Can Means become the Orioles’ version of Kuechel?

[bobmc]

4 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

I know I’ve posted it a while back when it happened, but I had the chance to meet Buck (2012) and asked him about Tillman.

The story had been that Peterson simplified his delivery and that was the reason for his success. Buck was having none of it, and attributed the success to Adair, his pitching coach. Even though, prior to being called up Adair had not worked much with Tillman.

It seems to me, the TTTP talk was handed down from Buck so I’m not sure it would have mattered who was PC. Then, forcing guys into a one-size-fits-all delivery the organization pushed, which Britton mentioned in regards to Arrieta (don’t remember if he used his name, but pretty clear who it was) and Buck’s fierce loyalty to staff and vets didn’t help.

I also wondered about the conditions under which Connor left.

What I like about the new regime is that the dugout seems very collegial - all are equals and bounce ideas around.  Hyde is the manager but listens to all sides, including the players, from the way it appears on camera and in interviews.

[Il BuonO]

3 minutes ago, bobmc said:

What I like about the new regime is that the dugout seems very collegial - all are equals and bounce ideas around.  Hyde is the manager but listens to all sides, including the players, from the way it appears on camera and in interviews.

Seems that way. 

As an aside, I thought Buck was the right guy when he was hired and positively changed the culture. He just outlived his usefulness to the team.

[Il BuonO]

Pardon the derail.

Hey, maybe they can move Hess to the pen, sign Keuchel and he can mentor Means. I’m sure a 100+ loss team is just the opportunity he’s looking for.

[Bubble Buddy]

3 hours ago, LA2 said:

Guthrie, Millwood, Matusz, Arrieta, Bergesen. Actually had a semblance of a rotation then. Not much of a record, but except for the future CY Award winner, they made their starts and averaged close to or over 6 innings.

Kevin freaking Millwood. Haven't thought about his season with the Orioles in a long time. 

Edited May 8, 2019 by Bubble Buddy

[Redskins Rick]

3 hours ago, Il BuonO said:

Seems that way. 

As an aside, I thought Buck was the right guy when he was hired and positively changed the culture. He just outlived his usefulness to the team.

I think Buck was fine, when DD had control of the team. King Peter took back control, and it went down the poop chute.

[Redskins Rick]

5 hours ago, Frobby said:

It’s interesting how things get forgotten/misremembered over time.   I was pretty sure the O’s were terrible under Connor, and that he had a key role in screwing up Matusz.    But when I looked, I found the following:

1.   The staff had a 4.22 ERA under Connor, 5.33 under Adair the remainder of the year.

2.    The rotation had a 4.16 ERA under Connor, 6.23 under Adair the rest of the year.

3.   The bullpen had a 4.33 ERA while Adair was bullpen coach, 3.96 after he left to become pitching coach.

4.   Matusz didn’t even start a game until June 1, less than two weeks before Connor left.   He missed the start of the year with an oblique injury.

5.   Zach Britton started that year in the rotation and had a 3.18 ERA under Connor, 6.22 under Adair.    That’s interesting because I remember that Britton was very critical of Adair during the Wallace/Chiti regime, though never mentioning Adair by name.

 

 

Who was it that helped Britton work on the sinker and thats was turned him from one leg out of baseball into a premier closer for a couple of years?

[Il BuonO]

5 hours ago, Redskins Rick said:

Who was it that helped Britton work on the sinker and thats was turned him from one leg out of baseball into a premier closer for a couple of years?

Britton really discovered it by accident while trying to throw a cutter. His pitching coach, Calvin Maduro, saw the action he had with the grip he was using and told him to “keep it”.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18932184/how-baltimore-orioles-zach-britton-became-new-mariano-rivera

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Il BuonO said:

Britton really discovered it by accident while trying to throw a cutter. His pitching coach, Calvin Maduro, saw the action he had with the grip he was using and told him to “keep it”.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18932184/how-baltimore-orioles-zach-britton-became-new-mariano-rivera

I hope Zack bought him something nice.  Like a house.

[OFFNY]

o

 

A little high on the free passes (3 Walks in 6 Innings Pitched), but this was another solid outing overall for young John Alan Means.

56% of the outs that he recorded (10 out of 18) came via the Groundout and the Strikeout.

 

 

18 OUTS: ) 4 Strikeouts, 4 Groundouts (Including 2 Double Plays), 3 Popouts, 3 Lineouts, 1 Foulout, 1 Flyout 

 

JOHN ALAN MEANS )))))) (vs. ANGELS, 5/12)

IP:lll6

H:llll 4 )l (1 Home Run, 1 Double,  2 Singles)   

R:lllll 1

BB:ll3

SO:ll4

Pitches: ll)110 )(67 )Strikes, )43 )Balls)

2019 ERA: ))2.33  ))  38.67 IP  (10 ER) 

2019 WHIP: ))1.034  ))  38.67 IP  (40 H/BB)

2019 OPPONENTS BATTING AVG: )).211 ) (30 for 142) 1

 

PITCHES BY INNING

*************************

29 lll(15 llStrikes, l14 llllBalls)

18 lll(10 llStrikes, lll81 llBalls)

17 lll(11 llStrikes, lll61 llBalls)

20 lll(14 llStrikes, llll61 llBalls)

91 lll(51 llStrikes, llll41 llBalls)

17 lll(12 llStrikes, lll51 llBalls)

 

o

[InsideCoroner]

Really nice outing. He’s been impressive this year, especially on a pitching staff that give up 5-1/2 runs a game. 

[TonySoprano]

 

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, TonySoprano said:

 

This surprises me.    Of course, starters went a lot longer than 5-6 innings back in the day.  

[Moose Milligan]

Didn't appear to have his best stuff today but still gutted it out.  Settled down after a 30+ pitch inning and still figured out a way to win.  Pretty awesome.

[murph]

28 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Didn't appear to have his best stuff today but still gutted it out.  Settled down after a 30+ pitch inning and still figured out a way to win.  Pretty awesome.

First chance I have had to see him pitch, always just kept missing him and finally saw a few of those invisiball change-ups everyone has been mentioning and they were fun to watch, but sure seemed like he was throwing more fastballs than I expected.   I guess you can't let them sit on the change.....   Happy we have an arm performing this well, will try to be sure to catch a few more of his starts.  

[HowAboutThat]

On 5/8/2019 at 12:31 PM, Bubble Buddy said:

Kevin freaking Millwood. Haven't thought about his season with the Orioles in a long time. 

 Kevin Millwood retired with $130 million in the bank, and a completely, splendidly mediocre record as a baseball pitcher.

Gotta tip your cap.