The Blue Jays won their arbitration hearing against right-hander Marcus Stroman, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports (via Twitter). Stroman will receive the $6.5MM salary submitted by the team rather than the$6.9MM salary submitted by his representatives at the Legacy Agency (as can be seen in MLBTR’s 2018 Arbitration Tracker). It still marks a healthy $3.1MM raise from last year’s $3.4MM salary.
Stroman, 27 in May, turned in his second straight 200-inning season for the Jays in 2017, working to a strong 3.09 ERA with 7.3 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 through 201 frames. At a time when the league was surrendering home runs at historic levels, Stroman continued to limit the long ball, averaging just 0.9 HR/9 — thanks, in large part, to an MLB-best 62.1 percent ground-ball rate.
He’ll return to a rotation that will also feature Aaron Sanchez, Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ, with the fifth spot still up for grabs. Toronto could potentially add a fifth starter from an abnormally deep pool of unsigned players at this stage of the offseason. If not, prospects Ryan Borucki heads up the team’s list of rotation options on the 40-man roster now that Joe Biagini is likely moving back to the bullpen.
The Blue Jays control Stroman, a Super Two player who was in his second trip through the arb process, through the 2020 season.
Stroman took to twitter and said “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! #HDMH”
Would really like to hear things that are exchanged in a meeting like this.
There was an article in days gone by that detailed some of these comments said in meetings. Bascially, they look at a every negative stat and every negative personality characteristic connected to performance. The player’s agent does the opposite and they a decision is rendered.
In previous Blue jays administrations,, the the Blue Jays leadership has not wanted to take it to arbitration because of what Stroman mentioned, they do not want any sort of negativity between the club and the player influencing performance.
By the way,Stroman is not thick skinned, he is very thin skinned as illustrated by his many blowups on the mound. He gets easily offended and can be thrown off his game or alternatively, it may cause him to properly focus even more. Once he overcomes this, he can move into ace pitcher territory, it is this immaturity that sometimes causes him to lose it on the mound.
If he’s thin skinned and the Jays dragged him through arbitration over a small difference—well, I don’t understand that.
People always assume it’s the club dragging the player to the hearing. With the record number of hearings, it seems like the players/agents are wanting to go to arbitration.
not the case at all
It takes two to go to arbitration. Stroman could of accepted the Jays offer to begin with.
Well then why did Stroman drag the Blue Jays to Arbitration
Because he could. It’s in the CBA. More money available, greed.
I think that any pitcher who pitches more than 200 innings deserves that kind of raise. A big jump from 3.1, but seriously. 200 innings is a feat in today’s market
If you have to say, “I’m thick-skinned,” you’re not thick-skinned. Especially when you literally say it one sentence after saying, “the negative things that were said against me… will never leave my mind.” Dude sounds like a head case.
I wanted to say the same thing. He’s clearly very upset he lost 300,000 friggin dollars. He’s a good pitcher. He knows what he signed up for. He will get paid accordingly one day take a chill pill kid.
..like when someone starts a sentence with , “Not to sound racist, but….” you know they are getting ready to say something racist.
I think that’s why a team like St. Louis likes to meet somewhere in the middle of whats being offered and what the player and agent want. Keeps them from having to nitpick on every little detail and potentially feelings can get hurt and the player goes to twitter and then talks bad about the organization.
Would love to see this guy in a bigger media market. He has a very infectious personality and should be marketed by MLB (amongst some others) like the NBA does with their stars. Put this guy on a team like the Dodgers (for example) right now with his talent and he’d be big time.
Love him with the Astros
Astroman
Hahaha! If he eventually does go the only way I’d be happy about it is if this is the headline
He deserved the $6.9 MM
I’ve always been a fan of his and would love him in Yankee pinstripes in the near future. Nyc would be fantastic and he would love the festive atmosphere here
He got upset about his team not giving him 300,000 more than he wanted and made their case by telling him why he doesn’t deserve it, New York media will tear him apart.
Goose Gossage would drop dead if Stroman ended up with the Yanks! Lol
by “festive” you mean forbidden to grow facial hair, right?