Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter announces retirement from baseball

Sep 24, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Torii Hunter (48) hits a home run against the Cleveland Indians in the seventh inning at Target Field. The Indians win 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Torii Hunter (48) hits a home run against the Cleveland Indians in the seventh inning at Target Field. The Indians win 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a long, illustrious career in Major League Baseball, center fielder Torii Hunter has announced his retirement

Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter announced his retirement from baseball on Monday after 19 yards in Major League Baseball. Hunter is calling it quits after coming back to Minnesota for one season.

When citing a reason why he’s hanging it up now, while it’s difficult, Hunter admitted that he knows it’s time to hang up the spikes.

“I’m sad because it’s all I’ve known for half of my life,” Hunter said via the Minnesota Star Tribune. “This great game of baseball has done so much for me. I have learned a lot of lessons. They say baseball is life and life is baseball, and I used baseball and applied it to my life. So I got through a lot of hardships and a lot of hard times and I learned from them and I made adjustments, which you have to do in the game of baseball as well as the game of life. So baseball taught me a lot.

“But mentally, I think it’s time. I still love the game, but time has taken a toll on me mentally and physically.”

Hunter began his career with the Twins in 1997 before moving on to the Los Angeles Angels, where he played from 2008-12. He then spent two seasons with the Detroit Tigers before coming back to the Twins this past season for one final stint.

Over the course of his career, Hunter batted .277 with 353 home runs and 1,391 RBI. He also stole 195 bases and scored 1,296 runs. He was one of the most exciting players of this generation and the game will sorely miss having not only his skills around, but his bright personality as well.