Torii Hunter joins Halo Territory

00:00:06
Speaker 1: Well, hey Angel fans, and welcome back to Halo territory. I'm Mike dgi Giovanna, joined by my regular co host, Mark Trumbo, and as you can see, we have a very special guest with us today, Tory Hunter, former Angels outfielder, current special assistant to the Angels General manager. Tory Welcome to the show. How are you doing on this morning of the Angels home opener tonight?

00:00:31
Speaker 2: Well, first of all, thank you guys for having me. It's great to be with my old teammate, Mark Trumbo.

00:00:37
Speaker 3: Mike d.

00:00:37
Speaker 2: G Ivanni, Man, you've always reported the news correctly.

00:00:41
Speaker 3: Appreciate it. Well, I appreciate it that. Thank God for having me on the show.

00:00:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, this morning I woke up ready to go open a day. I'm talking to you guys starting off, and then we go to Angel Stadium and take care of business there hopefully all right.

00:01:00
Speaker 1: Well, Tori, you were nine time Gold Glove winner, nicknamed spider Man for your ability to scale walls and take home run balls back. I'm gonna put you on the spot right at the top here. What were your top three catches of your career?

00:01:14
Speaker 3: Man?

00:01:15
Speaker 2: Top three, I would definitely have to put just the moment of the All Star Game in two thousand and two.

00:01:21
Speaker 3: The guy that's hitting the ball is Barry Bonds, and this is my first All Star Game.

00:01:27
Speaker 2: I'm twenty five years old, and to be able to take away a home run on a big stage like that from one of the greatest hitters that ever played the game, if not the best hitter they have played the game.

00:01:39
Speaker 3: For me, a twenty five year old.

00:01:41
Speaker 2: Kid from Pombla, Farkansas, to take a home run away from Barry Bonds, definitely probably my number one. Probably not my best catch, but it was my greatest moment. And I was a Corlos League with the White Sox. Hit a ball in the Metro Dome and I jumped over that baggie fence out there at center field and stretched out and caught the ball. The next day, I was so sore, I felt like I couldn't play, but you know, trump bla, I don't come out of the game. And and then number three, I would say with the Angels on Mother's Day, I made a catch on Mother's Day against the Royals, and I was able to catch that ball, and I was so pumped up and so hyped that I almost passed out.

00:02:27
Speaker 3: Well.

00:02:27
Speaker 1: Of course there was some great catches, and then there was always the one that got away. Game two of the twenty thirteen alc Yes, you're playing right field for the Detroit Tigers. You're in Fenway Park, Detroit, as a five to one lead in the eighth inning, You're about to go up two games to none on the Red Sox, and upsteps Big Poppy. David Ortiz take us through that sequence.

00:02:49
Speaker 3: Too, man. You know what's crazy is a story behind that.

00:02:55
Speaker 2: Ortez and I went to Capitol Grille to night before and just we sitting up talking. We're sitting up popping and uh he says, hey, I got jaque Ben WASH's pitches. I'm like, oh, snap, right. So I went back to the stadium the next day. The day of that game. It was like, then, why you got to you gotta change it up on Big Poppy. He said, he has your pitches. And then while I was like, man, I forget that I always get him out, I'm like, oh my god. So now Sirseley comes out of the game and the eighth inning and it just struck out the side. We thought he was gonna go back out there, but I saw Ben Waugh running running to the mail. When I went back out there in the night, and all of a sudden, I'm thinking, like, I hope he doesn't throw a change him because he knows it. It was an eighty eight mile hour change up and Dave Ortiez hit the ball.

00:03:45
Speaker 3: I'm like, oh my.

00:03:46
Speaker 2: God, I'm running after this ball, swearing kissed off. I'm like, I can't believe this guy through this pitch. So it's now it's hit and it's in the lights, and I felt the wall and I'm like, forget this. It's the Alcs. I've never been to the World Series. That's in my life. I'm half a down this bild today. I knew I was gonna die, but I came back to life after I got older, when I woke up on the other side, I came back to life.

00:04:12
Speaker 3: So and then the cop, you know, he was right there.

00:04:14
Speaker 2: He was supposed to be protecting his servant, but but no, he was so far away. Man, he had no shot to help with me. So, uh, it was just a It was a great effort, great moment for the Red Sox, great moment for Big Poppy, one of my one of my best friends in the game. Uh, but that's that's all our effort. And I was thirty eight years old.

00:04:35
Speaker 1: Does that play still kind of keep you up at night or show up in your dreams?

00:04:40
Speaker 3: Uh? No, that play doesn't show up in my dreams at all. That pitch does.

00:04:46
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, because uh artis struck out three times a game.

00:04:51
Speaker 3: He didn't hit the ball at all.

00:04:53
Speaker 2: And then he stepped up right there, and and the night before he told me that's all I can remember. This guy had his pitches and and trust me, first pitch eighty eight mile. Now he throws ninety eight. Yeah, So how you sit on that on the first pitch?

