Torii Hunter will wear #48 for the Tigers. Beginning in 2013, Rick Porcello will wear #21.
Hunter on getting 48 from Porcello: I met him 4 yrs ago in Vegas, the good side of Vegas. Veteran guys usually offer nice amount.
https://twitter.com/TonyPaul1984/status/269545512452096000/photo/1
Torii Hunter at the press conference with DD and Mr. Ilitch.
https://twitter.com/FSDwakiji/status/269545745319878656/photo/1
Another pic with Willie Horton.
Dombrowski: Torii made it clear he'd like to play for the Tigers. We're thrilled to have him on board.
We are thrilled to have him on board." Dave Dombrowski on @toriihunter48
Mr. Ilitch presents Hunter's wife Katrina with flowers.
After putting on his No. 48 jersey, Torii Hunter tries on the Olde English 'D' hat ... "Nice," he says with a smile.
Hunter: Mr. I has a lot of fire.
Torii said Mr. I greeted him with fire: "That's what I'm looking for, too."
Hunter: I want to say thank you to Mr. I.
Hunter: I told him I want to be a Tiger, I want to win a World Series, let's get it done today!
Hunter: Your son is one of the nicest catchers in the game (to Al Avila).
Torii to Al Avila: "I did NOT know that was your son. He's one of the nicest catchers in game. He tells me all the pitches that are coming".
Ilitch: Torii's got a reputation of being upscale player, lots of enthusiasm. Thing that impressed me is he cares about everybody.
This guy has a lot of fire. I can tell that he really wants to win that WS. I'm searching for the same thing."- Torii Hunter on Mr. I.
Ilitch: First thing (Hunter) talked about was the conditions in Detroit and he wants to help people as much as he can.
Ilitch: Everywhere (Hunter's) been, he's been involved in the community.
Ilitch: "He (Hunter) cares about everybody. ... Everywhere he's been, he's been involved in the community."
Hunter: Thanks for everything you said! I'll pay you later. Mr I: I said it the way you wanted. (laughs).
After Ilitch gets done praising, Hunter tells him: "I'll pay you later for what you said. Maybe take you to dinner."
Hunter's agent: Dave and I got this deal done in less than an hour.
You've got something special. This is one of the best people I've ever met in my life." #Tigers Hunter's agent, Larry Reynolds.
Hunter: During the season (decided weaned to be Tiger). Looked at the pitching, Verlander, Scherzer, Fister.
Torii on when he decided he wanted to play with Tigers: "During the season?" (laughs) Looked at starting pitching.
Hunter: I was scouting clubs in case the Angels didn't sign me back. I saw this was the best team in baseball.
Hunter: I just continued to watch (#Tigers), thought they might have a spot open. I know talent. I know what team wants to win.
Torii: "I saw right field might have a spot open over there (Detroit). 'Larry (his agent), make a call!'"
Dombrowski: It's a much different situation than many years ago. First, the club has gotten better. Pudge coming here started it.
Dombrowski: Owner committed, players coming on board, fans coming out. A lot of players would like to come here because chance 2 win.
Dombrowski: Many years ago, when we came on board, one of our goals was to make the Detroit Tigers a place players wanted to play.
Dombrowski: 1 of our goals was to make Tigers a place where players wanted to play. 10 years ago, couldn't get calls returned.
People Torii has teased already: Ilitch, Al Avila, John Lowe.
https://twitter.com/tigers/status/269549165686702081/photo/1
Hunter wearing his Tigers' cap.
Hunter learned everything from Kirby Puckett (incl living in TX, for no state taxes). "He taught me to play every game like its your last."
Hunter: I'm excited to be a Tiger.
Hunter: Kirby, he definitely had a big influence on my life and that's why I give it to the young guys coming up.
Hunter: Porcello said no, but the money you offered, could you donate to organization for Hurricane Sandy.
Torii called Rick Porcello, tried to get No. 48. Porcello said no to the $$, but asked Hunter to donate to ppl impacted by Sandy.
Hunter: I asked (Porcello) are you sure? He said he was. Verlander and Victor Martinez texted me all day.
