'I get chills': How NY Mets' Marcus Stroman designed his cleats, and what they mean

CLOSE Mets beat writer Justin Toscano recaps the first week of spring training. NorthJersey.comPORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Even as Marcus Stroman refines his repertoire and incorporates his new split-change pitch during spring training, he also continues pushing his personal brand. This is Stroman. He seeks to differentiate himself from the pack and innovate. He experiments on and off the mound, always trying something new. His latest wave of excitement — off the field, at least — comes from designing his own cleats through his new SHUGO brand. He’s done this for the last two years. “I just wanted to be the wave, man,” Stroman said on Sunday. “I was tired of being with companies who don’t truly appreciate you as an athlete, so I just wanted to go out there and do it myself and have the opportunity down the road to sponsor athletes and see my cleat on big leaguers and kids around the world. “I get chills thinking about that.”Following the 2017 season, Stroman split with Jordan Brand, hinting in a tweet that the company made him choose between its brand and Stroman’s personal brand, “HDMH” (Height Don’t Measure Heart). Adidas, Stroman said, would send him cleats that would break at…
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