Must Watch: Veteran Hunter Throws Temper Tantrum
If you follow baseball, or if you're even just a casual fan of the sport, you most likely know that Torii Hunter is one of the most well-respected and liked guys in the game.
The Minnesota Twins outfielder always plays the game hard, but with a smile on his face.
On Wednesday Night, that smile disappeared in the bottom of the eighth inning after he was ejected.
While down 7-2 against the A.L. Central leading Kansas City Royals, Hunter was called out on strikes.
He argued the call, which we all know is an automatic ejection, but Hunter didn't seem to care at all.
While watching this video, you probably had one of two reactions:
1. "Oh my god, what a little baby."
2. "This is awesome! You go Torii."
Neither reaction is wrong.
But if you look a little deeper into the situation, what Hunter did was planned.
He wasn't being a cry baby, nor was he doing it to put on a show; he did it for his teammates.
At the time, the Twins trailed the Royals by just one game.
Coming in to the season, the Royals were one of the favorites to win the division, while the Twins were supposed to be in last.
The Twins have played hard all season and played the game the right way which has brought them close to the division lead.
It's going to be a battle all season for the Twins to remain at the top of the division, and that is why Hunter blew up.
The tantrum wasn't to show up the umpire, or to pump up the crowd, but to show the rest of the team that they need to always fight and play hard.
Hunter showed his veteran leadership last night. It was a very unconventional way of showing it, but there's no doubt that it will help that young ball club.
Even though it wasn't for show, I think we can all agree, it was still funny to watch.