Tag Archives: John Means

The funny thing is that the Baltimore Orioles played well enough to win in all three games against Atlanta this weekend at Camden Yards. But they couldn’t make it over the hump. This isn’t to say that they aren’t trying or are purposely throwing games. They just can’t put it all together in games right now. John Means put them in a spot to win today, which is all you can ask. Means’ line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K.

Make no mistake that Means was good today. Remember that a minimum of six innings of three-runs or less ball goes down as a quality start. As I said in the title, Means is very much a hard-luck loser today.

Means gave up a solo homer to Soler in the fourth inning. And that will happen with him on occasion. He will give up a home run ball here and there. But a lot of them are solo shots, and odds are those won’t hurt you.

What hurt more than the home run was DuVall’s two-RBI double later in the inning. Ramon Urias would get the Orioles on board in the bottom of that fourth inning with an RBI-double. But that closed out the scoring for the day, and the Birds fell, 3-1.

One might draw a silver lining on the fact that the Birds were competitive against one of the best teams in baseball this weekend. But there are no moral victories in baseball. Or any sport for that matter.

The Birds will enjoy a much-needed day off tomorrow at home. The Anaheim Angels come in for three start long Tuesday.

Things are going south quickly for the Baltimore Orioles. And when they go south…boy do they go south. Even ace John Means is affected. Means’ numbers look poor from last night. But he was semi-on his game. It was one small thing that sent things to disaster. Means’ line: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 7 R (4 earned), 0 BB, 7 K.

The strikeouts and walks are obviously the Means we know. Through three innings he was very good, and the Orioles were in the game. However in the fourth Franco reached on a fielding error by Jorge Mateo. It was just a routine ground ball that Mateo bobbled. No problem, right? Ground ball double-play gets you out of the inning…

…not against Tampa. They live for the small little opening in a game that they can find, and they jump through. Franco would steal second, and then Margot would send a ground rule RBI-double bouncing over the wall. If not for the error and the steal, no run would have scored. That’s what Tampa does.

Zunino’s two-run homer later in the inning would give Tampa a 3-0 lead. They’d also get a three-run homer by Cruz in the fifth, followed by an RBI-double by Lowe. To add insult to injury, Lowe would later score on an error by Ramon Urias. It was a routine infield pop up, and Urias just dropped it.

Cruz would smack a second homer, this of the two-run variety, in the last of the sixth. But the real story in this one were the errors. Again, Tampa exploits your biggest weaknesses, and they pounce on your mistakes. Even John Means suffered as a result.

Manager Brandon Hyde said after the game that he felt Means battled. And he wasn’t wrong:

I thought the first three innings, he was really good. I thought they battled him tough. A lot of foul balls, a lot of deep counts. He was making good pitches. They’re a scrappy team and he was at 60-ish pitches after three innings, putting up zeros. He had a tough time finishing guys. I’m sure when the game started, his thought were to stop this and to pick us up because he’s a super competitor and he’s a good starting pitcher and he’s going to be good. Just didn’t make pitches there in the fourth and fifth, and I don’t know if trying too much there, just not executing.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

The series continues this evening at Tropicana Field. Spenser Watkins gets the call for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Louis Head. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

One might have thought that John Means might have been just what the doctor ordered for the Baltimore Orioles against Detroit. But even Means couldn’t put a stop to the Birds’ losing ways against Detroit. Means’ line: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K.

The Orioles actually held the lead in this game early on. Cedric Mullins in effect stole home plate in the first inning during a rundown. It was an incentive way to get a run across, and it was very much against the run of play from the first twins games. And I suspect that was the intention.

But that didn’t do much to rally the team in a sense. Detroit tied the game in the fourth on an RBI-double by Candelario. Later in the inning Nunez smacked a two-run homer, giving Detroit a 3-1 lead. Further into the inning, Reyes’ two-run homer ran jt to 5-1.

The good news is that even in a losing effort, the Orioles tried to fight back. DJ Stewart homered twice, in the fourth and the sixth. Both were solo’s. But Stewart’s had a decent series against Detroit, and he appears to be heating up. Unfortunately those homers were sandwhiched by Detroit’s Grossman smacking one of his own (a solo shot). The O’s would add one in the seventh, but fell 6-4.

Means said after the game that he tried to dial his fastball back a bit yesterday after firing it hard in his last outing:

You know, I really tried to slow down a little bit today. Just try to kick it back into first gear. I felt my last outing, I was pretty jumpy and a little too aggressive. I thought today I would slow it down. I thought it was pretty good for the first few innings and that one inning, I was missing my spots. Physically, I feel good. My mechanics, I’m going kind of going back and forth on certain things and trying to get back in that rhythm I went on before. Trying some different things out. I’m not going to quit.

Quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports

Sometimes pitchers do things like that. And sometimes it works. Detroit hitters could have been waiting for blazing fastballs in the game. Instead they were waiting for whatever Means threw. Sometimes that sort of strategy can work; yesterday it didn’t.

The O’s now head to Fenway Park in Boston for a three-game series. Spenser Watkins gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Nick Pivetta. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Tampa always seems to find a new way to beat the Baltimore Orioles, even when John Means pitches. And Means was good last night, but he was lifted early due to a high pitch count. Means’ line: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

Means seemed to indicate after the game that he wasn’t totally hitting on his fastball, as in fastball command. Means on his outing:

It was the definition of a grind of a start. That’s what happens when the fastball command isn’t just quite there. I wasn’t commanding in well, I wasn’t commanding going away well. I had to use every pitch from pitch one to pitch 94. I wasn’t able to get in a groove and this team is pesky. They’ve got me the last couple times. But I’m proud that I grinded it through.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI-single in the first inning gave the O’s an early 1-0 lead. However Mountcastle got bopped ever so slightly on the head when he was thrown out trying to steal, and had to leave the game. He remains in concussion protocol. On top of that injury, Trey Mancini fouled a ball off his groin in the fifth and was down for a few minutes. As the title suggests, some losses hurt more than others.

I’m typical Tampa fashion, they took the lead in the second on a softly hit ball – an infield hit at that. Kiermaier hit a very soft grounder to Mountcastle, who threw to John Means covering first base – Means bobbled the throw, and two runs scored. However Pedro Severino’s solo homer in the bottom of the inning tied the game back up. And they took the lead later in the inning on Richie Martin’s RBI-double.

The O’s actually appeared to pull away in this game at one point. Austin Hays’ solo homer in the third gave them a 4-2 lead. That was extended to 5-2 on Jorge Mateo’s RBI-triple in the last of the fifth. Mateo was claimed off of waivers by the O’s on Thursday from San Diego. He made an immediate impact.

But Tampa refuses to lose – frequently. Cruz smacked a three-run homer in the sixth, immediately tying the game. They would also put five runs across in the eighth, and the Birds put one across (in the eighth). This shoving the O’s down to defeat once again.

The series continues this evening at Camden Yards. Spenser Watkins gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Shane McClanahan. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Today was what Baltimore Orioles fans affectionately call “John Means Day.” That of course signifies a day that John Means starts for the Birds. And he probably had his best outing since going on the DL in early June tonight against Detroit. Means’ line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K.

My personal opinion is that Means looked as good last Sunday against Washington as he did tonight. However late in that outing he gave up a three-run homer, and left in line to be the loser. Other than that he pitched great. Minus the home run, he looked equally as good this evening.

Ryan Mountcastle’s third inning RBI-single gave the O’s a 1-0 lead. Means did however surrender one homer, and it was a solo shot to Haase in the fourth. That tied the game at four. But Means wasn’t about to allow that to snowball, and Oriole bats weren’t about to quit.

Maikel Franco hit a solo homer of his own in the fifth, giving the Birds the lead back at 2-1. In theory, that’s all the Orioles needed. But a one/m-run lead is the worst kind to have.

I’ve written a lot about how the O’s need to start holding their opponents accountable for their mistakes in games. The fact is that opponents hold the Birds accountable all the time. An error snowballs into a big inning, or a misplaced pitch travels a long way into the stands. Teams aren’t shy about making the Birds pay for their mistakes.

The O’s loaded the bases in the sixth, and with two outs it appeared that they were going to let Detroit off the hook. Maikel Franco looked to have grounded out to short. However…Detroit second baseman Castro bobbled the throw from the shortstop, and eventually dropped it. Franco was safe at first, a run scored, and the bases were still loaded.

Mind you, that one run doesn’t represent holding your opponent accountable. The O’s basically got that one by default as a result of the mistake. The holding accountable part came in the immediate aftermath – when Pat Valaika smacked a two-run single, giving the O’s a 5-1 lead.

That was a huge moment in the game, and the Orioles rose to the occasion. And in doing so they gave their starter John Means a cushion in a game in which he was outstanding. Detroit would load the bases in the ninth, but they only were able to muster a sole run to narrow the lead to 5-2, this on an RBI-groundout.

The O’s will go for the series win in the finale tomorrow at Comerica Park. Spenser Watkins gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Tyler Alexander. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

John Means made one bad pitch for the Baltimore Orioles today. Other than that he pitched well enough to win. And he deserved to get the win. But that isn’t how it always works out in baseball. Means’ line: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

The Birds found themselves trailing early when Zimmerman’s RBI-groundout scored a run in the first inning. But they didn’t trail for long. Come the last of the first Trey Mancini sent a shot deep into the left field grandstand, tying the game at one.

