Baltimore Orioles: 2014 Season Grades – Relief Pitchers

Oct 10, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Tommy Hunter (29) pitches in the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals in game one of the 2014 ALCS playoff at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports

Tommy Hunter is a nice piece to have in a bullpen as a transitional reliever. He can enter a game and with his velocity give a totally different look than a left-handed finesse pitcher or even a right-hander with a different style.

He frequently came into games that were starting to unravel a bit, established order, got the defense off the field and the game handed over to the lights-out final three in the bullpen.

Hunter made many positive contributions to the 2014 Orioles, particularly after the closer role was defined as better placed in the hands of Zach Britton. Hunter was 11-for-17 in closer opportunities.

Overall however, the 2014 season was not quite as good as 2013 statistically speaking. Even so, one area of great improvement was doubling his GO/AO ratio from .85 to 1.72. That is impressive. And sure enough the home runs dropped from 11 to only four given up.

Here are the last two years side by side …