That was a pretty big game for Tommy Hunter. If you were to pinpoint the major issue with the Rangers starters so far this year, it has been efficiency. The starters are currently not getting through enough innings and that's been because they're not getting through their innings in a reasonable number of pitches.
Enter Tommy Hunter.
If the Rangers are going to try to continue living with Rich Harden and Scott Feldman struggling to produce long outings, they really need a guy like Tommy Hunter. Tommy Hunter is a guy that is looked at as a potential innings eater. He's a guy that can give you seven or eight innings while pitching effectively enough to keep the team in the game. To put into perspective of what that means, the ideal guy for Tommy Hunter to become would be Rick Helling.
Today Tommy Hunter was better than just an innings eater or Rick Helling. He pitched possibly the best game by a Ranger all year if you consider the insanely hot weather conditions and the opponent. He did it efficiently, as well. He got through the nine innings with 76 strikes in 116 pitches and an inning with 8 pitches, an inning with 12 pitches, and two innings of 15 pitches.
And while he only had six swinging strikes, he was getting a lot of called strikes on his curve ball.
That's good bendy stuff.
No one can expect, nor should expect, Tommy Hunter to pitch a complete one run game every time out. That isn't the type of pitcher that he is. He doesn't have a large margin for error. Today was the ceiling. But he is a guy that is going to be valuable because he gives the team quality innings. It's nice to see Big Game back in action.
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