00:05:07
Speaker 3: Am I? Right? Trum hole?

00:05:09
Speaker 4: Well you don't, you don't. And now tee, you see what I have to deal with. I mean, you caught, you call almost fifty five hundred balls in your career. That's fourteenth in history. And this man wants to talk about the one you didn't catch, right, Well, I didn't tell you earlier.

00:05:26
Speaker 1: How how iconic was this photo? The two v's the cop And unfortunately jump down to did you did you ever talk to that cop or autograph a picture for him? Did you ever got you two ever hook up? After that crazy photo?

00:05:43
Speaker 2: I know him before that, Oh really the spoken worst of it. Oh yeah, he's a great guy. He had no shot. I cracked a joke afterwards, and I said, man, he's supposed to be protecting and server. I think people got kind of serious. I'm like, I was joking. He's like twenty yards away from the wall.

00:06:00
Speaker 3: Help me. I was already dead.

00:06:04
Speaker 4: All right, Well, one of the one of the rare great guys in uh Boston, at least when you're on the visiting team.

00:06:10
Speaker 5: But uh, all right, all right, I got a question. I got a question.

00:06:13
Speaker 4: It's a little more serious current, but can you can you kind of take us.

00:06:17
Speaker 5: Through what your day to day role looks like.

00:06:19
Speaker 4: With the Angels right now as a special assistant to a GM Perrymnasium.

00:06:25
Speaker 3: Uh well, I mean I'm there. I'm like a shall lamb monk.

00:06:30
Speaker 2: And you you you you walk in the clubhouse, you get there when they're there, and and I just I try to be present. You know, you got guys that have things going on off the field. You got guys they have things with with finance, with relationships with their family, but also with in baseball. They give it, I give them a different perspective on on different things and and uh, how to hit, you know, running a basis preparing themselves. So I just try to be available for all the guys and then if Perry needs an extra eye on evaluate something or someone. I actually I'm there for them. They ask questions, but I try to be available when I'm here and be at the stadium as much as I can so they can see me and be and be present for those guys.

00:07:19
Speaker 4: I mean, that's invaluable. I think that you know, I've kind of wondered too, what is that you know, special assistant? You see that title and it's not always totally clear, but it sounds like you're doing it all, which is cool and really helpful for these guys. One question that you know, I've been out of the game for five or six years now. Things have changed a lot. Can you talk about like what the day to day work looks like that the guys are doing compared to you know, maybe when you played. I don't see as many guys out there hitting batting practice. Some teams rarely do it apparently, and I'm wondering when when guys are working on their defense and other things. I mean, I know what we were used to, but it seems different to me now, is it is that true?

00:08:03
Speaker 3: Uh? I feel like it was.

00:08:06
Speaker 2: I think this year with Kurt Suzuki coming in, Uh, they really tried to put more emphasis on defense.

00:08:13
Speaker 3: Uh.

00:08:14
Speaker 2: The guys are out with Brady Anderson as the hitting coast. Now, you know he's gonna have him out there early hitting. I saw trout. You know, he's there at eight in the morning on the field hitting you know, extra and some guys will go out with him so he can catch it, get a break and uh.

00:08:28
Speaker 3: And the results is shown.

00:08:30
Speaker 2: Uh in this early part of the season and in spring training he was actually hitting the ball, going back to hitting line drives and and getting his fist to hit. H.

00:08:39
Speaker 3: I think he stopped.

00:08:40
Speaker 2: Hitting off the machine and and uh and started going with live arm and uh and and and we definitely see some results.

00:08:47
Speaker 3: So Uh, these guys do work.

00:08:49
Speaker 2: You know, they still have a lot of injuries in Major League Baseball.

00:08:53
Speaker 3: Uh.

00:08:54
Speaker 2: And and you got all this technology. You guys got workout programs, nutritionists, besides therapists.

00:09:00
Speaker 3: They got everything they need. But at the same time, they got more injuries.

00:09:03
Speaker 2: And so I don't understand that, but I think it's they get a lot of days off, they don't have the like when you're working out, you bench pressed two hundred pounds, but if you do it enough and then you max out, then you can bench press two twenty.

00:09:18
Speaker 3: Then you can bench spress to forty.

00:09:20
Speaker 2: I think these guys got to push themselves to play every day as much as they can if you have an opportunity, and then that actually your mind will overtake the body and say, hey, you got to go out and perform, and it heels itself.

00:09:32
Speaker 3: So if you keep you know, baby, and.

00:09:35
Speaker 2: A lot of these guys giving them days off because they don't feel right or whatever it may be, and they don't know how to push through those walls and uh, and then you.

00:09:43
Speaker 3: Get a lot of injuries that way.

00:09:46
Speaker 1: Mike Trout back in center field this year after toying with right field for a little bit. You played center field most of your pretty much all of your career. In a late career switch to right field, what is it?