One inning later, it was Maikel Franco’s turn. His solo shot gave the Birds the lead, which was extended to 3-1 in the fourth on a solo homer by Ryan Mckenna. At least for awhile the ball was flying off of Oriole bats.

However the mid to late part of the game slowed down. It kind of turned into a long slog. Of course Washington used this time to take the lead. Zimmerman, once again – this time a three-run homer. This gave Washington a 4-3 lead.

The O’s already had the series. Nobody would have necessarily blamed them for dropping the finale. But they fought on. To their credit.

The Birds loaded the bases in the ninth. Pat Valaika’s sac fly-RBI tied the game at four. Ramon Urias came to the plate as a pinch hitter, with a chance for the Orioles to walk Washington off. And to sweep the series.

Urias sent a bouncer to third. Ryan McKenna ran on contact – which to be honest, I felt was a mistake. Yet, I probably look to play it safe a little too often. And go figure, the throw from third was off line. McKenna slid in under the throw, and the Birds walked off as 5-4 winners. The okay was reviewed, and upheld.

Manager Brandon Hyde addressed his decision to send McKenna after the game:

We had one of our better guys to have at third base in that situation, obviously running on contact there. McKenna got a really nice read, ball hit dirt early, great slide at the end. I was just kind of hoping the throw would be off-line. He’s a plus runner and got a good break. … Good things happen when you put the ball in play and Mac with a really nice contact read there. Was a fun one.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Again, I would have held the runner. But had they done that…all bets would have been off. It’s a win. And had I been in the dugout odds are I would have managed them right out of said win!

Leave it to Tampa to spoil John Means’ return to the Baltimore Orioles from the Injured List. Now on one hand, it would have been tough to expect Means to be what he was before going on the IL. It was a win just to have him back on the mound. But he did have his struggles. Means’ line: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 2 K.

I don’t think that fans need to worry about this signaling impending doom regarding John Means. He was actually better than his numbers indicate. His strike to ball ratio was about 2:1. And if anything that could have been part of the issue – he was getting too much of the plate. But he’ll work his way back to where he was previously.

Brujan’s RBI-single in the first got Tampa on the board with a 1-0 lead. Franco’s sac fly-RBI later in the inning ran it to 2-0. The Birds would get one back an inning later on Pedro Severino’s RBI-single.

Arozarena’s solo homer in the third have Tampa their two-run lead back at 3-1. And an inning after that Mejia’s two-run homer appeared to break the game wide open for Tampa, giving them a 5-2 lead. However remember how I talk about the strange things that happen when Tampa plays the Orioles? Yeah, about that…

When I say strange things, most of the time I’m referring to Tampa taking the opportunities afforded to them. They seem to have no problem taking what the Orioles give them. But turnabout could have been fair play tonight.

Ryan Mountcastle his what should have been a sac fly with a runner at third in the top of the eighth. However Tampa right fielder Lowe dropped the ball. So Mountcastle would end up on second base. He would later score on Anthony Santander’s run-scoring single.

While the O’s never got any further than 5-3, that’s all a good sign. They held Tampa accountable for their mistake. The Mountcastle play would have yielded a run either way, as he was on third base with less than two outs. But the Birds made Tampa pay for what they did. And again, that’s a good sign. Tampa’s Mejia would smack a bases-clearing triple in the eighth, and Choi added an RBI-single, sending the Birds off to defeat this evening, 9-3.

The series concludes tomorrow at Tropicana Field. Keegan Akin gets the start for the Birds, and Tampa is yet to name a starter. Game time is set for just after 12 PM.

John Means’ start didn’t quite go according to plan for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon against Cleveland. He gave up two solo homers in the first inning. After the second one, he showed signs of discomfort. The trainers came out to check on Means, who ended up leaving the game. More on that later. Means’ line: .2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 1 K.

That of course HUGELY taxed the Orioles’ bullpen, but those are the breaks. The Birds came back in the last of the first and cut the lead in half on an RBI-single by Freddy Galvis. But Cleveland was given a huge advantage with Means leaving, and they took advantage. Third inning RBI-singles by Ramirez and Rosario would run the score to 4-1. Those two would later score on a three-run homer by Chang.

Cedric Mullins was one of the bright spots for the O’s. He went five-for-five on the afternoon, and smacked a solo homer in the last of the third to bring the O’s back to within 7-2. Cleveland would score again in the fifth on a passed ball, bringing Mullins to the plate again in the last of the fifth. And he launched A SECOND solo homer over the wall, cutting the lead to 8-3.

