Fansided

Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter unhappy with umps on Opening Day

By Connor Muldowney

Apr 6, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain (left) and Minnesota Twins right fielder Torii Hunter (right) speak before the game at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain (left) and Minnesota Twins right fielder Torii Hunter (right) speak before the game at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The umps are already on the bad side of Minnesota Twins’ outfielder Torii Hunter — and it has only been one day.

Torii Hunter has made plenty of Opening Day starts in MLB, but the 39-year-old outfielder made one on Monday afternoon that may have been the most special. After spending two years with the Detroit Tigers, Hunter headed back to the Minnesota Twins to finish his career.

On Monday, his Twins traveled to Detroit to take on his former team at Comerica Park, and the game ended in the Tigers’ favor — not before an outburst from Hunter at the umps.

Tigers’ closer Joe Nathan came in with two men on base as ace David Price had just pitched a sparkling game and Hunter was at the plate. Nathan had two strikes on Hunter and the closer hurled one toward home plate and strike three was called as umpire Joe West claimed the batter’s checked swing went too far.

You never really see Hunter upset like that with a call as he’s one of the most calm, cool and collected players in the majors, but he may have had some beef.

“I think he had dinner reservations or a concert to play in. … That was terrible.” -Torii Hunter

The call was a little questionable, but it’s Opening Day with 161 games left on the schedule. Hunter needs to tone it down as his career is on the back-nine and he’s playing for a team that’s likely going to stay near the bottom of the AL Central all season.

Down 4-0 with two outs in the ninth, Hunter knew it was a long shot for a Twins’ comeback, but that didn’t stop him from following West to the backstop before being told to get lost.

The veteran outfielder may have had the quote of the year so far in his postgame interview, “I think he had dinner reservations or a concert to play in. … That was terrible. All I ask — everybody asks — we come out and do our job every day. That’s what I do. I come ready to play, do my job. I battle at the plate. We ask you to do your job as well. Joe West needs to do his job, and he didn’t do it well.”

Baseball is back.

More from FanSided

Home/Minnesota Twins