Torii Hunter has gotten some criticism lately for speaking out — on baseball’s blacks and Latinos issue, on Joe Mauer’s health, on his contract status, on the mass wearing of No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson.

Some people want him (and others) to shut up and just play ball.

I’m not in that camp. I want to know what players think about things. In fact, in the Gary Sheffield-provoked dust-up over teams being better able to “control” Latin ballplayers, I’d really like to hear from Luis Castillo and Johan Santana. And I’d like to hear what the front office has to say about that issue, too. I want to know what life is like for a very young Spanish-speaking ballplayer who finds himself in Elizabethton, Tenn., or Beloit, Wis., without the support systems that exist for their American-born teammates. (By the way, here’s a take on Sheffield from the Philadelphia Inquirer’s eloquent Claire Smith.)

I’m not necessarily looking for people to stir things up, although if that happens, it indicates there is an issue that people ought to know about. I’m simply looking for a peak behind the scenes, the inside stories that go beyond who wins and who loses and batting averages with runners in scoring position. Some people want the game to be primarily about the numbers, others want to know about the people.

Many of us want a mix.

While I’m at it, here are some other things I’d like to know:

*I’d like to hear from players about whether Torii is really the Twina “leader.” What does that mean and what will happen if he’s traded or leaves by free agency after the season. Which other players in the clubhouse fancies themselves a leader? Can Johan be a leader even though he’s a pitcher?

*Does Michael Cuddyer, to name someone who seems articulate and at the center of the team’s core, think the Pohlads have an obligation to bump up the payroll significantly in return for the new ballpark? Do the Pohlads think they have that obligation?

*Did Johan and the other Venezuelan players feel uncomfortable wearing U.S. military caps during the “Armed Forces Day” games in May considering that Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s president, is so rabidly anti-Bush? Also, how do they reconcile their country’s current feelings toward the United States with their ability to amass great wealth in this country? (See, one question from the left and one from the right.)

*Does Terry Ryan ever get really pissed by some of the oversimplifications of personnel matters as portrayed by the media. You know, like bloggers who throw out trading Torii for A-Rod? Does TR read blogs or listen to talk radio?

*Does Luis Castillo think his accomplishments get less recognition in Minnesota because he’s Latino? Compare the buzz when Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg set his errorless game record with the virtual silence as Castillo approached and broke the record? Were things different for him when he played for the Marlins, where there was both a Spanish-language fan base and media presence?

*What is Francisco Liriano’s daily regimen as he recovers from Tommy John surgery? What is the timeline for his return? Is he on schedule? What are the important dates by which he shoiuld be able to do certain things? Is the front office already thinking about how they’ll bring him along in 2008? 

*How tough is it for Lew Ford to know that he’s probably the 25th guy on the roster, and one of the candidates for a very public job loss if the Twins make a move to bolster their offense?

That’s all … for now.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 11th, 2007 at 10:07 pm and is filed under Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.