Baltimore Orioles: 2014 Season Grades – Relief Pitchers

Oct 11, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Andrew Miller (48) pitches in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals in game two of the 2014 ALCS playoff at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Miller throws some of the nastiest stuff ever seen from a left-handed pitcher. A huge presence on the mound, the ball appears to come from about one-third of the way toward first base while sweeping in and diving as well.

Acquired at the trade deadline, Miller certainly performed the role for which the Orioles acquired him. In 23 games and 20 innings for the O’s, he was 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA and WHIP of 0.60.  That’s ridiculous. Throw in 34 strikeouts as well … so more than half his outs never put the ball in play.

Somebody is going to pay this guy a huge amount of money to become a closer for them, and he is going to be successful at it. It would be wonderful if it could be the Orioles, though I can’t see how it would be. Honestly, Zach Britton could be stretched some and used as a multi-innings reliever, perhaps pitching over 100 for the season. It would be a terrific bullpen scenario.

Time will tell if Eduardo Rodriguez develops for the Red Sox to become a top-tier pitcher, thereby making the trade look less wisely consummated than it does right now. But, the Orioles had a legitimate shot at winning it all this year, and it was not crazy to roll the dice a bit to go for it.