00:10:00
Speaker 3: You know?

00:10:01
Speaker 1: Trout's talked about people have talked about this being easier on your body moving the right field, but is it really easy on your body? Is there any big difference?

00:10:12
Speaker 2: Well, it's less running, especially if the dead guide is on the first base.

00:10:17
Speaker 3: You shoult you have the fright all the way across the field.

00:10:19
Speaker 2: But you know what, there are some quick bursts in right field, some balls have a little seak, some got some balls have a cut and you really have to really get after it for about five to ten steps.

00:10:34
Speaker 3: In center field, you go after and you can stay as smooth as possible.

00:10:38
Speaker 2: And that's what I think Trout is talking about playing center field. Actually, it's less on your body because you're able to glide to the ball and uh and without that quick burst and uh with with Trout having leg injuries and to his lower body, I definitely think that center field and you know what, mentally him playing center field and be able to be that kid again.

00:11:00
Speaker 3: I mean he's thirty four years old, I.

00:11:02
Speaker 2: Think yeah, and uh, just to be in center field and be that kid again.

00:11:06
Speaker 3: He still can run, he still can go after the ball. Uh.

00:11:09
Speaker 2: It actually probably would help him in his total game. So allow him to go and be that kid again and be the Trout that his mind tells him to be.

00:11:18
Speaker 3: He then his body will follow. Yeah.

00:11:21
Speaker 4: I think there's a lot of backing up bases and things in the corners too, that that people don't always account for you know, right field. You're counted on to bust it, you know, all the players to first base. Whether everybody does that, you know, you can judge for yourself. But uh, you know, I yeah, played a lot of right field. Couldn't hold your duck, but uh, you know I would I like to. Uh, but you know I never had the speed remote you know. Part of this is is you have to have the speed center field.

00:11:53
Speaker 3: You were fast, Yeah, you were really, That's what I'll tell my daughter. But you get down the line. You were my teammate for two years, so.

00:12:02
Speaker 4: I know maybe, well I appreciate that, even if you're being nice, okay, so truthful. Well, thank you very much. I know it means a lot. Another thing that means a lot, I think probably to you. Joe Adell credited you with really helping him out, improving his approach at the plate, improving his defense, especially in right field. I mean I watched well now I watch every game, and he made some tremendous strides and it really seems like it came outter the work you guys did. And I know from you know, doing some coaching and hitting, especially with hitters. Last few years when you're not playing, kind of the next best thing is getting credit, you know, and it's not the credit, but you know, somebody's showing appreciation for the work you put into help them. And that was really neat to see. Maybe if you if did anything click with Joe that you can talk about, was it more mental?

00:12:55
Speaker 3: Maybe? Yeah, I definitely think it was more mental. I think he's maturing.

00:13:02
Speaker 2: Uh, He's he's listening to more wisdom and uh, and he's able to separate, you know, what works for him and what doesn't work for him, so you can give him a lot of options and whatever doesn't work, he's he's mature enough to throw it out the window and and keep the things that does. And I think that's uh, just maturation over time. He's uh, he's starting to gather the right information. He's starting to shoot the ball the other way a little more, uh, so he could cover the whole field. This guy has tremendous a tremendous amount of pop, you know, maybe the highest exit velocity on the team, uh, majority of the time. And uh and the ball that flies out to right center field, he has.

00:13:42
Speaker 3: More power than most people.

00:13:43
Speaker 2: I know, maybe not you, Trumbo, but this guy has some thump and right.

00:13:48
Speaker 6: He's got he's got some and uh and defensively, you know, the last two or three years we're in the outfield, all he wants to do is get better defensively, hitting, hitting, And it's like it has its ebbs and flows.

00:14:02
Speaker 3: It's up and down, and defense should never slump.

00:14:05
Speaker 2: And I told him, you want to play a long time play defense because if he can be relied upon on defense. When you're struggling at the plate and you're not good at defense, then.

00:14:14
Speaker 3: You're not good at all of the team. But when you.

00:14:17
Speaker 2: Struggling at the plate and you actually saved rids on defense, you actually can keep yourself in the game. And sometimes making good plays on defense can carry over to your offense. So, uh, he wants to get better defensively, and you can see the improvement in the last two or three years.

00:14:34
Speaker 1: Joe ahead.

00:14:37
Speaker 4: Sorry, Mike, Uh, you don't get enough credit for your throwing arm. I think you know, everyone talks about your you know, the the acrobatic plays, the you know, Robin home runs, But I mean you have literally the most accurate throwing arm that I played. I mean I played first base, so part of the time you're counted on to cutballs that have you know, side spend, not online. Sometimes you're gonna cut them if the runner might be safe at home and the batter runner is going to just run into that silly out. But with you, I mean, I don't think I cut I can't remember cutting anything. They were always right on the money, perfect one hop never overthrew the cutoff man either, which really speaks to like fundamentally sound baseball. And you know, it pains me to see these outfielders throw these, you know, grenades, and I'm not saying the angel players, but around the league, it just like, and that's been as an outfielder that is in your control, but you were I just wanted to point that out that you're throwing arm just doesn't get enough credit because strong and accurate.

