Tommy Hunter is Nearly Un-hittable…from the Stretch

Fans in Baltimore are all too familiar with closers that get your heart racing for all the wrong reasons. From Don Stanhouse to Armando Benitez to George Sherill to Kevin Gregg, closers in Birdland have caused some high marks in the blood pressure category for quite some time. So why should Tommy Hunter be expected to provide any type of relief?

On Wednesday night, Hunter recorded his 10th save in 11 opportunities as the Orioles defeated the Rays 4-3. The save, however, came after Hunter had given up three hits and a run in the inning.

Now, before we just start hammering the guy, let’s look at the good he has done for the staff. His 10 saves lead the American League. If the season ended today, it would be the third straight season in which an Orioles closer led the AL in saves (Jim Johnson led the league with 51 saves in 2012 and 50 in 2013).

Hunter’s 2.84 ERA is very solid, and his one blown save came after a botched call on what should have been strike three to end the game. Hunter has provided stability to a position that was a huge question mark after the trade that sent Johnson and his 101 saves since 2012 to Oakland. What he hasn’t provided is a sigh of relief when he enters the game.

In 14 appearances this season, Hunter has only had four clean appearances, none of which were longer than 2/3 of an inning. In the 10 games Hunter has pitched in in which he has recorded an inning or more of work, he has allowed at least one base runner. After posting a career-best WHIP of 0.985 in 2013, his 1.50 WHIP in 2014 would be the worst of his career for a full season. Yet he has converted 10 of 11 saves. So what gives?

During the telecast Wednesday night, a graphic popped up about Hunter that was pretty eye-opening. Going into the game, Hunter was allowing opposing hitters to bat .444 with nobody on base. However, with runners on base, opposing hitters were batting .192, which oddly enough is the same number as his 2013 season. In other words, from the stretch, Hunter is damn near unhittable.

In fact, 2011 is the only full season in which Hunter allowed a higher batting average from the stretch than from the windup. With the numbers being what they are, one would think that perhaps it would be in Hunter’s–and the team’s–best interest to pitch exclusively from the stretch. Hunter need only look across the locker room to Chris Tillman to see the benefits.

From 2009-2011, Tillman had a prototypical windup. He was 7-15 with a 5.58 ERA. After working with Rick Peterson, the Orioles Director of Pitching Development, following the 2011 season, Tillman switched his windup to a side-step from the stretch position on the mound. Since his first start in 2012, Tillman is 25-11 with a 3.52 ERA.

If Tommy Hunter can take a page out of his teammate’s book, it could pay huge dividends. It could also provide a collective drop in blood pressure for the city of Baltimore, which would be an added bonus. Think about it, Tommy, and give us a break.

photo: Craig Landefeld