Marcus Stroman and Special Opportunities
MLB Baseball Player Uses Special Opportunities to His Advantage Through Grit and Family Background
By: Thomas Friesen | Biokinetics Major
In the second game of the 2015 ALDS Blue Jays vs. Rangers. Marcus Stroman walked to the mound. Nobody would have expected him to return to the mound in the playoffs only six months after tearing his ACL. Through his determination, Stroman worked his way back through gruesome rehab in order to make a return to the mound in September.
In his previous four starts, Stroman was 4–0 and turned out to be the Blue Jays’ best pitcher at the end of the season. Marcus had only thrown for a couple weeks before the playoffs and struggled in the first two innings giving up three runs. Stroman kept battling and showed grit as he started to shut down the Texas Rangers. As he got out of the early jam it was a pitcher’s duel between Stroman and Cole Hamels, one of the best postseason pitchers of all time. After struggling early and giving up three runs, Stroman settled in and went on to retire the next 18 of 21 batters. After a leadoff single in the top of the eighth, Stroman was relieved. He left the mound pounding his chest and received a standing ovation from the Toronto crowd. Stroman went on to pitch seven innings scattering five hits, giving up three runs- two earned- with five strikeouts and two walks (Zwelling).
Looking back six months ago after tearing his ACL in spring training, Stroman proved to everyone why and how he has become one of the best pitchers in the MLB through his family background, special opportunities, and grit in order to become the best.
Marcus Stroman falls to the ground and knows something has gone wrong as the thoughts race through his head. It was a typical day at the Toronto Blue Jays’ spring training facility and Stroman was doing his typical bunt coverage work when he went to go field a bunt. He was called off by third baseman, Josh Donaldson, and as Stroman was pushing off with his left leg, he heard a pop as his teammates surrounded him in silence. He will never forget arriving in the trainer’s room and hearing the devastating news from the team doctor, Steven Mirabello, saying, “Marcus you tore your ACL, it’s gone” (Zwelling).
Stroman always outworked others regardless of all the stereotypes put on him because of his height. He is listed at 5’8” and many viewed him as too short to become a successful pitcher, so Stroman has always needed to outwork his competition. His hard work became evident to people when he tore his ACL. In his first day of rehab when he was asked what his goals were, he replied, “Pitch in September” and “I will do whatever it takes” (Zwelling). Through his grit and determination, Stroman put in the work of two workouts a day while also taking five classes at Duke University while rehabbing to complete his Sociology degree. Through his grit and determination, Stroman returned to the mound only 5 months after surgery when the typical recovery time is anywhere from 6–12 months.
Stroman used grit to defy the slim odds and stereotypes of being too short to become the sixth pitcher under 5’10” to start an MLB game in the 21st century, and currently being the shortest pitcher in the MLB. Many of his teammates, coaches and the media describe Stroman who gets the most out of his size because of his relentless work ethic. According to Angela Duckworth in her book Grit, she explains how people who want to become successful put in the effort and have perseverance in order to become successful. Some of the main characteristics of someone with grit is their ability to have interest and passion in what they are doing and practicing their craft every day. She also states that one must need a “top-level” goal that becomes critical to you that it consumes your life. Stroman’s grit and determination, from his willingness to work harder than everyone else and setting “top-level” goals, allowed Stroman to separate himself from his peers and competition in order to become successful.
It was a typical Saturday morning when Stroman had one of his best friends Joe Botti sleeping over with him. Joe thought it was going to be a typical morning of sleeping in, but he thought wrong. Stroman’s Father Earl woke them up at 8 am to run sprints and workout. The relationship between Stroman and his father was not the greatest, but it was because his dad was always trying to push him to become successful. After the workout, his dad made them a breakfast consisting of an apple, an orange, and pineapple juice with protein pancakes. Unlike many other kids, Stroman’s father after his workouts would make him read Newsday articles at a young age to increase his reading competition.
Stroman at a young age always felt he had to work harder than his competition to become successful. His dad saw that in him at a young age and pushed him to become successful. Their relationship when Stroman was younger was not the best. Stroman said how him, and his dad struggled for the “first 17 years”(“Stroman Personal Interview”). Stroman’s father understood hard work while working for the NYPD and knew what it was going to take if Stroman wanted to become what he said. After all the fights Stroman and his dad had, it set in and can be seen through Stroman’s work ethic today. The support Stroman received whether he believed it was good or not helped put him in the situation he is in today.
Stroman used the advantages of his family background to help push him into the successful person he today. With always having his parents by his side and pushing him to be successful Stroman’s family background taught him hard work which allowed him to push himself harder than others. Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers talked about family background and how important it is in order to become successful. Gladwell explains how you need support and that nobody can be successful on their own. Gladwell writes, “no one, not even geniuses, ever make it alone.” Gladwell shows an example in Outliers with Chris Langan. Chris Langan was known as the smartest man in America with an IQ of 195. Langan had no family support growing up in Bozeman, Montana as he was dominated by a drunken stepfather which taught Langan to be independent. Langan never had someone in his family teach him how to become successful. Today Langan is living in rural Missouri on a horse farm, but if Langan was able to get support from someone, Langan’s life would be much different. Stroman with the help of the support from his family was able to use the skills he learned in order to become successful.
