I’m sad that it’s only my first game of the year but at least I’m going to one! 

There’s something about Angels Stadium that’s very.. refreshing and relaxing. I love going to baseball games. The atmosphere is always perfect! 

I’ve been very stressed this past month so it’ll be nice to just let things go and have a good time!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the summer! Off I go to catch Ervin Santana & the Halos face Wade Davis and the Rays. 

I’m not sure where to begin with Torii Hunter so I guess we can start from the beginning. Torii Hunter was born and raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas to a family of 5. His father wasn’t around much because of his problems with drugs so that left his mother in charge of 4 boys. It was hard for them because of the rough area they were in. He soon became a father at the tender age of 16 and married a year later. He soon graduated high school and was selected as the Minnesota Twins’ first round pick in 1993. 

He made his debut in 1997 as a pinch runner for the Minnesota Twins. In his ten years with the Twins, Hunter was not only a household name but put up incredible numbers. One of the best center fielders in the game, Torii has earned 9 consecutive Gold Gloves since 2001. He is a 4 time all star making his first appearance in 2002 and became the first Twin since Kirby Puckett to start an all star game in centerfield. And that all star game was one for the history books. How could we not forget that catch to rob Barry Bonds of a homer? 

I was a fan of Torii’s as long as I was a fan of baseball and I’ve always saw him as a Twin. I was as shocked as Twins fans when I found out he signed with the Angels in 2009. After my initial shock, I immediately began getting very excited. One of my favorite players was now on my favorite team.

Torii Hunter has been with the Angels for 2 years now and I can’t say enough about what he means to the organization and to the fans. Of course his talent can speak for itself but that’s not what separates him from everyone else. You don’t realize the kind of impact a player can make until he is finally on your side and let me tell you, the Twins lost a great player. Torii’s competitive and passionate about the game. He works hard everyday to improve and he gives his all to the team every single day. Sometimes his competitive nature proves to be a bit overwhelming which could explain his spat with the umpire that led to his suspension. I have one thing to say about that in his defense. It was probably out of frustration and the fact that he tries so hard to pick up the team whenever we are on a slump. To have that much on one’s plate and for him to actually take the initiative and be the leader the Angels need…. That’s a lot of pressure. Us as fans and the team rely on Torii to be that leader on and off the field and that is a role he has taken wholeheartedly. There were some controversial issues that surrounded Torii Hunter but I truly believe that whatever it was, it wasn’t out of ill will. Anyways, I’m not trying to give any excuses for he is capable of representing himself. 

Torii Hunter won the Silver Slugger Award in 2009 thus proving that he’s still got some gas in the tank. He’s a streaky hitter but when he’s on he’s explosive. And his defense? Centerfield has become HIS spot, much like Derek Jeter with the shortstop position. However, that was forced to change as circumstances arose. As you all probably know by now, Torii Hunter permanently moved to right field for rookie and top prospect Peter Bourjos. Peter Bourjos is quite a talent and very fun to watch. Has speed out in center and has great potential. Torii has claimed that him moving to right was all his decision. No one else’s. He wasn’t forced out at all. In fact, Torii was the first one to talk to Bourjos after the move, telling him that he was available if Peter ever needed any help. 

For Torii to move out of center, the position he’s held for 12 years, was not only the end of an era but an act that took great humility. The man hasn’t played right field since 1999! He couldn’t have handled the situation with more class and grace. The act alone made me appreciate and be grateful towards the person Torii is. I thank him for the sacrifice he made for the team and for always putting the team first. Our outfield is loads better now! 

I also like to thank him for his efforts to combat poverty in the area and helping out the community the best he can. He has the “Torii Hunter Project Education Initiative” that gives out scholarships to students in various areas. Ballplayers don’t have to be humanitarians, in fact they don’t really have to give back at all. It’s nice to see him so passionate about giving back and so down to earth towards fans too. It’s great to see him always smiling, always positive, always willing to talk with anyone especially the kids. Baseball is a tough game. You get caught up in the business side of it all sometimes and you forget that it’s a kid’s game. I thank him for reminding us that baseball is fun and we should just take a moment to enjoy it all.

I hear all the time that Torii Hunter is overrated when talking about the game’s greatest centerfielders and I’ve seen him on a couple of “most overpaid players” lists.. and I understand people’s arguments completely. BUT he has many other qualities that you can’t put a price tag on. He’s light hearted, he’s giving, he’s diligent and you can go on and on. 

I’m always envious when people talk about the players they’ve seen play in their lifetime (Babe Ruth, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays etc). I get disappointed when I see clips of these great players because I wasn’t around to see them at the peak of their successes. I only get to see their last at bat or when they get inducted to the Hall of Fame or when they are guests on the booth in the 4th inning. Their careers for me are only flashbacks and old video clips. However, I’m thankful for the opportunity to watch a player like Torii Hunter every single day. I can only imagine the kind of love he gets still from Minnesota Twins fans. He’s the kind of player I’d be happy to say that I got to see play as a young person. 

 I can’t think of anyone who is more deserving of a World Series ring. 

The Angels are set to play game two of the series against the Toronto Blue Jays this evening and I’m sure we’ll see this two time all-star and 12 year veteran giving his all… in right field

He has a blog, Torii’s Storiis, on MLBlogs so please check it out! He updates it often and it’s one of my favorite player blogs right along side with Bengie Molina!

I’ve recently been thinking a lot about life I guess. My other grandfather (I’ve talked about my grandparents on a post awhile ago. My grandpa who loves baseball is still alive) passed away at the age of 94 on August 9th. It was sad but he lived a long enough life so I believe he’s okay . The interesting thing is that my aunt is in labor right now with her 3rd child as i type. It’s amazing how the circle of life works. How death, in my case, is so close to life. So I’m thankful

I’ve also been thinking a lot and actually going completely crazy because I leave for college in 2 weeks. Sometimes I wonder why I don’t have a psychologist because I have such massive paranoia! I have dreams to be an elementary school teacher (I’m majoring in elementary education) but I also have a huge passion for writing (as you can probably tell ;D). I plan to do both but not sure how yet...  

Thank you for reading! Thank you thank you thank you! It’s a shock that you even visit my page at all! Coming in as #32 on the list of July is just.. well it’s great I’m very grateful!

~mimi

“it’s a beautiful day for a ball game, let’s play two!” ~ Ernie Banks

It can break your heart into itty bitty pieces. 

Before I continue I thank Hyun Young of Perpetual for choosing the topic of today’s blog  

5. Curtis Granderson

Curtis couldn’t be more classy… or handsome

So that’s all folks! I’m sure there are more out there but I think five is enough don’t you?

And quickly before I go, here are some pictures from my Comic-Con trip

In the span of 4 days there were about 130,000 attendees. There were movie panels and the exhibit halls were filled with people. There was a lot of waiting in line and standing but all worth it! 

Comic Con was held in the San Diego Convention Center and it was also RIGHT next to Petco Park. In fact, I actually had time to chat with a gentleman who works at Petco. It was fascinating to actually see the ballpark so close up! It only makes me want to go next time and catch the Padres . Speaking of Padres, I got to meet Ashley Eckstein! She wasA showcasing her new clothing line, Her Universe, which is basically Star Wars apparel for women. She was so sweet and so beautiful! Comic Con was exhausting but definitely a highlight of my summer!

 The Angels won the series against the Texas Rangers this weekend thus making them 8 games out of first. Catching Texas is not impossible but it’s definitely looking slim :( I have to give Jered Weaver credit for another fantastic start. He’s a true ace indeed. We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for him.

As always, thank you for reading

Until then,

~Mimi