00:15:38
Speaker 2: I'm probably the one of the last guys that actually took infield at six fifteen before the game started, you know, And they kind of took that out of baseball. So we had to throw with Tom Kelly with the Twins. If you missed the cutoff man, he would take you all field in front of all the people and say get off the field.

00:15:57
Speaker 3: You're not ready, right, so we always to take that feeling.

00:16:01
Speaker 2: It was a serious thing, and so we have to be fundamentally sound. With the Twins, Kirby Puckett was one of the guys say, I need you to be accurate. You got a strong arm, but be more accurate. And my only way you can be more accurate is one hop the base. So I learned to throw hard and one hop the base, which keeps it accurate. So when the ball bounce it it only bounces a small disbursement and you can make the player, you know me, trying to throw the ball all the way to the bass. It's one hundred and ten percent, which doesn't exist. And actually you're throwing it. You're off, but your arm looks good. It's for show, but you you're not getting any dope. You're not getting making any money. So if you're not throwing anybody out because they have to reach up and come back down, that's too much time for them to be safe.

00:16:45
Speaker 3: So one thing I teach when I'm in the.

00:16:48
Speaker 2: Outfield with the guys the last three years with the Angels is hey, one hop the base and not try to throw the ball all the way. So we're doing that from the minor leagues all the way to the major leagues.

00:16:57
Speaker 3: Be more accurate.

00:16:58
Speaker 2: You're you'll be more accurate if you can just one hop that base with with your strength.

00:17:03
Speaker 1: One follow up on Joe Tory. You know he has struggled at bit moving to center field, and he's a lot better for right Fielder's a guy he's played both, so well, how would you sort of coach this guy up right now and when he has to go up, you know, shift over to center field.

00:17:22
Speaker 3: Joe's a big guy, ju You know, people don't understand.

00:17:26
Speaker 2: Joe's about six', three you, know and and he's, jacked and AND i think he's just a big body. Kid center field is a place where if you need to Give trout a.

00:17:37
Speaker 3: Rest you can put him in center. Field he can hold it.

00:17:40
Speaker 2: DOWN i don't think he's a true center, fielder BUT i think he can hold it down Right.

00:17:45
Speaker 3: Phield it just seemed like that's a better.

00:17:47
Speaker 2: Fit his arm is strong enough to throw guys, Out he's able to get to the.

00:17:51
Speaker 3: BALL i think he's more comfortable in right.

00:17:52
Speaker 2: Field and sometimes where guy's, comfortable you got to allow him to play over.

00:17:57
Speaker 3: There he's not hurting the team playing at right.

00:17:59
Speaker 2: FIELD i would even try to stick them in center field for as a mainstay at.

00:18:03
Speaker 1: All switching gears a little. Bit you interviewed for the man managerial job with The angels last. Fall how do you feel about that, process how it played out and the outcome and are you still interested in becoming a major league?

00:18:18
Speaker 3: Manager? Uh, WELL.

00:18:24
Speaker 2: I really enjoyed the process the last two years with With perry And, uh we sat, down we had great. Conversations some of the things that you, KNOW i would, do some of the THINGS i wouldn't, change some of the PEOPLE i would, change some of.

00:18:37
Speaker 3: The GUYS i will, keep you. Know AND i gave my my honest.

00:18:40
Speaker 2: Opinion and uh and and we we we had great. Conversation it's just you, know it didn't work out and uh for some. Reason and and, Uh i'm not sad about. IT i stayed in the. ORGANIZATION i love the. Organization it's something THAT i really want to, do is uh be a part of. It and uh and when the opportunity became presented itself to be a, manager possible, manager you, KNOW i, said you know, what If i'm gonna do, Anything i'll. MANAGE i don't know IF i want to coach full. Time but IF i can manage and create the team that THAT i can, see you, know AND i can see that wins and give them the fundamentals that they need to go perform on a day to day.

00:19:20
Speaker 3: Basis Like Mark, trumbull the it's the small.

00:19:23
Speaker 2: Things even in business right, now it's the small things in the business, service you, Know, uh the customer experience and all these different, things those small things that people forget about because they're looking at the big. Thing the you, KNOW i definitely think that's what keep customers coming. Back in, baseball if you fundamentally, sound you can fill the, ball turn the double, plays throw the guys, out be more accurate at the, plate have good two strike, approach battle what the, Plate, uh try to do less to get.

00:19:54
Speaker 3: More you do all these little.