Porcello wore 21 in high school so he's going back to old number.
Hunter: Said he and Martinez know each other from early days in Central.
Torii said he's heard from Verlander. Said VMart has texted him all day, telling him he's close to 100%, will be stealing bases in spring.
Torii said he's glad he won't EVER have to face Verlander again. "No inter-squad scrimmages, right?" he asks Dombrowski.
Hunter: When I came over, just watching these guys, when I was with Minn, they weren't doing too well. Mr. I changed everything.
Hunter: When I came to talk to (Mr. I) Tuesday, all he talked about was winning. I really want to win a WS before I get out of here.
Torii: "Everybody knows I want to win. I've been to playoffs several times, and lost. I wanna win a World Series before i get out of here".
Dombrowski: There's one person in the world who deserves a world championship and that's Mr. Ilitch.
Hunter's agent Reynolds: I called John Westhoff, because Torii made it clear he wanted to go back to Angels because loyal person.
Hunter's agent, Reynolds: We came into Detroit Tuesday. We thought we'd come in quietly but everybody knew we were in Detroit.
Hunter's agent, Reynolds: We talked here in the office, had a great meeting. We don't try to get Team A against Team B.
Reynolds: There were about eight teams interested in Torii, would have been more if it had gone on.
Hunter's agent, Reynolds: Torii said let's concentrate on the Tigers and not get other teams involved unless it doesn't work out.
Reynolds called Dombrowski at 8:05, had a verbal agreement before DD's 9 p.m. fight to the GM meetings.
Hunter to Reynolds (who was at GM meetings): "Hey, try to find Dave Dombrowski." Said he hinted to Tigers they were No. 1 choice.
Hunter: I tried to put on a good impression. I guess I did. "He did," Dombrowski said.
Torii on Leyland: "Funny. Funny. Funny old man."
Hunter: He's a very good man (Leyland).
Hunter on Leyland: "Funny old man. He cracks me up. When I was at Minnesota he'd talk to me during batting practice and he had me rolling."
Torii on MVP debate: "That's a hot tamale. I would like for both of those guys to win it."
Hunter: 2, 5, wherever they need me to be (lineup). They told me I'll play right field.
Torii said didn't care if he hit 2 or 5 in the Tigers order.
Hunter: I made the decision to go to right field. I'm a team guy. Whatever they need me to do, I'm going to do it.
Ilitch: (Hunter) didn't walk in, he almost trotted in. I've known this guy 20 years. Right away, you're comfortable.
Ilitch: (Hunter) introduced me to his wife. We could have stayed an hour, hour and a half.
Ilitch: Thinking about more than himself, (Hunter) had other concerns about other people in the world and that made me feel real good.
Ilitch: I said I've got a solid individual here, solid human being. (Hunter).
Hunter: I've been here several times. We stayed in Birmingham. I've eaten at Fishbones. For me, I've seen growth. It looks better.
Torii on Detroit: "I've seen growth. I've seen the face of Detroit change. ... It's a lot better, but we've still got some work to do."
Hunter: We've still got some work to do. I want to give back, I want to get involved. Definitely, we can always get better.
Hunter: "I've seen the face of Detroit change, and it actually looks better downtown. Ten, fifteen years ago, it was totally different."
Hunter: This is the perfect fit. In the Central again, a division I know. I see the Tigers winning the division.
Hunter: I look at my family situation. I can call my wife and she's not asleep. Also I'm 2 1/2-3 hours from my son in South Bend.
Torii on fit with Detroit for baseball, life: "I can call my wife, and she's in the same time zone. She's not asleep."
Hunter: It's just a perfect marriage, perfect fit. I really think I can win my World Series here in 2013, and 2014.
Hunter: For me, I try to lead by example. I kind of counsel guys. I lift them up with positive thoughts. I try to lift them up.
Hunter: That's what veterans should do. I want to give back to those guys. You want to lift your teammates up.
Dombrowski said Hunter's defensive abilities were very key to signing him.
Dombrowski: You've got Austin in center and Torii in right. You want outstanding outfielders out there because lot of ground 2 cover.
