Stroman Brings Canadians Fans Pride

(Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium, Vancouver, B.C.) - When Marcus Stroman toed the rubber at PNC Park last Sunday afternoon, the right-handed pitcher was doing much more than making his Major League debut with the Toronto Blue Jays: Stroman was in the process of joining a historic group of Vancouver Canadians alumni. By making it to the big leagues within two years of first suiting up for the C's, Stroman became the fourth Canadians pitcher to do so, following in the footsteps of Santiago Casilla, Jason Windsor and A.J. Griffin.

How does a 5'9" hurler make it from short-season baseball all the way to the bright lights of the American League in 22 months? To steal a line from Stroman's Twitter bio, by "doing everything they said I couldn't. With a smile and chip on my shoulder!" Whether it be scouts debating whether his height would limit his future in baseball, or countless and almost unfair comparisons to former pitcher Tom Gordon, and even backlash from a suspension as a minor league rookie, Stroman has endured a lot to make it to Toronto. Had he not been as confident as he was in his ability to one day grace a Major League mound, perhaps the 'haters' could've won this fight.

Stroman joined the Canadians in July of 2012, and immediately demonstrated the poise and composure that saw him drafted in the first round of the annual MLB draft out of Duke University. Despite allowing three runs in his professional debut after enduring the 14-hour bus ride to Boise, the 'Stroshow' soon showed opponents and fans in the Northwest League that he was not ready to succumb to the constant chatter of his critics.

While Stroman only made seven appearances with Vancouver (going 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA) before being promoted to AA New Hampshire, the impact he had on his Canadians teammates was significant, as the clubhouse quickly gravitated to his outgoing personality. Whether it be trying to gain Twitter followers for other pitchers on the squad, introducing the music of his friend and former Duke teammate Mike Stud to those north of the 49^th, or influencing the pace of C's pitchers on the hill, his addition to Vancouver went a long way in securing the franchise's second straight NWL championship.

After Vancouver, Stroman continued to succeed with the Fisher Cats, a team he spent all of 2013 with as well. Following a few outings with the Blue Jays at Spring Training this season, he was sent to AAA Buffalo to lead the Bisons rotation, and the now 23 year old did not disappoint. In his five outings in Buffalo Stroman had an ERA of 1.69, and concluded his first International League stint with six no-hit innings against the Louisville Bats. Then, on Saturday May 3^rd, the call every young ballplayer dreams of came to his cellphone, and Stroman was suddenly a major league baseball player.

It is almost fitting that Marcus was with his mother and girlfriend when Blue Jays Director of Minor League Operations Charlie Wilson gave him the good news, because as evidenced on his Twitter page @MStrooo7, family is very important to the Long Island, NY native.

Hours after being summoned to the Jays, there he was in the bottom of the 9^th inning, staring at Travis Snider who stood 60 feet and six inches away in the batters box, completing the dream that some said he would never realize. For that moment, with eyes from Vancouver to Newfoundland fixated on one of the top prospects in Toronto's system, Stroman was, as his friend Stud would sing, the 'Young King'.

At the time that this article has been posted, Stroman has made three appearances with the Blue Jays, and sports a 2.70 ERA to go along with his first major league victory (which came on May 6^th in Philadelphia). How long he stays in the Toronto bullpen remains unseen, or whether he slides into a big league rotation before the season is all said and done. However, one thing is for sure: Stroman's professional career began wearing the red, white and black of the C's, and is proof that no dream is impossible so long as you chase it with a smile, and a chip on your shoulder.