00:19:55
Speaker 2: Things that's what actually wins game because when you get to the, playoffs that's what. Matters during the, season if you're hitting bombs and you're doing all those, things it doesn't matter because you're gonna face a one to two and the three. Starter if you don't have if you're not fundamentally, sound you're not gonna.

00:20:09
Speaker 3: WIN i don't care what you.

00:20:11
Speaker 2: Say SO i think if you teach that droughout the, SEASON i think that. Works and that's something THAT i wanted to bring to The, angels bring back to The angels BECAUSE i GOT i think we got to a point four or five years ago where we had launch angle guys swinging for the. Fence you, know defense was. Terrible i'm telling you, now five years AGO i could not stand watching The. Angels, wow now they actually get. There they're actually getting. There they turned the. Corner no one really talks about that stuff. Anymore we talk, About, hey the small, things play the.

00:20:46
Speaker 3: Games the.

00:20:46
Speaker 2: Controllables that's What kirchuzuki always talks, about the controllable control of the things that you could control and throw out the other things that you.

00:20:54
Speaker 1: Can't you do have a lot of business interest In, texas but if another opportunity to interview for manager's job comes, up you're going to pursue.

00:21:02
Speaker 3: IT i don't, KNOW i don't. KNOW i really love What i'm doing right.

00:21:07
Speaker 2: Now, uh that opportunity came and to try to take advantage of. It it even came up with the twins as, well and, uh and and that didn't work out as. Well but AND i understand that you know you have a. Catcher catchers they seem to be uh more of a manager. Manager But i'm a baseball. GUY i got a PhD in this. Game trumpo got a PhD in this. GAME i know how to play this, game AND i know THAT i need a short stop the second base of the third. BASEMENT i need everybody around. Me you build a team around. You that's what they. DO a pitcher, coach a bitch, coach a formal manager to help you go through the. Process IF i build a team around, me doesn't matter what what you throw at, ME i. GOT i got a great team and a team THAT i trust uh as as my. Staff so THAT'S i think a lot of guys can be, managers you. Know BUT i think it's just.

00:21:58
Speaker 3: A notion that people think that catches are. BETTER i don't.

00:22:01
Speaker 4: Know, no you're right about.

00:22:04
Speaker 5: That they got.

00:22:05
Speaker 4: It it's like a built in you, know this guy's got you, know got the got the goods or.

00:22:09
Speaker 5: Something i've interviewed.

00:22:11
Speaker 4: For a couple things, too more on the hitting, side but you know it didn't get. Them you don't know, Why like you, know you come away and who knows what what somebody is looking for So, dji thanks for the Hot tomali questions there that was?

00:22:26
Speaker 3: Hot that was so? Hot?

00:22:27
Speaker 4: Yeah, okay all, right all, RIGHT i gotta.

00:22:33
Speaker 3: EVERYTHING i just said was. Great now you acting the hot.

00:22:37
Speaker 1: QUICK i always love WHEN i asked you a question and you, say that's a Hot. Tomali that's whom you.

00:22:43
Speaker 3: Know is a good. Question all?

00:22:47
Speaker 5: Right not so not so Hot? Tomali not so?

00:22:49
Speaker 3: Hot here we. Go uh.

00:22:51
Speaker 4: Yeah So i'm watching the other Day Matt. Chapman he has some direct words for his first, Baseman Casey. SCHMID i don't know if you saw it or, not but it's a pretty direct. Feedback he felt like the play should have been. Made in, ADDITION i also read a pretty cool article the other day on The dodgers Where Dave roberts was talking how important it was to Get Clayton cursaw's buy in early, on at least as the team. Leader Kurse aby and you, Know i'm unequivocal leader of The, dodgers and if he bought, in the other guys would buy. In so you've talked About Kirby puckett being a big mentor to you and, showcasing you, know his, leadership AND i didn't know, Him SO i don't know if you know WHAT i saw from you was you, know close to what he did or, not but you you were one of a. Kind you know you're not going to be able to replicate that as far as, LEADERSHIP i, mean hundreds of guys have benefited from having you on their. Team and you, Know i've never seen anybody as good as it then. You BUT i guess my question is in this in this current, game THE a word analytics and and a lot of teams going. YOUNGER i, mean guys are getting big deals that are in DOUBLE a right. Now it seems to be a. THING i, mean is leadership as important as it's always been in the. GAME i think it. IS i see playoff teams they have a pretty clear leader usually if.

00:24:10
Speaker 3: Not more than.

00:24:11
Speaker 5: One and what do you what are your thoughts on.

00:24:13
Speaker 3: THAT i definitely think that you have to have wisdom on your.

00:24:18
Speaker 2: SQUAD i, mean every business, model EVERY uh team that you know about that that is one or or gone to the next, level they've always had wisdom amongst them AND uh AND i think just having a great you just can't have the wisdom without the talent as. Well so you got to have some talent with your. Wisdom so you got to prove that you can go out there and play every. Day and, uh they got to watch you fail and see how you, react and if you can bounce, back and the quicker you bounce, back they it builds up that.

