MARCUS STROMAN STAYS TOUGH AFTER "STARTER" COMMENTS

Look, say what you want about Marcus Stroman, but you have to admire the sheer balls on this guy. Whether he’s still capable of getting major league hitters out—especially in a Yankees uniform—is another conversation entirely. But the ego? The confidence? The sheer delusion? Tremendous. You almost have to respect it.

If you’ve been living under a rock, here’s the deal: Yankees camp was absolutely uncomfortable with Stroman last week. The rotation is crowded, the bullpen is a possibility, and the front office has been trying to trade Stroman for months with about as much success as trying to sell a broken lawnmower at a garage sale. The idea was floated that maybe he’d shift to relief, and predictably, Stroman—never one to bite his tongue—pushed back. Hard. That’s pride, that’s ego, that’s a guy with an unwavering belief in himself, even if the rest of the league doesn’t exactly share his enthusiasm.

Now, I’ve said before that when you pitch for the Yankees, you do what the team needs. Swallow your pride, be a good soldier, and help the club win. Stroman? Yeah, not happening. And while part of me thinks that’s ridiculous, another part of me can’t help but admire the sheer stones it takes to be this stubborn.

Despite all the noise, Aaron Boone handed Stroman the ball for the spring opener, and to his credit, the guy delivered—one scoreless inning, a strikeout to start, and some minor traffic that he worked around. Solid. Serviceable. Not exactly prime Pedro Martinez, but hey, he got the job done.

Afterward, Stroman made it clear he’s not losing sleep over the Yankees’ rotation situation. Speaking to reporters, including Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, he said he had “zero regrets” about his stance and didn’t care how things played out.

“I know who I am as a pitcher,” Stroman said. “I’m a very confident pitcher. I don’t think you’d want someone in your starting rotation that would be like, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go to the bullpen.’ That’s not someone you want.”

Translation: I’m not lowering myself to bullpen duty. I’m a starter, and you’ll deal with it.

Now, let’s talk about reality. Stroman is set to make $18 million this season. The Yankees spent the entire offseason dangling him in trade talks, and not a single team bit. That probably has something to do with the fact that he completely fell off a cliff in the second half of last season and was such a non-factor in the playoffs that you’d be forgiven for forgetting he was even on the roster. But here’s where things get interesting: the Yankees may be playing the long game.

The plan? Pump him up, showcase him in spring training, and hope he looks good enough that some desperate team in need of a starter bites. If they can flip him for an infielder, a reliever, or even just a bag of slightly used baseballs, that’s a win. Basically, let Stroman be someone else’s problem.

But for now? You have to give the man credit. Even if his best days are behind him, even if the Yankees are clearly looking to move on, the guy still walks around with the swagger of a Cy Young winner. Confidence, delusion—sometimes the line is thin. But one thing is for sure: Stroman’s balls are as big as ever. Whether that’s a good thing or a disaster waiting to happen? We’ll find out soon enough.