Hunter feeling the love
MINNEAPOLIS -- Torii Hunter tipped his hat, fought the tears, and hoped for the best: a new contract with Minnesota.
The reality, though, is Hunter's return is in serious question, and Twins fans showed up to cheer for him maybe one last time.
Kevin Slowey (4-0) pitched 7 strong innings in a 7-1 victory Sunday over the White Sox, helping Hunter go out a winner in what might have been his last home game for Minnesota.
Just before the top of the ninth inning began, manager Ron Gardenhire sent Jason Tyner in for Hunter to let the popular all-star center fielder acknowledge the crowd while he jogged off. Teammate Michael Cuddyer told him not to cry, but Hunter was overwhelmed by the time he reached the dugout.
"There was so much love out there today," said Hunter, who went 1-for-3 and scored twice.
The White Sox are one of the teams that might make a run at Hunter.
Though Sox manager Ozzie Guillen prompted a round of boos when Hunter was intentionally walked in his last at-bat, the visitors offered their own respect to a player who has become one of their biggest rivals in recent years.
"I wouldn't expect anything else. He deserves it," first baseman Darin Erstad said, reflecting on several standing ovations Hunter received throughout the series.
Starter Gavin Floyd (1-5) was auditioning for a spot on next year's White Sox roster. The Twins' Garrett Jones hit his first career homer, and Michael Cuddyer drove in 4 runs -- 2 of them on a bases-loaded single that broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth.
The Twins had 4 hits in that inning, the first time they've done that in one inning since Sept. 8 -- a span of 117 innings. In his ninth start this season, Floyd established a career high with 7 strikeouts, but he allowed 7 hits, 4 runs and 3 walks in 5¿ innings.
"He showed me a lot of great stuff," Guillen said. "He's got one more outing, and hopefully he continues to throw the ball like that."
The 32-year-old Hunter, who was drafted by the Twins in the first round at age 17, was having a difficult time thinking about leaving all the people he has met here.
"Everybody was telling me, 'Good luck, God bless,' like I was retiring or something," Hunter said.
An announced crowd of 29,382 came inside on a sublime autumn afternoon for a game between two eliminated teams, with perhaps the last chance to watch Hunter in a Minnesota uniform the main attraction.
The Twins play the final week of the season on the road, and Hunter becomes a free agent after the World Series. He's making $12 million this year. With a .290 average, 28 homers, a career-high 104 RBI and Gold Glove defense, his market price might be too much for the team's tight budget.
There were a handful of homemade banners in his honor held by the fans sitting behind the wall where he has taken away so many homers with leaping catches. One of them read, "If you sign him, we will come."
Gardenhire refused to concede.
"We're going to do everything we can," Gardenhire said. "As much as these fans love this young man, I think that's going to go a long ways in the decision to keep him here. I think he should be a Minnesota Twin for the rest of his life. That's my opinion. I don't open the checkbook, but that's my opinion."
Twins 7, White Sox 1
On the mound: Starter Gavin Floyd (1-5) was roughed up for 4 earned runs before being replaced by Mike Myers in the sixth. Things didn't go much better for Myers, who allowed 3 runs in less than an inning of work.
At the plate: The only scoring the Sox could muster came on an RBI single by Juan Uribe in the second. Josh Fields had a pair of hits, including his first triple of the season.