Tom Mastny is set to begin his fourth professional season in the Indians organization. Following a solid career at Furman, including an unbelievable senior year, the right-hander was selected in the 11th round by the Toronto Blue Jays. After spending time in the Jays farm system, he was involved in a trade that sent him to his present employer, the Indians. Mastny was married four months ago to Joanna who is in her third, and final, year at St. Mary’s University Law School in San Antonio, Texas. The couple reside there for now but expect to move again soon due to his wife’s job possibilities in the Navy. Mastny spent time with Diamond Prospects during January to answer some questions for us, enjoy his interview. DP-Please list any college statistics of importance, awards won: TM-My college career was pretty mediocre until my senior year. Up until my senior year I had around a 4.30 ERA and was a .500 pitcher. My senior year, however, something clicked and I had a great year. I led the NCAA in ERA with a season ERA of 1.09 in 124 innings or work. I finished the year 11-2 and was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year. I was also named to the NCAA Division-I All-American team, All-Conference team and I was named Furman Male Athlete of the Year. DP-Please list any major high school accolades: TM-In high school I was a good player, but not great. I thought I was a lot better than I really was. I was a late bloomer. The major accolades that I received were All-Conference my Junior and Senior year, and All-State my Senior year. I was 23-2 my Junior and Senior year’s combined with a 0.93 ERA and 0.91 ERA respectively. DP-What are some of your nicknames? TM-I really don’t have any nicknames. The names I hear the most are “Big Furm” which stands for Furman and my size. I am 6’6” and 230 lbs so people think I’m pretty big. One of my good friends (Brian Patrick who graduated from Duke in ’03) that I played college summer ball and professional ball (Blue Jays) with donned me with that nickname. The other name I hear the most is “Freak”, again just because of my size. DP-What is your greatest high school thrill? TM-My greatest high school thrill was graduating. Other than that it would have to have been being named All-State. High school was pretty boring for me and was glad to move on in life. Baseball was pretty much my life back then, I did play a little soccer up until my sophomore year and golf (for a hobby) but nothing much other than that. DP-What is your greatest thrill, or two, beyond high school? TM-Beyond high school I have had a number of thrills. Graduating from college was a big thrill and a huge accomplishment in my opinion. Next, getting drafted in the 2003 draft. Both of these accomplishments had been life-long goals of mine. Winning the ERA title in the South-Atlantic league and being named to the All-Star teams my first two professional seasons were big thrills also, but I would have to say that my biggest thrill was getting married this past October. DP-Who are the three toughest hitters you faced in high school and the three toughest after high school? TM-To be honest with you, I can’t remember any hitters from high school. College hitters? Tough question, but I would have to say: Ryan Gordon (UNC-Greensboro), Buchanan (Western Carolina) and Khalil Greene (Clemson). DP-What was your toughest adjustment (in and out of baseball) after high school? TM-The toughest adjustment for me was being on my own and having to study for school. College was a lot tougher for me than high school was. As for baseball, the biggest adjustment I had to make was from going from the top player on the team to an average player, and having to prove myself day in and day out. My work ethic really had to improve in college. DP-What is the biggest crowd you’ve ever performed in front of and where? TM-I would have to say the biggest crowd that I have performed in front of was last year up in Akron, Ohio. We had a weekend game in front of about 10,000 people. Next would be Staten Island, New York were I pitched in front of about 8,500. In college, the biggest crowd was against Clemson were there was about 4,000 people packed into our stands. DP-Tell people out there what draft day was like for you: TM-Draft day for me was a little bittersweet. Being drafted was always a dream of mine, and after my senior year was over and draft day came, I had high expectations. I had a great senior year, and had been told by some teams that I should expect to be taken in the 4th-8th round. Well, draft day came and the rounds started rolling off. By about the 9th round I decided enough was enough and my friend and I left for Chicago to go to a Cubs game with my sister (the game was actually the game that Sammy Sosa had the corked bat so that was kind of cool). On the way up to Chicago I received a phone call from the Blue Jays telling me that I was drafted in the 11th round. Of course I was ecstatic, but a bit disappointed in the round I was drafted. I soon got over the disappointment of not being drafted as high as I would have liked, and realized that I had finally reached one of my major life’s goals. DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a person and why? TM-The person/people that have had the greatest impact on my life are my parents and my wife. All three of them have contributed to my success in different ways, but the one thing that they all have in common is …
Read More
