The StroShow is on the air!
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman was bringing the heat on Thursday afternoon. First on the mound. And then on social media.
Once this is clear, the StroShow is going to be very interesting this season.
An hour or so after he threw off the mound at the Bobby Mattick Training Center — where he looked in fine form — Stroman took to Twitter and expressed his profound disappointment over losing his arbitration hearing, ironically while lauding his “thick skin.”
Stroman reportedly asked for a raise from $3.4 million to $6.9 million while the Jays argued he should be paid $6.5 million, and that’s what he was ultimately awarded. Stroman tweeted: “Lost arbitration. Is what it is. Looking forward to going out and dealing again. The negative things that were said against me, by my own team, will never leave my mind. I’m thick-skinned so it will only fuel the fire. Can’t wait for this year!”
Arbitration is part of the business and Stroman, who went 13-9 with a .309 ERA in 33 starts last season, isn’t the first ball player to go through it and lose. In fact, he won his arbitration case with the Jays last year, filing for $3.4 million and getting it. Usually players are more measured in their response to losing in arbitration. However, the emotional Stroman was clearly annoyed by the process this year. He added on Twitter: “I kill myself daily for my family, friends, fans, and teammates. Work ethic beyond elite. More of the same going forward. Less communication with anyone trying to take away from that. I’m turning all the way up this year!”
“Can’t wait to be back in Toronto this year. Dealing on my mound. For the entire country of Canada!”
Interestingly, just before he tweeted about losing his arbitration, Stroman bowed out of a planned interview with the Toronto media at Dunedin Stadium, though he did promise to speak on Friday.
Stroman’s tweets were met with mixed reaction. Many of his fans supported his sentiments on social media, some blasting the Jays for not giving the Medford, NY., native what he wants. For sure, Toronto general manager Ross Atkins may have done himself and the organization a favour by just giving Stroman what he filed for and avoiding the often painful process of going to arbitration and listing Stroman’s statistical faults, if you will. But to be fair, Stroman was not the organization’s only player that went through arbitration this year.
An hour after his initial response, after social media blew up, Stroman returned to Twitter and posted: “Just being real. Not mad at all. I’m aware of the business. Just opens your eyes going through the arbitration process. Second time going through it. Still love my team and the entire country of Canada. More upset that I had to fly to AZ (Arizona) and miss my Monday workout. Lol”
The 26-year-old right-hander has established himself as an elite pitcher in the major, with a heady arsenal of pitches and a funky delivery that throws hitters off to the point where some of them react with anger and frustration, particularly his so-called “delayed” delivery when he goes into his windup and pauses before throwing the ball — a tactic aimed at throwing the hitter’s timing off. Stroman is also known for flying off the handle at times over umpires calls or hitter reactions. He’s also outspoken off the field, not shy to express his displeasure over a broadcaster’s call or a writer’s column. He has blocked a number of Toronto writers on Twitter.
For the most part, Toronto manager John Gibbons laughs off Stroman shenanigans. Gibbons loves what Stroman brings to the table and as long as he pitches well, has no problem with his colourful personality.
Veteran outfielder Curtis Granderson, who signed a oneyear deal with the Jays in January, expressed support for his young teammate.
“If I were to say anything to him about it is, ‘Hey. It’s happened, it’s done and over with, it’s time to go out there and play some baseball,’ ” said Granderson, who has been involved in the MLB Players Association since 2006. “Obviously there are going to be some things that you think about that only you’ll be able to talk about and being able to answer for yourself. But you’re one of the big guys on this team and everybody is looking forward to you going out there and doing some great things and we’re all ready to get behind you.”