OT: John Means

[82birds]

this really sucks for him.

John Means Suffers Achilles Rupture
By Anthony Franco | December 18, 2025 at 6:58pm CDT

Free agent left-hander John Means suffered an Achilles rupture while working out this week, he announced on social media. He underwent successful surgery yesterday. Means didn’t specify a recovery timeline but seems likely to miss the entire 2026 season.

[WaltsSuccessor]

this really sucks for him.

John Means Suffers Achilles Rupture
By Anthony Franco | December 18, 2025 at 6:58pm CDT

Free agent left-hander John Means suffered an Achilles rupture while working out this week, he announced on social media. He underwent successful surgery yesterday. Means didn’t specify a recovery timeline but seems likely to miss the entire 2026 season.

That poor dude has had such a snake bitten career.

[cardstatman]

Sad for him.

What I have learned on CardsTalk... the average person is a mean person.

Sorry his last name just reminded me.

[juan good eye]

Timing is everything

[MrPostman01]

I'd say there are ways and means to get things done.

[ggnoobs]

That really sucks, I always thought he was a good pitcher.

Just reviewed his stats. He's one guy who has consistently outperformed his FIP. His ERA for his career (3.68) is almost a full run lower than his career FIP (4.56).

I've always wondered if there is something to that, or just an extended run of luck?

Mark Buerlhe always seemed to outperform FIP too. Some guys just do.

[mattmitchl44]

Just reviewed his stats. He's one guy who has consistently outperformed his FIP. His ERA for his career (3.68) is almost a full run lower than his career FIP (4.56).

Luck, mostly, for deviations that big.

If you look into Means' numbers, his FIP is significantly higher because of how many HRs he gives up (1.62 HR/9). But, as he's only pitched 401 ML innings, that number comes from just 72 HRs given up.

One could easily hypothesize that his much lower ERA is just a fluke of event sequencing, he's just happened to give up an inordinate number of solo HRs instead of HRs with men on base. An inning going HR-single-walk is different from an inning going walk-single-HR even though the individual events are the same.

He's also benefited from a higher percentage (78%) of runners left on base than ML average (about 72%). Maybe he has just been inordinately lucky when it comes to the RPs who come in to relieve him having been more effective than average.