John Means 2021

[Il BuonO]

I’m not convinced Means is anything more than a mid to back of the rotation guy, but that’s good on this team. 

[ChipTait]

I guess that's why we watch the games?

[OFFNY]

o

 

BOSTON RED SOX )))))) (April 2nd) ))))))  [OPENING DAY]

Enrique Javier "E.J." Hernandez - 2B

Alexander Verdugo - CF

Julio Daniel Martinez - DH

Xander Bogaerts - SS

Rafael Devers Calcano - 3B

Dustin Hunter Renfroe - RF

Marwin Gonzalez - LF

Christian Vazquez - C

Bobby Dalbec - 1B

Nathan Edward Eovaldi - RHP ) (4-2, 3.72 ERA)

 

 https://www.baseballpress.com/Lineups

 

o

[murph]

Was there any reports on if his velocity was up in the spring, like last year?  Wouldn't that separate him from back of the rotation and mid rotation or better type starter?   Assuming he doesn't lose anything else he had, command, great change up, etc...

[Il BuonO]

13 minutes ago, murph said:

Was there any reports on if his velocity was up in the spring, like last year?  Wouldn't that separate him from back of the rotation and mid rotation or better type starter?   Assuming he doesn't lose anything else he had, command, great change up, etc...

Seemed like the increase in velocity didn’t help him at the outset, though. As the season progressed, I thought I remember him dialing it back so he had better command. Even so, I’m not sure an increase in velocity puts him at the top of any rotation other than on this team. His CH is the key to his success.

[murph]

35 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

Seemed like the increase in velocity didn’t help him at the outset, though. As the season progressed, I thought I remember him dialing it back so he had better command. Even so, I’m not sure an increase in velocity puts him at the top of any rotation other than on this team. His CH is the key to his success.

Now that you say that (about him dialing it back) I think you are right.  I guess I was just dreaming on a dominating lefty in our rotation! 

[BohKnowsBmore]

56 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

Seemed like the increase in velocity didn’t help him at the outset, though. As the season progressed, I thought I remember him dialing it back so he had better command. Even so, I’m not sure an increase in velocity puts him at the top of any rotation other than on this team. His CH is the key to his success.

His velocity remained significantly higher than the prior season. 
 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/john-means/16269/graphs?pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2018&end=2020&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=FA

 

he really only had two or three really bad innings that made his season ERA poor/mediocre. he sported a sub-1 WHIP, for example, which is VERY good. Also increased his k/9 by nearly 2. 

[Il BuonO]

4 minutes ago, BohKnowsBmore said:

His velocity remained significantly higher than the prior season. 
 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/john-means/16269/graphs?pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2018&end=2020&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=FA

 

he really only had two or three really bad innings that made his season ERA poor/mediocre. he sported a sub-1 WHIP, for example, which is VERY good. Also increased his k/9 by nearly 2. 

Overall, yes, but it decreased throughout the season. More importantly, his increase did not provide better results.

We see from this that the velocity bump Means experienced in 2020 was the second largest in baseball. That should be exciting, right? Everybody loves faster fastballs, but for Means in 2020, fastball velocity wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Rather, Means regressed overall from his 2019 highs, with a 4.53 ERA and 5.60 FIP, which is not good by any means.

....While finding a couple of extra ticks in velocity, Means didn’t quite reap the benefits that would normally be expected from that. Notably, Means wasn’t seeing a jump in strikeouts, which is not the greatest of looks considering he already wasn’t the biggest strikeout pitcher in 2019:

Also a good take on what happened to his CH with the increase in velocity.

https://www.pitcherlist.com/john-means-is-still-a-work-in-progress/

[scOtt]

Just now, murph said:

Was there any reports on if his velocity was up in the spring, like last year?  Wouldn't that separate him from back of the rotation and mid rotation or better type starter?   Assuming he doesn't lose anything else he had, command, great change up, etc...

Hard to tell with no TV games or the reduced Gameday... I think Hyde said he was hitting 95.

 

Velo is not his key to success. Good change and breaking stuff is.

[scOtt]

Just now, Il BuonO said:

Overall, yes, but it decreased throughout the season. More importantly, his increase did not provide better results.

We see from this that the velocity bump Means experienced in 2020 was the second largest in baseball. That should be exciting, right? Everybody loves faster fastballs, but for Means in 2020, fastball velocity wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Rather, Means regressed overall from his 2019 highs, with a 4.53 ERA and 5.60 FIP, which is not good by any means.

....While finding a couple of extra ticks in velocity, Means didn’t quite reap the benefits that would normally be expected from that. Notably, Means wasn’t seeing a jump in strikeouts, which is not the greatest of looks considering he already wasn’t the biggest strikeout pitcher in 2019:

Also a good take on what happened to his CH with the increase in velocity.

https://www.pitcherlist.com/john-means-is-still-a-work-in-progress/

ftfy...

[Sports Guy]

Doesn’t have the same velocity today as of yet.

Couod be that it’s early in the game (and season). Could be that it’s cold (although Eovaldi is bringing it).

Either way, hopefully he can recapture that velocity this season.

[BohKnowsBmore]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Doesn’t have the same velocity today as of yet.

Couod be that it’s early in the game (and season). Could be that it’s cold (although Eovaldi is bringing it).

Either way, hopefully he can recapture that velocity this season.

He can pitch at whatever velocity he wants if the results continue to be similar to today

[Aglets]

Guess this is an acceptable start from your Opening Day starter. 

[Il BuonO]

Well, almost ace-like. He’s not a SO guy, so I’m satisfied. This is as about as good as can be expected from Means and I’m happy to be proven wrong if he continues like this.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Sign him to a long term extension NOW!!!