00:24:47
Speaker 3: Leadership and, uh you, know most leaders don't say that they're.

00:24:50
Speaker 2: Leaders they let other people say that they're leaders and and and in this game, TODAY i think it can't be analyzed and you can't evaluate, it so they don't that leadership is like the last quality that they're looking for because of analytics and. Data that's what they're looking more, at what what you're not doing and what you can. Do, uh but as far as, leadership it's like the last quality that they're looking. For and, uh BUT i think it should be something that You i'll take character THAT i can teach you all the fundamentals and teach you the. Game if you in the professional ram in minor leagues and you come to the major, leagues if you've got great character and great leadership, SKILLS i can teach you how to hit and how to play the game the right.

00:25:35
Speaker 3: Way.

00:25:36
Speaker 2: Uh SO i would definitely take the character or the leadership skills, first and THEN i can teach you whether it's in business and whether this in in this, game BECAUSE i think if you got great, character that that shows that you know you're gonna represent me off the.

00:25:51
Speaker 3: Field and, uh for.

00:25:54
Speaker 2: The, angels it's it shows that you're gonna treat people with love and respect around you and you're gonna make people around you. Better and that's what good leaders. Do they make you better even when they're going through rough.

00:26:05
Speaker 1: Times, tory how is your perspective on the game changed since you, retired especially watching it now from the front office.

00:26:14
Speaker 3: Side? Oh, MAN i tell you.

00:26:18
Speaker 2: What one thing that the, abs the a bs is kind of it's cool because now they're getting it. Right but the abs also When i'm watching it doesn't allow the players to.

00:26:29
Speaker 3: Swing they're thinking.

00:26:32
Speaker 2: That they're supposed to be, balls and that's not how a game should be. Played you should be ready to hit no matter. What AND i think they're getting more lax because if it's even an inch off the, plate they're like tapping their. Head i'm, like you should haven't swinging at. That it's can to protect the, play you, Know and so it's kind of like it's kind of like a push and pull good and. Bad you, know there's a lot of good in. It you, know we all KNEW Cd butler was, bad but now we really SEE.

00:27:04
Speaker 3: C so you get some guys.

00:27:12
Speaker 2: Exposed but at the same, time it's not about. That it's really showing those guys. Up i'm be honest with. YOU i like a lot of the umpires as as. People, uh but it's really showing those guys up a.

00:27:25
Speaker 3: Lot and.

00:27:26
Speaker 2: Uh but at the same, TIME i think it's heard the hitter because they're not aggressive.

00:27:32
Speaker 3: Enough there there's two.

00:27:34
Speaker 2: Lacks they if it's, close they're taking pitches down the middle thinking that they're going to get a. Walk i've never seen so many backward backward k's in my life.

00:27:45
Speaker 5: This.

00:27:45
Speaker 4: Year it seems to, me it seems kind of, awkward to be, Honest AND i know the umpires are not happy at.

00:27:51
Speaker 5: All i'm not.

00:27:52
Speaker 4: Sure and maybe there was a memo that went out talking about you, know how they're trying to actually judge these pitches and some of these you know that are so borderline their, strikes but you know they're they're barely in the. Box and you, know guys are getting a lot of flak for either challenging the wrong ones or not challenging other ones that you, know, confusion and we'll have to see as it. GOES i think it's brand, new so you, Know i'm all for, accuracy but with this, One i'm not seeing it. Yet If i'm being, honest it doesn't feel like the game THAT i. Knew and nobody, gives you, know whatever about my opinion of WHAT i want to, watch BUT i don't. KNOW i do say, thinking and there's been a lot of storylines about. It if that's what they're looking, for you got, it all? Right all, right my last question for, today but it's it's my personal. Thing and you were a career two seventy seven hitter over seventeen. Years the average twenty one homers eighty two. RBIs BUT i vividly remember you talking about that you could count On Tory hunter to hit two, eighty to hit twenty home round and driving eighty eighty. Runs and If i'm, MISTAKEN i, Apologize BUT i feel like you said, that you, know and that was but you were saying that that's what you held yourself too every, year and you were dependable and teams could count on that at least from, you if not more the batting. AVERAGE i think that you, know you do the best you. CAN i always wanted to hit to. EIGHTY i never got, there BUT i wanted to do, it AND i wasn't. Satisfied yeah, Whatever, no, no, no it's it's part of the part of the, deal had the home. Runs BUT i thought it was AND i still think it's very. Important do you think it's still important to try and hit for high batting.

00:29:39
Speaker 3: AVERAGE i think it's very important to hit for high bat.

00:29:43
Speaker 2: Average if you've got a high bat average and you got runners in scoring, POSITION i want you at the.

00:29:47
Speaker 3: PLATE i don't want the guy.

