With the hiring of Ron Washington as manager, Los Angeles Angels fans desperately hope that there will be far more clarity surrounding this team going forward. Though, the latest news revolving around Torii Hunter's rumored place on the coaching staff is only drumming up more questions.

During Thursday's edition of Foul Territory, co-host AJ Pierzynski relayed a phone conversation he just had with Hunter, which appears to dispel recent reports of the retired outfielder becoming the Angels new first base coach. “He just started laughing,” Pierzynski said. “He goes ‘I ain't going to be the first base coach.' He did say he interviewed for the manger job. And he said ‘I want to be the manager because I can mentor the people better than as a first base coach.”‘

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Nothing has been confirmed one way or another, but this supposed revelation is going to confuse the many fans who expected to see Hunter join a reputable coaching staff that could reportedly include Chili Davis, Eric Young Sr., Clint Hurdle and Ryan Goins. While the former All-Star outfielder's ambition is admirable, it is difficult to immediately ascend to the skipper position without first serving in some official coaching capacity.

Hunter's busy schedule, which includes a barbecue business he co-founded, might cause him to be a bit more selective about potential MLB opportunities. A managerial role is obviously much harder to pass up, but Ron Washington was always going to have the edge for the slot. He led the Texas Rangers to consecutive World Series trips in 2010-11 and won a ring as the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

Torii Hunter lends plenty of credibility in a clubhouse, following a long and successful career that included nine Gold Gloves and 353 home runs. The Angels surely hope that he is still weighing his options and reconsiders his alleged stance.