Torii Hunter Calls Reporter ‘Prick’ Four Times For Asking About Homophobia

By Josh Hill | Dec 4, 2014

Oct 5, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter (48) prior to game three of the 2014 ALDS baseball playoff game against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

Torii Hunter has returned to the Minnesota Twins, and he’s already starting to wear out his welcome in his introductory press conference.

When the Minnesota Twins rose from the ashes in the early 2000s, centerfielder Torii Hunter was a face of the franchise. His home run robbing catches were the thing of SportsCenter lore, and he even managed to famously rob Barry Bonds of a home run in the 2002 All-Star Game. But things have changed, and it’s become clear that while Hunter has a special place in the hearts of Twins fans, they’re being reminded that he’s kind of a crappy human being.

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Hunter was introduced with the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, but the event is being remembered less as his triumphant return and more as that time Torii Hunter turned into a gigantic ass over being called out as a possible anti-gay bigot. Pioneer Press beat writer Mike Berardino asked Hunter about his backing of anti-gay gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson and if backing someone who is openly anti-gay hurt his market appeal.

"No I mean, nah. There’s nothing to talk about. You already know, so why keep talking about it. I said it? It is what it is. No, I’m not going to talk about it if you bring it up. It’s not even baseball related. We can do that later, when a retire, then I’ll tell you everything."

That wasn’t the bad part. The bad part was after the question when Hunter halted things to call out Berardino as ‘a prick’ for asking the question. It was met with laughs — because it was kind of a gotcha question, but still valid — but Hunter persisted, which killed the laughs and made things awkward.

"Hey Mike is kind of a prick huh? No, seriously, you’re a prick man. I don’t even know you. You’re a prick. Seriously. Ain’t nothing wrong with that man, that’s your job. He’s definitely a prick though."

Hunter has long bene one of the more thoughtful players in baseball, but that doesn’t excuse his anti-gay stance. He’s not hardline or outspoken, and is someone who Twins fans want to like again. But calling his religion and/or his beliefs into question makes you a prick, so jot that one down, Minnesota media, you’ll need to remember that moving forward.

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