How much will Torii Hunter help the offense?
More than people realize. Hunter is not the “big bat” everyone had hoped the Angels would get, but he has 25-homer power, has a career .271 batting average and drove in 107 runs last year. His presence in the middle of the order pushes players like Kotchman and Kendrick deeper in the lineup, moves Matthews higher in the lineup where he is more comfortable and Hunter fits into Mike Scioscia’s offensive strategy of running and putting pressure on the defense. Perhaps his signing will be more significant than trading for one of those players the team was interested in over the past few years — Mark Teixeira, Todd Helton, Miguel Tejada, Manny Ramirez, etc. — because his speed, power and ability to hit for average meshes better with the way the Angels play ball.
