Debates like this are fun because there won’t be an answer for at least another decade. Nevertheless, it’s something worth stirring up.
Which duo will go onto have a better career out of the Carl Yastrzemski /Paul Gibson Award winners--Nick Fanti and Joe Flynn or Marcus Stroman and Steve Matz?
The latter duo already have set a high bar. Stroman had a standout career at Duke University before getting drafted in the first round in the 2012 MLB Draft by Toronto. He won 11 games for the Blue Jays last season and was slated to start Opening Day in Yankee Stadium before tearing his ACL during Spring Training in a freak injury.
All reports indicate he is back on track and will return to his previous form in 2016.
Stroman’s 94-96 MPH fastball is a dominant pitch by itself but that is only one of his weapons.
Here is an article written by Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs, which basically says each of his pitches (aside from his changeup) are among the most effective in baseball.
He compared his two-seamer to Roy Halladay, his curveball to Jose Fernandez and his slider to Chris Archer. As Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys would say–“decent”.
Anyway, Matz was selected in the second round by the New York Mets in 2009. After undergoing Tommy John surgery and suffering a couple of setbacks that delayed his pro career until 2012, he finally got going and hit the ground running. He compiled a 1.55 ERA over 29 IP in ’12, 2.62 ERA over 106 IP in ’13 and 2.24 ERA over 140.2 IP in ’14. This year he has dominated the Pacific Coast League–which is only the worst park for pitchers in professional baseball–to the tune of a 1.94 ERA over 74.1 IP. Most importantly, it is not fluky. He is striking batters out at a rate of greater than one per inning. Over his 350.1 inning minor league career, he has 361 strikeouts and only 117 walks (3.08 K/BB).
According to Adam Rubin of ESPN, he should be in line to make his Major League debut by July 1. That is not for a spot start, that is with the intention of sticking around to form a fearsome foursome of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.
It’s hard to predict anyone’s career, nonetheless someone with elbow injuries in his past but Matz appears like the real deal. He could have a long MLB career ahead of him.
Fanti and Flynn both had spectacular seasons. Fanti struck out 87 in 52 innings while allowing one double and one HR. He threw 88-89 MPH fastballs past everyone. He also crushed the ball at the plate–compiling a .541 AVG, but he will be a pitcher at the collegiate and pro levels.
The senior 3b for Ward Melville had a scary good year. He won Suffolk’s Award for best pitcher but he actually had just as much of an impact at the plate. He hit five home runs, drove in 19, scored 30 runs and reached base in 67% of his plate appearances.
On the hill, he went 6-0 with a 1.07 ERA and 73 strikeouts for the Patriots, including a school-record 14 against Connetquot in Game 2 of the AA Finals.
If Fanti and Flynn don’t sign they will be back on the draft radar in 2018 after their junior years of college. By then, Matz and Stroman might have gotten lucrative contracts, but that doesn’t mean the debate will be over.
Until then, enjoy watching four of the better players to ever come from Long Island.
