“Torii Hunter was drafted by the Minnesota Twins back in 1993, and his first two spring trainings happened to coincide with Kirby Puckett’s final two years in the majors in 1994 and 1995. As a high school kid out of Arkansas, Hunter soaked up as much knowledge as he could from the future Hall of Famer. Whether it was about baseball or life, Puckett was quick to offer advice to the young Hunter.
“He was my guy, seriously. He was the guy that in spring training he always took me out,” Hunter recalls. “I called him constantly to try to figure out different things. He was there for me. He didn’t have to pick up the phone. He did pick up the phone. I’d call him and tell him what my problem is, whether it’s finances, family or baseball. He was there for me.”
Now Hunter finds himself on the…
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