00:29:48
Speaker 2: That swings and whales at you know, it rarely hits the ball. Consistently IF i IF i can have a riot at the plate every time with the runs and scoring position the ninth, DATING i Want Louise riots at the plate because he's gonna make contact and giving me a chance to jump up and. Down and SO i still think that trying to make contact and trying to get that average up is very.

00:30:11
Speaker 3: Important AND i think with.

00:30:12
Speaker 2: The you know that spell in five years, ago six years, ago when we got into that launch launch angle and the exit velocity and all these different. THINGS i think the average suffered a, lot but guys are getting paid for. That so if guys are getting paid for, that and these players see that they're getting paid for, this but hitting two forty two thirty with forty home runs and sixty RBIs is they getting paid for?

00:30:38
Speaker 3: That why WOULDN'T i try to do?

00:30:39
Speaker 2: It SO i can't fault the players on. THAT i fought the, philosophy AND i think that philosophy is starting to change and come.

00:30:48
Speaker 3: BACK i think you saw With Milwaukee brewers who.

00:30:51
Speaker 2: Went out, there they hit and, ran and they bunted the, Ball they played the game the right way and end up making themselves a playoff contending. Team and uh, SO i think you're going to see a lot of teams change. That you saw it on the, playoffs the way they played the game With Blue, jays and it was all the little things that actually hurt them and on both. Sides but H i definitely think that you, know when you when you talk about the small things hidden for average is a thing THAT i will want it to plate opposed to trying to wait for a home. RUN i want to see. ACTION i want to see, movement And i'm pretty sure the faces want to see the same thing as.

00:31:28
Speaker 4: Well a lot of hits on the ground. TOO i, mean it's it like the ground ball hit kind of you, know it's not as popular and, whatever but that's how you keep your bat average up is getting those ground ball. Hits you, know you hit them, hard sometimes you.

00:31:41
Speaker 3: Don't hit them.

00:31:42
Speaker 4: Hard they all, count especially and you Mentioned joe using the whole. Field there's there's a lot of hits over there in that, coorehole you. Know but but it's not going to happen with a swing that's trying to hit the left field foul, pole you, know if that's your. Goal so SO i think that that's kind of What i'm getting. At and and you talked about, it said are better than, me but it is, IMPORTANT i, think and hopefully it is coming back. Around AND i like Watching Stephen, KAAN i like Watching. Ariyahs these guys have nothing in common with, me but they you, know it's, like, MAN i like, THAT i like. That look at that punch. Single that's. COOL i think it's really cool.

00:32:17
Speaker 2: That big, hit with that big hit with runners and score. Position you want that guy to, play you, know for. Me it was a two, seventy two eighty hitter that you, Say but, MAN i was a.

00:32:27
Speaker 3: Hybrid you.

00:32:28
Speaker 2: KNOW i was a guy who led off the first couple of, years SO i, was you, know sending. Tables and then they, say this guy has the mentality to hit, third, fourth and.

00:32:37
Speaker 3: Fifth it doesn't matter where he. Goes he has some. Mentality he's ready to.

00:32:40
Speaker 2: Go so he put me fourth and, fifth you, know with the, twins AND i AND i hit Behind David. ORTIZ i was his protection for a long, time and so NOW i didn't have an. Identity so when you see me at two, eighty two seventy and then, twenty and IF i wanted to swing like these, GUYS i probably would have hit thirty and, forty BUT i would have my would have.

00:33:00
Speaker 3: Suffered. Right but IF i IF i, say you know, WHAT i don't want to hit, TWENTY i want to.

00:33:04
Speaker 2: Just GIVE i could have hit three, hundred you, Know AND i did it a couple of times in my later and later in my.

00:33:10
Speaker 3: Career Uh so IT'S i was a, hybrid AND i was.

00:33:13
Speaker 4: CONFUSED i wouldn't say you were very talented because it's hard to do. Both and With detroit you know you were hitting in the top of they were If i'm not, mistaken With detroit and and hit it for a higher average AND i don't want to say set on the, table but maybe a little.

00:33:29
Speaker 3: Bit, yeah and.

00:33:31
Speaker 4: That the big boppers behind. You, YEAH i, KNOW i, Know yeah he.

00:33:36
Speaker 3: Did, yeah he didn't look.

00:33:38
Speaker 1: Confused the night you hit three bombs In anaheim and had a chance for. Four oh, man.

00:33:42
Speaker 2: That that, day that DAY i was on.

00:33:46
Speaker 3: Something i'm telling, YOU i would have hit.

00:33:51
Speaker 1: Thirty all, right, te we're gonna close the. Show they not, Hot. TOMALI i don't know if you, remember but about fifteen years ago you were one of the GUYS i interviewed for a STORY i wrote about players and their special relationships with their. Gloves and you said you would name your. Gloves what would you name your? Gloves how would you name? Them and what would prompt you to switch? Gloves maybe when one of them was acting up a little?

