Torii's Hunt For 1,000 Complete

Hunter is recorded the 1,000 RBI
of his career Monday.

It looked grim for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Monday afternoon in Kansas City until outfielder Torii Hunter came to the rescue. After yet another rough road day game start for Angel starter Ervin Santana, Los Angeles found themselves down 6-2 in the top of the third inning with Hunter stepping to the plate. With runners on second and third and one out, the former number one overall pick Luke Hochevar got Hunter swinging on a 3-2 breaking ball to escape the inning with minimal damage.

    Hunter would have his revenge.

    In the fifth, Hunter would cut the Royals lead to two with an RBI single to center field scoring Bobby Abreu, who finished the game with four hits of his own. Then in the seventh Hunter hit his seventh home run of the year bringing the Angels within one before the Royals responded with two of their own in the home half of the inning.

    Scoring two more in the eighth, Los Angeles entered the ninth inning trailing by a run with the struggling All-Star closer Joakim Soria heading to the mound. After getting shortstop Erik Aybar to strike out, Abreu promptly singled to left bringing up the hot hitting Hunter.

    Hunter launched 2-0, 90 mph fastball into the left center field seats for go-head two-run home run and the 999th and 1,000th RBIs of his career. The Angels would tack on another and go on to win the game 10-8 after a scoreless ninth from Fernando Rodney.

    Hunter is the second Angel this year to reach a milestone that includes 1,000 as manager Mike Scioscia tallied his 1,000 career victory as a manager earlier this year in a game against the Cleveland Indians.

    One of the classiest athletes in professional sports, Hunter has struggled at the plate batting only .249 through the seasons first two months, but in his last seven games the former center fielder has been as hot as anyone batting .354 with three home runs and 7 runs batted in.

    With Hunter only 280 hits shy of 2,000, 69 runs from scoring 1,000, 34 doubles away from 400, and 32 home runs for 400 in his career, along with his outstanding defense, the thirty-five-year old is building quite the resume for the baseball writers.

    Throughout his career Hunter has been know for his spectacular defense in the outfield, winning nine consecutive Gold Gloves from '01-'09 before having it snapped last season after his move to right field.

    Hunter is currently in the fourth year of a five-year $90 million contract he signed prior to the '08 season with the Angels.

    The win kept the Angels only a game back of the division leading Texas Rangers as the Seattle Mariners find themselves just a half game behind Los Angeles for second place in the American League West. It also marked the fifth blown save of the year for the Royals' Soria, after having only three all of last year. His ERA now sits at 6.55 for the year forcing the hand of manager Ned Yost to appoint a new closer.

Soria blew his fifth save of the season
this Memorial day.

Twenty-four-year old rookie Aaron Crow will take over Kansas City's full-time closer role after posting a 1.33 earned run average in his 27 innings thus far.

As for Hunter, the Angels will need the four-time All-Star to continue his hot hitting and lead this relatively young Scioscia squad if they want to be in the hunt for their sixth AL West title in eight years.

Hammerin' Harmon Has Passed

Killebrew's legendary home runs will
live in baseball lure.

The Minnesota Twins have lost arguably the most popular member of their family Tuesday morning. Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew lost his battle with esophageal cancer, passing at the age of 74. Earlier this month Killebrew decided to stop his treatment of the rare illness that be was diagnosed with last December, knowing this storybook life was writing it's final chapter. Killebrew became the cornerstone of the Twins franchise with his ability to hit the ball a long way.

    Killebrew broken into the big leagues with the Washington Senators, who would eventually move to the Twin Cities and become the Minnesota Twins we know today. There he made Metropolitan Stadium his own personal playground. He made his major league debut in 1954, but became a full starter in 1959. That season he would begin what would become a familiar trend in his career hitting 42 home runs and was named to the American League All-Star team for the first time.

    In his 22 seasons in the majors, eight of them he hit 40 homes runs or more in a single-season. His best season came in '69 when he tied a career high in home runs with 49 and drove in 140 runs, being named the American League Most Valuable for the first and only time in his glorious career.

    The eleven-time All-Star finished in the top five in the MVP voting five other times in his career. Killebrew is one of twenty-five members to be in the exclusive 500 home run club with 573, that ranks him 11th on Major League Baseball's all-time home run list. He complied 1,584 RBIs in his career, leading the American League on three separate occasions. Even though Killebrew was only a .256 during his career, he is considered by many of his piers to be one of the greatest hitter of all-time. His raw power was a marvel to watch and something baseball fans might even see again.

    In 1975, Killebrew joined the Kanas City Royals for the final season of his career, but struggled batting .199 managing to still slug out 14 home runs in only 369 at-bats. He had his jersey number 3 also retired by Minnesota that year. Following his retirement, a decade later he would be the first Twin inducted into Cooperstown in 1984, receiving 83 percent of the vote.

    Killebrew will always be remembered for this tape measure home runs that still have the baseball world buzzing. For the Twins they have encountered yet another dark cloud over their team in '11. Minnesota is currently in last place in the American League Central and have posted the worst record in the majors at 12-27. Rest in peace "Killer" you will be missed.