Means: The difference in development between Duquette and Elias

[wildcard]

John Means was asked and responded to what has been the difference between player development under Duquette and Elias.  He says that the difference is communication and he thinks there is more of  a plan now how be become a major league player.  How to improve.

He says that coming up he didn't not know what he had to improve to become a successful major leaguer.   Under Elias/Holt now everyone knows what it takes to be a big leaguer. Now its all about repertiore, its all about pitch development,  its all about spin rate. And these guys have all the tricks in the world to do that.

Here is the whole interview:  (response to this question at the 6:00 minute mark)

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/video/hot-stove-john-means

 

 

[scOtt]

Great stuff, that he always just located before and now "they have a plan" how to pitch. Added some velo to his FB and Holt taught him how to take some velo off his change.

 

BTW, great interview with Trey Mancini after that vid. Excited (as we ALL are) for him to get back to ST and baseball! #f16ht!

[Philip]

Teachers are supposed to provide guidance above all else. It may be good, it may be bad, it may be ill suited for the person, but if you’re not providing structured guidance, you’re bad. I am glad the people who are able to provide that are now in charge.

[Frobby]

LOL on Harold Reynolds talking about difficulties for starting pitchers preparing for last season and then asking Means “what about a reliever like yourself?”   (1:42-1:54).  Glad to see you know what you’re talking about, Harold!

The other interviewer mentioned that Chris Holt was pitching a no-hitter in the 7th inning one time when Drayton McLain decided to show off to a friend how the stadium roof could be closed.    Never heard that one.   Unbelievable!

 

[OrioleDog]

37 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The other interviewer mentioned that Chris Holt was pitching a no-hitter in the 7th inning one time

Wait, so this guy...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/holtch01.shtml

...is our guy?!

Boy is that a career I had completely forgotten.   Look at them 200 IP seasons - you can do it Grayson!

[Frobby]

55 minutes ago, OrioleDog said:

Wait, so this guy...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/holtch01.shtml

...is our guy?!

Boy is that a career I had completely forgotten.   Look at them 200 IP seasons - you can do it Grayson!

Actually, now that I think about it, I think our Chris Holt is NOT the one who pitched in the majors.    Another failure to do homework by these guys!   And both times, Means was polite and didn’t correct the error (I assume he knows that Holt didn’t pitch in the majors, though maybe that’s not a good assumption).

 

[Sanfran327]

Every developmental effort in the world benefits from a clear roadmap regardless the subject matter. I'm not sure how this is such a big revelation in MLB / MiLB, but apparently it was - and it was not that long ago. When you don't know what you don't know, there's no clear path forward.

[SteveA]

I think that transition to pitching in the majors is one of the most difficult jumps in sports.

Because you can't just improve at what you have been doing.   A pitcher with major league talent has been able to get hitters out basically just on his stuff through little league, high school, college, and certainly the low minors.   There has been no need before the pro level to master things such as additional pitches, changing speeds, making your release look exactly the same on a fastball as a changeup, etc.   All you have to do from about the age of 7 until you reach the mid-minors is get batter with the command of your primary pitches.   That's it.

But unless you are one in a million, that won't cut it in the majors.   You have to start learning this other stuff that you've probably never been heavily exposed to, because pure talent alone won't major league hitters out.

I have to think the ability to develop pitchers is probably THE most critical asset that an organization can have to be successful.  If you could only choose one.   Above good scouting, above analytics, above everything else.

[Number5]

2 hours ago, SteveA said:

I have to think the ability to develop pitchers is probably THE most critical asset that an organization can have to be successful.  If you could only choose one.   Above good scouting, above analytics, above everything else.

Even above trashcan banging?  😁

[ChipTait]

On 1/10/2021 at 5:42 PM, Frobby said:

Actually, now that I think about it, I think our Chris Holt is NOT the one who pitched in the majors.    Another failure to do homework by these guys!   And both times, Means was polite and didn’t correct the error (I assume he knows that Holt didn’t pitch in the majors, though maybe that’s not a good assumption).

 

This article about the coach Chris Holt does link to the pitcher mentioned above, but they could possibly be mistaken.

https://calltothepen.com/2020/10/26/baltimore-orioles-reported-investigation-mike-elias-not-happening/

 

 

[Frobby]

6 hours ago, ChipTait said:

This article about the coach Chris Holt does link to the pitcher mentioned above, but they could possibly be mistaken.

https://calltothepen.com/2020/10/26/baltimore-orioles-reported-investigation-mike-elias-not-happening/

 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Holt_(baseball_coach)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Holt_(baseball)

Looks like our Chris Holt is 8 years younger than the one who pitched in the majors.    The confusion is understandable since, in addition to having the same name, both were associated with the Astros.