Torii Hunter bullish on Angels’ future: ‘They’ll be a force’

Trout National doesn’t officially open its doors until April. But when you’re Mike Trout, you can invite your friends to play a few rounds on the course that bears your name.

And so Trout, the best player in Angels history, hosted Torii Hunter, one of the most popular and respected players in Angels history, last week. The course, designed by Tiger Woods and his team, is located in Trout’s hometown of Millville, New Jersey, and features a refueling stop in “a concrete bunker nestled behind the 14th tee and designed like a classic baseball dugout.”

Hunter said: “It’s a great course. »

Hunter could have managed his former teammate next season if the Angels had chosen him to replace Ron Washington. However, for the second time in three years, the Angels interviewed Hunter for their vacant managerial position and then hired someone else – this time, former Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki.

Hunter, speaking Monday at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast before a fundraiser for Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton, said he interviewed Angels general manager Perry Minasian.

Hunter said he thought Suzuki would do well in the position and had no hard feelings about the process.

“It was a great interview,” Hunter said. “We had a good conversation. It just didn’t work out.

“The opportunity presented itself. They were looking for a manager and they decided to interview me for the job. They told me.

“I still love Angels. That’s why I did it. That’s why I wanted to do it.”

He felt the same way about his original team, the Minnesota Twins. He said he had “put my name in the hat” for the vacant Twins manager position and had informal discussions with the team, but no formal interview.

Hunter declined to discuss details of his interview with Minasian.

The Angels have the longest playoff drought in baseball, now at 11 years, and have finished last in back-to-back seasons. Hunter said prospects need to get to Anaheim and start playing with the young players already there.

“I think these guys have a few years under their belt,” he said. “It’s time to go out there and really compete.”

The Angels’ minor league system is widely considered one of the thinnest in baseball. Hunter, who worked as Minasian’s special assistant last season, said he sees a lot of talent at the lower levels of the system.

“Maybe they won’t win the World Series next year,” Hunter said. “Maybe they won’t make the playoffs.

“A change in the dynamic of the team depends on what pieces they add. But, in the next couple of years, you’re going to see these guys, and they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

Hunter said he did not yet know whether his business interests — he owns five restaurants and two coffee shops, in addition to commercial real estate investments — would allow him to continue as a special assistant to the Angels. He hopes to achieve this.

“I love Kurt Suzuki,” Hunter said. “I played with him with the Twins in 2015 and played against him forever. I love everything about him. I would love to be there to help him along the way if I can.”

Suzuki agreed to a one-year deal, which puts him in the uncomfortable position of being a lame duck before making his first game.

“I think he’ll be fine,” Hunter said. “You’ve got to give him time and a chance to get to know the guys. The guy’s smart, he’s smart, he’s got great people skills. So be patient.”