that wasn't really the point. Sometimes, a man just has to stand up for something.
Hunter conducted a lip-reading lesson after the strike call in last night's game...
..uttered the "magic word" and got tossed.
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He ignored the "don't touch the umpires" rule, which will earn him a suspension. The coaches, curiously, had no interest in restraining him.
Cue the music. First, off came the shin guard. Hubba hubba, Hunter.
The batting glove...
The other batting glove...
The jersey...
It was salve for fans who've had to watch four years of Twins players meekly accepting their fate.
"You know what he's trying to do," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "He's trying to fire everybody up and get 'em going."
"It's a bit entertaining," Yost added.
Except for not ripping off his T-shirt, the display got big style points from Yahoo Sports.
Knowing when to exit is a fine detail Hunter mastered here. He said his piece verbally, made a straight forward follow up statement and then vanished into the night. Overall, the incident didn't last more than 90 seconds.
In winning the game, the first-place Royals swept the Twins in their series.
Hunter may have to take it all off.
