Nick Adenhart’s legacy lives on in Baltimore

Torii Hunter will spend part of Saturday at an inner-city Baltimore high school, representing the Angels at the dedication of a batting cage paid for by the Nick Adenhart Memorial Fund.

Adenhart, an Angels pitcher who grew up in western Maryland, was killed along with two friends when the car they were riding in was struck by a drunk driver in Fullerton in April 2009 . A memorial fund established in his name provides financial support to youth baseball organizations.

“What he really wanted [was] to get kids to really enjoy this game,” Hunter said of his former teammate. “That’s what he loved. That was his passion. So even though he’s not here, he’s giving back.”

Hunter’s passion is getting at-risk kids involved in the game, which is what he plans to talk about Saturday.

“Baseball has done a lot for me as far building my dream, giving me an opportunity to help my family, get them out of poverty,” Hunter said. “There’s a lot of kids out there that can do the same thing. And baseball will give them an opportunity.

“Baseball can get you an education. There’s so many things you can do through baseball. I was from the inner city and I was able to make it to the major leagues.”

The batting cage at St. Frances Academy, paid for with a $3,000 donation from the Adenhart Foundation, has been in use for more than a year although it has never been formally dedicated.

A future in politics?

Hunter, whose extensive community service has been lauded throughout baseball, says he would like to continue that work when he’s done playing. As a result, a number of Hunter’s friends have suggested he return to his hometown of Pine Bluff, Ark., and run for mayor.

“I haven’t even thought it out,” Hunter said Friday. “[But] it always comes up.”

If he did run for office, Hunter, 36, said education and jobs would be at the center of his platform.

“My thing is the school budgets,” he said. “Teachers are getting fired. There are cutbacks in schools. That’s crazy. And then the jobs. There’s no jobs for people.”

As for political affiliations, Hunter said his family is staunchly Democratic but he would prefer to remain independent.

“Both parties should be together,” he said. “We’re all separated and we never can get anything done. We should be Americans, No. 1. And we’re not. That’s stupid.

“We should come together somehow, compromise and do what’s best for both sides.”

Weaver’s next start

Manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Mike Butcher had a closed-door meeting with right-hander Jered Weaver on Friday afternoon. Scioscia would like Weaver to make three more starts this season, with the last one coming during the season’s final series with Texas.

To do that Weaver would have to make at least one start on three days’ rest, with that start likely coming Sunday against the Orioles — which is what the Angels listed in Friday’s pregame notes. Scioscia, however, said that decision has not been made.

“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow before we make a determination,” he said.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com