On June 4th, 2012, Marcus Stroman sat in his living room with all his family and friends on the first night of the MLB draft. Stroman dreamt of becoming an MLB baseball player and his dream was about to come true. Suddenly Stroman hears what he has been dreaming about his whole life, “with the 22nd selection of the 2012 first-year player draft the Toronto Blue Jays select Marcus Stroman.” These kinds of special opportunities that were given to Stroman that propelled him to be successful.
Stroman was given many opportunities that gave him an advantage over others in becoming successful. In high school, Stroman participated in showcases for college coaches which lead to him getting invited to invite only showcases. Some of the showcases Stroman was invited to include the Perfect Game National showcase as played in the WWBA world championships which bring in hundreds of college and professional scouts (“Perfect Game”). Because he was from New York in high school it is hard for high school baseball players to get noticed by MLB scouts in the north without being noticed in showcases. With the special opportunity of going to showcases, it led to Stroman getting a scholarship to Duke University. With the opportunity of playing in the ACC, Stroman was able to compete against some of the best competition in the country. By becoming one of the best players in college baseball it led to the special opportunity of being drafted in the first round and give him the special opportunity of getting more time from the organization to be successful because they have put so much money into him.
Just like how Stroman gained his special opportunities, author, Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers, Gladwell explains, “Outliers are those who have been given opportunities — and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them (267). Gladwell goes on to show the story of Bill Gates and the special opportunities he was given to become successful. Gates gained a couple opportunities that separated him from everyone else such as being sent to a top-level private school where he was able to start a computer club and run it when most colleges during this time did not even have. He was also given the special opportunity of hanging around the University of Washington’s computer center where he was always given free rein to be there. With those special opportunities Gates was able to get a big advantage over his peers. The opportunities Stroman was able to obtain and take advantage allowed for him to become successful.
Marcus Stroman took the mound for the championship of the World Baseball Classic against Puerto Rico. This was the biggest game Stroman has ever thrown in, there were 56,000 people in the crowd at Dodger Stadium. The United States was the underdog in the game as team Puerto Rico was filled with top MLB All-stars such as Carlos Correa, Yadier Molina, and Francisco Lindor. Stroman went on to throw 6 no-hit innings before giving up a leadoff double in the top of the 7th inning. Stroman used his special opportunity to become successful. Throughout his life, Stroman was granted special opportunities to showcase his talent that he gained through his family background and grit. Stroman was able to become successful because of his parents' support and their effort in trying to make Stroman successful. Stroman used his grit to work harder than his competitors in order to be successful. Most importantly Stroman was given special opportunities to be successful and took full advantage over them.
Works Cited
Bennett, Elizabeth. “Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.” Houston Chronicle,
Nov. 2008, Malcom-Gladwell-1594899.php. Accessed 29 Oct. 2018.
Carter, Ben. “can 10,000 hours of practice make you an expert?” “BBC,
BBC.com/news/magazine-26384712
Duckworthy, Angela. Grit. Simon and Schuster, 2016.
Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The Story of Success. Little, Brown and Company, 2008. Print.
Stroman, Marcus, Guest. “Marcus Stroman” Ya Neva Know, Season 1, Episode 1, 3 May 2018.
Spotify.
“Marcus Stroman.” Perfectperfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=106217.
Accessed 18 Nov. 2018
Stroman, Marcus. Personal interview. 2 Jun. 2016.
Zwelling, Arden. “whatever it takes.” Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/the-inside-story-of-
marcus-stromans-Comeback. Accessed 14 Oct. 2018
About the author: THOMAS FRIESEN
Thomas Friesen, a freshman biokinetics major from St. Cloud, Minnesota, hopes to become a Physician Assistant for a professional sports team. Friesen likes playing baseball, fishing for bass during the summer, and hitting dingers.
What I’ve Learned:
Leave your comfort zone or you will never able to discover yourself or what you could become.
Baseball helps you deal with life. To be successful in baseball, one fails seven out of ten times and through that, one must have to learn how to deal with failure and learn to adapt.
When writing, always remember to name the dogs.
To be successful, it is not one big moment that gets you there, but many hidden advantages that get you to that point.
Outliers taught me those who are successful are the ones who put in their 10,000 hours, take advantage over special opportunities, and show grit.
Fishing teaches you patience but shows you that with patience there is a great reward.
A small group of influential people can lead to big epidemics that can shift a country.
You should always be reminded of your life goals every day. One must always stay reminded so that you can focus on what you want to accomplish in life.
Always treat people like you want to be treated because you never know when you will need help from them.
Good writing is one that drops you in a moment.
It was December 5th, and I was called up to make a speech on a defining moment about my childhood. When I came to class I was not nervous at all, but when my name was called, the nerves rushed through me like a wave. I stepped up to the stage nervous, but I knew I was prepared and delivered the speech. Afterward, I was left with the feeling of self-confidence that I could do anything.
