What contributions do you realistically see John Means making to the 2023 Orioles team?

[Jim'sKid26]

https://www.mlb.com/news/john-means-suffers-back-strain-return-likely-delayed

"Elias is unsure when Means could return, but it won’t be until sometime after the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline."

I think there are 3 big questions with John Means:

1. Does he pitch at all in 2023?

2. If he does pitch in 2023, how effective is he?

3. Does his return effect how Mike Elias manages the roster around the trade deadline and beyond?

I personally think he will return to pitch in 2023 but will be less effective than most on this board would hope. 

The impact on the front office's roster management choices is TBD.

[Sports Guy]

Middle reliever/opener type guy for 4-8 weeks and maybe a bigger role in the playoffs depending on how he looks.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Sports Guy

[Moose Milligan]

None, really.

Which is a shame.  It'd be nice if he could make Gibson expendable.

[Fiver6565]

I think SG's scenario is the best case, and I think its likely he doesn't see a major league mound until September if he does at all.  Based on his interview w/ Brown and Palmer the other night, he's barely started throwing.  So I think we're looking at most of August in the minors doing some build up.

[interloper]

If Elias is allowing Means to have any effect on his trade plans, he should be fired. Fortunately, I don't think he's that dumb. 

Means is a bonus that you gladly welcome if it happens, which is probably won't. But if it does, I don't think it will be in relief. I do think he would start and maybe they're short starts at first backed up by Irvin or whomever. 

[sportsfan8703]

Realistically, Means might make a few MLB starts in September. Maybe he’s a postseason option in a creative role. He is LH. 
 

Means is the direct replacement for Gibson in 2024. A rotation of Bradish, Wells, Kremer, Means, and Rodriguez, is pretty solid, and should have us in the playoffs again. Irvin, Hall, Povich, etc… will be depth. Irvin is out of options though. 

[Frobby]

I’m counting on absolutely nothing, hoping for something.  I don’t think he’ll be ready until September at best, and who knows if we’ll need a starter then.  

[oriole]

He’ll make a few starts, hopefully help solidify the front end of the rotation for a hopeful playoff run. Considering he won’t really realistically be back until September, it’d be real nice to have a deep playoff run so he can get innings and be ready for 2024. If the playoff rotation looks something like Wells, Bradish, Means…I can’t hate on that too much. 

[Sports Guy]

Have to remember that innings restrictions are very likely for some of the starters who will be on the team in the second half of the year.

If Means is healthy, he will 100% get a chunk of innings.

[Frobby]

Food for thought: Wells and Bradish are both on pace to throw more innings at a lower ERA than Means ever did.  

[24fps]

If Means pitches at all at the ML level, it won't be much and will make little impact.  And I'd rather that be the case if it means a fully healthy 2024.

[jamalshw]

I'm hoping we see Grayson Rodriguez back after the break and I'm hoping he looks more like we expect him to look. If that's the case, I don't see Means providing much from a starting perspective. He can fill the role the Zimmermann is currently filling. I think he'll prove to be an upgrade over Irvin as a fill-in. 

It also depends on if we add a legitimate starter at the deadline. Wells and Bradish have cemented themselves in the rotation. I hope Rodriguez does that after the break. Irvin is a fill-in. Both Kremer and Gibson are questions, particularly Gibson. He was good early, but hasn't been good of late. He's also got a 4.04 career ERA pre-All-Star break and 5.11 after. 

Means will have to earn his way back in the rotation in 2023 by showing he's completely healthy and the pitcher he was pre-injury. IF he does that, perhaps Gibson or Kremer go to the pen. But more likely, I see him as a multi-inning reliever with a low to mid 4 ERA which would be an upgrade to some of the last guys in our pen. 

[Matt Bennett]

23 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Food for thought: Wells and Bradish are both on pace to throw more innings at a lower ERA than Means ever did.  

But Means with a better ERA+ in 2019 than Bradish or Wells. Balls were juiced in 2019. It was really fun to watch Means pitch that year. Wasn't much else to root for. I just remember thinking: "How did everyone miss this?" He was never on the prospect rankings. He wasn't being mentioned by Roch and Steve at MASN. I saw a lefty that looked really comfortable on the mound dropping nasty change-ups whenever he wanted. His velocity wasn't a joke either. 

[Aristotelian]

It's really difficult to say until we see how he looks. Could be anywhere from a couple of bullpen appearances to regular starter down the stretch and dark horse Game 1 starter.

[sportsfan8703]

8 minutes ago, Matt Bennett said:

But Means with a better ERA+ in 2019 than Bradish or Wells. Balls were juiced in 2019. It was really fun to watch Means pitch that year. Wasn't much else to root for. I just remember thinking: "How did everyone miss this?" He was never on the prospect rankings. He wasn't being mentioned by Roch and Steve at MASN. I saw a lefty that looked really comfortable on the mound dropping nasty change-ups whenever he wanted. His velocity wasn't a joke either. 

Means is pretty jacked. Maybe he started a new lifting routine and had a velo increase. 

Edited July 7, 2023 by sportsfan8703