Cleveland would put two additional runs on the board later in the game, and the Orioles would also get a solo homer from Ryan Mountcastle. This is the first time in Mountcastle’s young career that he’s homered in three consecutive games. Needless to say, the ball was flying today.

The bigger concern of course is John Means. After the second homer he showed signs of discomfort. This after a circle changeup, which shouldn’t happen. Losing today isn’t a huge deal – it’s almost par for the course. Losing Means for any period of time would be tough.

Officially the Orioles said that Means had shoulder fatigue. But who knows what that means. If there’s a silver lining it would be that the Birds have off days on Monday and Thursday of this week. So they could feasibly skip Means on the rotation if need be, and put him on the IL retroactive to tomorrow. All of that remains to be seen.

The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards. (On a side note, tomorrow’s game will be the last ever in history in which the Cleveland Indians will appear in Baltimore, as the franchise is retiring the nickname after the season.) Jorge Lopez gets the call for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Cleveland’s Cal Quantril. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

The Baltimore Orioles appeared poised to break a six-game losing streak last night in Minnesota following a 45 minute rain delay. John Means had started for the O’s, and was predictably effective. But as I said, they “appeared poised to break the losing streak.” Appearances can be deceiving. Means’ line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K.

The Orioles took an early 1-0 lead in the first on Anthony Santander’s RBI-double. This is the third straight game in which the Birds have gotten at it right away and scored in the first inning. Unfortunately it’s almost been like the opponent has said we have them right where we want them. Even still, with Means on the mound and with Oriole bats coming in hot after the weekend in Washington, things were looking up.

Means would give up a solo homer to Larnach in the third to tie the game at one. He’s surrender a second solo homer to Garlick in the sixth, giving Minnesota the lead. But true to form, solo homers usually don’t beat you.

The skies opened up with DJ Stewart about to come to the plate with a runner on base in the eighth. The teams sat through a 45 minute rain delay before play was able to resume. And perhaps it was worth the wait, as Stewart smacked a two-run homer. That put the O’s in the lead at 3-2, and again they appeared poised to snap the losing streak.

Then the last of the eighth happened. Minnesota not only tied the game and took the lead, but they did it in grandiose fashion. They shut the door on the Orioles’ hopes of snapping the losing streak, which now sits at seven games. When the smoke cleared Minnesota had put six runs on the board in the eighth inning, and they cruised to an 9-4 victory.

After the game John Means tried to stay upbeat, saying that the O’s were still in a good spot:

Obviously, after a loss like that, it’s pretty quiet, but we approach every day with a lot of energy. We come to the field ready to win, ready to compete. I still think this team is in a good place and has energy coming to the field. It’s just can’t get that one win to get us going.

Quote courtesy of Rich Kubatko, MASNsports

As I said following the Washington series, the Oriole bullpen is really in a spot. They’ve been overused with starters not being able (or in some cases allowed) to go deep into games. And with no off day in sight for awhile. What was once supposed to be the strength of the team is now a major liability.

The series continues tonight at Target Field in Minneapolis. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Jose Berrios. Game time is set for just after 7:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles’ starter John Means followed up the best start of his life (a no-hitter) with about a lead solid an outing as one can have tonight at Citi Field against the New York Mets. Means didn’t yield another no-no, but he held the opponent scoreless for the second straight outing. And odds are he would have pitched deeper into the game had he not been coming up with the bases loaded and less than two outs. Means’ line: 6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.

Unfortunately for the Orioles, New York starter Stroman matched Means on just about every pitch. And that brought us into the seventh inning with no score. As I said, the bases were loaded with Means’ spot coming up. Under National League rules of course, Means had to hit.

But the O’s opted to lift him and they sent up Pat Valaika as a pinch hitter. And Valaika’s sac fly-RBI gave the O’s a 1-0 lead. One inning later with a runner on third, Freddy Galvis laid down a perfect bunt, squeezing the runner home. Galvis also beat the ball to first base, giving him an RBI-single, and giving the O’s a 2-0 lead.

Conforto’s RBI-single in the bottom of the eighth would get New York on the board. However after getting a couple of guys on in the ninth, they tied the game on Smith’s RBI-single. They would later walk off as winners on an infield RBI-single by Mazeika.

Closer Cesar Valdez gets the blown save and the loss. But New York had the look of crazy people in their eyes in the last of the ninth. They were determined. And the O’s stood in their way.

But that shouldn’t take anything away from Means’ performance. Technically I suppose one could argue that he fell off a bit given the fact that he didn’t pitch a no-hitter. But that’s obviously a tough act to follow. And this outing was strikingly good. It’s just a shame he was non-decisioned.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at Citi Field. Former New York Met Matt Harvey gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Taijuan Walker. Game time is set for just after 12 PM.