Way back in the beginning, when Mike Seander started making music, he used a closet in his apartment as a makeshift recording studio. There was a cheap microphone, and some towels were hung up for sound proofing.
Seander had no idea where it might go, but he was backed by a supportive friend, a fellow pitcher on the Duke University baseball team named Marcus Stroman.
“Really he was the first person who ever heard it and just was like ‘Dude, you’re pretty good at this,'” Seander said. “I remember him being a fan. ... I think in hindsight he kind of instilled a confidence in me when I didn't know what the hell I was doing at all.”
That friendship grew over the years, as Stroman found success in the major leagues and Seander — stage name mike. — continued to evolve with his music, which he describes as a hybrid of hip-hop and country. Stroman, 32, made the All-Star Game for the second time this year, while Seander, 34, has been playing live shows and working on another album.
“He's one of my best friends,” Stroman said. “I have a very small circle. We're just very similar mentally, spiritually. ... We’re great balance for each other. He’s been a huge reason that I’ve been focusing on myself spiritually over the last five, six, seven years. Yeah, he’s a big proponent and person in my life who helps me navigate mentally.”
Stroman could be one of the top arms on the market ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline, but the Chicago Cubs continue to hang around the edge of the playoff race. Chicago (48-51) took three of four against St. Louis in its last series, and it was 5 1/2 games back in the NL wild-card race after Sunday's action.
Stroman is 10-7 with a 3.09 ERA in 21 starts this year. The right-hander, who could become a free agent after this season, faces the crosstown White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Wednesday night in what might be one of his last starts with his third big league team.
“I love being a Cub. I love everything about it,” Stroman said after pitching six effective innings in a 10-4 victory over Boston on July 15. “But as someone who's been through it before, it's something you kind of have to distance yourself a bit because a lot of it's out of your control and no matter how much I love it, I can wake up tomorrow and be gone.”
Part of the bond between Stroman and Seander is based on an understanding of two unique professions and the mental and emotional toll that goes along with each one. They share a mindset, bolstered by their friendship, that helps each one go through their success and challenges of their lives.
“There's many examples of he said something I needed to hear or vice versa,” said Seander, who started his career under the stage name Mike Stud. “I just sent him a message when he got chosen for the All-Star team this year, just reminding him of his impact on my life, and it really is an undertone of true inspiration to see somebody continuously execute and continuously grind and chip away at being better as a person and a player.”
Seander and Stroman first met when Seander hosted him on a recruiting trip to Duke. Seander is from Cranston, Rhode Island, and Stroman is a Medford, New York, native, so they had East Coast ties. They also were basketball players.
Seander really started to work on his music as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery. Stroman has joined him on some of his songs over the years, including “These Days” in 2016 and “Shine.”
“I just really respect, I think he has a great taste and ear for it,” Seander said.
“If he really wanted to put the time into it, he could be a good musician himself.”
Stroman said the two share a similar outlook.
“I'm extremely happy on the day to day. He is too,” he said. “And to truly be happy is something that we both focus on. And, yeah, like I said, when you're in tune with the universe and you're living a proper spiritual life you kind of get through anything with ease.”
