Orioles LHP John Means Finishing Challenging Year On Positive Note

Entering the final month of the season, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde had a premonition about starting pitcher John Means, who has dealt with both tragedy and injuries.

“I look for John to have a really good September,” Hyde said. “Now that he’s healthy and feels good, I look forward to him pitching well this last month.”

Means did indeed overcome some of his struggles on the mound, culminating in a career-high 12 strikeout performance in the 2020 home finale Sept. 20 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Means allowed just one run for the third consecutive time in the 2-1 victory. He also tied a franchise record with seven consecutive strikeouts, joining Sammy Stewart, who accomplished that feat in 1978.

“It’s kind of bittersweet feeling,” Means said. “I’m glad I kind of found my way again but I have one start left. I wish there were 100 games left, but that’s just not the case this year. But I’m going to take that into next year, the playoffs, and just try to be me. I think I got away from myself in August and to get back to pitching like myself is a good sign.”

Means, the Orioles’ lone All-Star representative last season, improved to 2-3 with 5.02 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in nine starts. But this performance was not about the stats.

It was more about vindication.

In addition to battling some arm fatigue, Means went on the bereavement list in August after his father, Alan, passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 57. This past season has been difficult on many levels, and Means wanted to make sure he finished the year on a positive note.

“You never just want to have a whole year that you can’t figure it out,” Means said. “I think being able to come into my own and being able to just calm down a little bit and pitch well is definitely going to help me going into the offseason.”

Entering this month, Means had gone 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA in six starts.

Hyde has been one of Means’ most ardent supporters and has never lost confidence in him. Hyde was especially impressed by the right-hander’s performance against the Rays, which helped the Orioles finish the home portion of the 2020 schedule with a win.

“That was one of his better performances that I’ve ever seen here in the year-plus,” Hyde said. “I thought he had four pitches working. I thought he was aggressive in the strike zone. Just that one homer on kind of a backup slider was his only mistake of the day. Just a great job of pitching.”

Means will stay at the top of the Orioles’ starting rotation in 2021. He will likely be joined by Alex Cobb, Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer. Bruce Zimmermann will have a shot to battle for that fifth spot with several other young arms or veteran free-agent signings in spring training. Ideally, the next time any of these players pitch at Camden Yards, there will be fans in the seats and the game will have returned to normal after the challenges of the COVID-19 wreaked havoc around the world.

And the Orioles take their next step to being a contender.

“The whole year, it is what it is, but it doesn’t feel like a true Major League Baseball season when you don’t have fans cheering you on,” Means said. “We’re playing meaningful baseball here and it’s tough to not get that support, but I know it will come.”

Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox

Todd Karpovich

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