Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy Leads The Way In May

Are you a true believer in Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means?

It took me a long time to come around on John Means. I’m still not 100% sold on his ability to be an effective piece five years down the road. I look at his numbers on a routine basis, dive into his Baseball Savant and Brooks Baseball data, and read the deep analytical pieces on Means that all sing his praises, but I think I’ve built a protective wall that prevents me from really falling in love with any pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles system. Can you blame me?

Means is doing everything he can to make me a believer and doing a fantastic job. In his five May starts, Means finished 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, both marks bettering his April numbers of 2.82 and 1.07.

As with Bundy, Means’ strikeout rate dropped, but so did his home run rate and batting average against. Both pitchers finished among the top 22 major league pitchers in May ERA.

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Means set the tone early in the month of May, working arguably the best outing of his very young career against the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox. He went a career-high seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits. He fanned four hitters and walked none, earning his second win as a starting pitcher (picked up a win against the Rays earlier in the year as a reliever).

Means finished up just as strong, putting in a six-inning performance against the Tigers last week. He allowed one run on three hits and struck out a career-high seven hitters. It was also the second time in a month in which Means went at-least six innings and issued no walks.

What will the month of June bring, other than a large list of new names to the organization through the draft? Tune in and find out. Also, come join the conversation on Twitter and give us a follow @BirdsWatcherFS.