00:34:19
Speaker 2: Bit, well, well you know when the glove was WHEN i first meet my. Glove oh, man this sounds really, bad but WHEN i first meet my, GLOVE i GIVE i give them a warm bath in a, microwave RIGHT i put. IT i dipped them in the asana of the jacuzzie and a warm. Jacuzzi THEN i put them in a, microwave and THEN i massage her for a long, time my, glove and massage it for a long, time right to actually mold and make, it make her the WAY i want to and. Uh and THEN i go out AND i perform with the, glove and the glove does what is going to.

00:35:01
Speaker 3: DO i always celebrate.

00:35:02
Speaker 2: IT i put it on a pedestal on the top of my locker and let people see the gold on.

00:35:07
Speaker 7: It and WHEN i make an, error IF i make an, ERROR i actually put it back in a microwaves and donate it to.

00:35:17
Speaker 3: Charity so you didn't donate many?

00:35:22
Speaker 5: GLOVES i.

00:35:24
Speaker 2: DIDN'T i didn't donate a lot of, gloves But i'm pretty SURE i donated about twelve.

00:35:29
Speaker 1: Fifteen and didn't you have names for? Them and how would you name your?

00:35:33
Speaker 3: Gloves, well you KNOW i have SUSIE.

00:35:37
Speaker 2: Q you, KNOW i don't. KNOW i always liked that. NAME i heard it maybe in the. Story it was SUSIE. Q SO i named my first glove SUSAN. Q AND i always tell guys go get SUSAN. Q they'd be, like who is?

00:35:49
Speaker 3: That and then some of my clubhouse guys are the. Twins they always. Knew AND i Got SUSAN. Q you want me to take her?

00:35:56
Speaker 2: Up SO i love that name AND i that was my first, Glove SUSAN. C i had one, Name, bertha Big. Bertha it sounds. Strong you don't want to mess with Big.

00:36:10
Speaker 5: Bertha, No i'd like. TO i WISH i could have borrowed Big. BERTHA i think that's WHAT i was. MISSING i think that's That's i'm.

00:36:16
Speaker 3: FIGURING i figured out WHY i.

00:36:18
Speaker 5: WAS i was limited out. THERE i didn't Have Big.

00:36:20
Speaker 3: Bertha if, memory.

00:36:23
Speaker 1: There was also A cocoa and A delicious in there as AS i.

00:36:26
Speaker 3: Recalled, Hey cocoa And delicious was good as. Well but those that's another. Story that's what a.

00:36:32
Speaker 5: Lot of how do you know all this?

00:36:34
Speaker 4: Stuff?

00:36:34
Speaker 5: Mite?

00:36:36
Speaker 4: Well AND i are that was. It that was a fun, story fun. Story that was all the. Record, hey can can you clarify one? Thing AND i might be late to the party On trout's. GLOVE I i don't see a trapeze, currently is? Okay all? RIGHT i wasn't. Crazy MAYBE i think it was this. Year if it was last, year, well you, know wasn't playing a ton of d last. Year but but that's a big to. Me you used the trapeze your whole, CAREER i. Believe and he has this. POINT i seen an h web out there or.

00:37:09
Speaker 2: Something, YEAH i mean he's catching the ball and he looks good out there to, ME i don't. THINK i don't know what you guys, think BUT i think he looks good out. There he's making the play and and, uh and he seems.

00:37:21
Speaker 4: Comfortable so, no in the wind the other, day but that's. That that was The. Chicago the wind was blowing like.

00:37:27
Speaker 3: Crazy it was. Nuts it was.

00:37:31
Speaker 4: Nuts but he looks great and he's, happy he's, smiling he's stealing. Bases it looks like A mike trout of, uh you, know years. Ago so if he keeps it, up, man the teams be.

00:37:41
Speaker 3: Great. Yeah and, yeah it's. Good you can.

00:37:43
Speaker 4: Tell you can tell it's good for he's having fun and that's that's what you want to. See we're having. Fun we've been told our podcast lacks. Energy it's not gonna lack of energy. Today it's not gonna. Lie AND i THINK.

00:37:57
Speaker 5: I found the. Solution, no, no it, won't thank.

00:38:01
Speaker 1: You very, Much tory can you come back three times next?

00:38:03
Speaker 5: Week not a, budget, mane not.

00:38:08
Speaker 3: A, budget and my chickie AND i gotta wait for it to go.

00:38:14
Speaker 5: Through we need to show you what.

00:38:20
Speaker 3: But, yeah we.

00:38:21
Speaker 1: Better we better close this show right there on a high. Note Tory, hunter Former angels, outfielder now special assistant to The, gym thank you for joining us. Today we really appreciate it having you. On please like and. Subscribe that's gonna be it For Halo territory and we'll see you out there this. Weekend, Tory we'll see you next.

00:38:38
Speaker 3: Time thank, you, guys