Hunter rules Twins' roost

TOM POWERS
Pioneer Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Welcome to Torii Hunter's clubhouse. Behave yourself, act like a professional and there won't be any trouble.

"We don't have too many bad apples on this team," Hunter said. "If we did, they'd have to fight me."

This is good. Every team needs clubhouse leadership, but particularly a self-policing team like the Twins. For years Kirby Puckett held the job. He was good-humored, generous and talented, and young players naturally followed his example.

But Puckett could be tough, too. I remember when a certain high-strung infielder became overly concerned about his statistics. And he began to berate teammates for making mistakes that might have cost him a hit or a run batted in.

Tired of the tantrums, Puckett picked him up and stuffed him in his locker.

Over the past few years, many of the veterans who provided leadership for the Twins have moved on. First David Ortiz, then Eddie Guardado and finally, last winter, Corey Koskie.

Little by little, Hunter has been stepping into the role. Now it's his show.

"Torii Hunter controls the clubhouse," manager Ron Gardenhire stated.

He is assisted by lieutenants Jacque Jones and Terry Mulholland. But Jones excels more at keeping his teammates loose. And Mulholland is a quiet individual who leads young pitchers by example. Hunter, meanwhile, offers hands-on guidance.

Take, for example, his efforts with loud-mouthed rookie J.D. Durbin, the self-proclaimed "Real Deal." The brash Durbin clearly doesn't understand that rookies should keep a low profile. I believe that's what moms refer to as "looking for negative attention."

In the old days, a couple of crusty veterans probably would have wrapped Durbin in duct tape and hung him upside down in one of the toilet stalls. But that isn't the modern approach. So Hunter speaks with him often.

"I talk to Real Deal a lot," Hunter said. "He always listens. When you get to know him, he's a great guy. He walked by our corner here -- me, Jacque and Shannon -- and asked if we needed anything to drink. That's respect.

"Some people just need that cockiness to help them play the game."

Overall, however, the Twins traditionally lead the league in the category of fewest jerks. Hunter agreed that was partly because personality is cheap. It doesn't cost a lot on the open market. But it's also because the team leaders keep everyone in line.

When Ortiz, Guardado and Koskie were in control of the clubhouse, they put their personality stamp on the team. The Twins were fun-loving and easygoing off the field but businesslike between the lines. That won't change much under Hunter, although his on-the-field approach is slightly different.

When the umpire hollers "play ball," Hunter becomes almost combative.

"In the clubhouse you can joke around and laugh," he explained. "But on the field, you have to have an attitude when you play. I have an attitude when I go on the field. I want to beat you."

It's like Leo Durocher used to say: "I come to kill you."

Hunter will need to fine-tune that attitude if the Twins again reach the playoffs. For whatever reason, they seemed docile -- almost subservient -- against the Yankees last fall. That combative attitude was missing. Instead of complimenting the Yankees, they should have been cussing at them.

Perhaps that will come as the team matures. But to demonstrate they've matured, they are going to have to get back to the playoffs. Gardenhire is sure Hunter will help keep everyone on task toward that goal.

"Torii and Jacque, they aren't afraid to say something to somebody," Gardenhire said. "They want you to get your work done."

Said Hunter: "We govern ourselves pretty well. When I first came up, Matt Lawton took me under his wing. He told me a couple of things. He told me: 'Don't be heard; be seen.' I kept my mouth shut and went about my business.

"Even when we weren't that good, we played the game right. We'd scare guys in the ninth, almost come back and beat them. Guys like (Ken) Griffey and Alex (Rodriguez), they used to tell me, 'You guys are going to be good someday.' They were right."

Now it's his clubhouse. Come on in. He'll let you know when you mess up.