{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1981)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox baseball biography | image = Tom Mastny at Spring Training 08.jpg | caption = Mastny signing autographs at Indians' Spring training 2008 in Winter Haven, Florida. | name = Tom Mastny | position = Relief pitcher | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|2|4}} | birth_place = Bontang, Indonesia | bats = Right | throws = Right |debutleague = MLB | debutdate = July 30 | debutyear = 2006 | debutteam = Cleveland Indians |finalleague = MLB | finaldate = September 25 | finalyear = 2008 | finalteam = Cleveland Indians |statleague = MLB | stat1label = Win–loss record | stat1value = 9–5 | stat2label = Earned run average | stat2value = 6.13 | stat3label = Strikeouts | stat3value = 85 | teams = *Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|2006}}–{{mlby|2008}}) *Yokohama BayStars ({{npby|2009}}) }} '''Thomas Raymond Mastny''' (born February 4, 1981) is a former Indonesian-born American Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He stands {{convert|6|ft|6|in}} in height and weighs {{convert|220|lb}}. Mastny is the only Indonesian-born player in Major League history. He was raised in Zionsville, Indiana, where he played for Zionsville Community High School. He made his major league debut with the Indians on July 25, {{mlby|2006}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 30, 2018 |title=Indonesian Contributions: DID YOU KNOW? |url=https://ifmagazine.net/indonesian-contributions-did-you-know/ |access-date= |website=International Focus Magazine}}</ref>
==Career== Mastny, nicknamed "Mr. Nasty", was born in Bontang, Indonesia, and played collegiate baseball at Furman University, where he was primarily used as a starting pitcher. In {{mlby|2003}}, he was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year,<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 21, 2003 |title=MASTNY NAMED PITCHER OF THE YEAR; MITCHELL AND NORMAN EARN ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS |url=https://eweb.furman.edu/athletics/baseball/archives/2003Season/press%20releases/tournament2.htm |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Furman Paladins}}</ref> but was not widely regarded as a top-tier prospect. Mastny was selected in the 11th round (320th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.<ref>{{Cite web |title=11th Round of the 2003 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=2003&draft_round=11&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He began his professional career that year with the Auburn Doubledays of the Single-A New York–Penn League, going 8–0 with a 2.26 ERA in 14 starts. He also struck out 68 batters in {{Fraction|63|2|3}} innings.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Tom Mastny Minor, Japanese, Winter & Independent Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mastny001tho |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
In {{mlby|2004}}, Mastny played the entire season with the Single-A Charleston Alley Cats, going 10–3 with a 2.17 ERA in 27 starts.<ref name=":0" />
On December 14, 2004, Mastny was sent to the Cleveland Indians to complete an earlier trade in which Toronto acquired infielder John McDonald.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=John |date=December 2, 2004 |title=Jays solidify middle infield |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_news.jsp?ymd=20041202&content_id=917953&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050220141718/http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_news.jsp?ymd=20041202&content_id=917953&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp |archive-date=February 20, 2005 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Toronto Blue Jays |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Tom Mastny Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mastnto01.shtml |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
After beginning the {{mlby|2005}} season in the starting rotation of the Single-A Kinston Indians, Mastny was converted into a relief role. He posted a 7–3 record, two saves and a 2.35 ERA in 29 games (11 starts) with Kinston before being promoted to the Double-A Akron Aeros.<ref name=":0" /> He remained with Akron to begin the {{mlby|2006}} season, before being called up for a stint in the bullpen of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Mastny appeared in 36 games (one start) combined between Akron and Buffalo, going 2–2 with one save and a 2.01 ERA.<ref name=":0" />
On July 24, 2006, the Indians purchased Mastny's contract from Triple-A Buffalo.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2006 |title=Bisons' Mastny promoted to Tribe |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-109713 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Minor League Baseball |language=en}}</ref> Although still mostly unheralded as a prospect, due partly to his age (then 25), Mastny's career quickly accelerated that summer as the unexpectedly non-contending Indians began shuffling a bullpen that often struggled, particularly after the trade of closer Bob Wickman. The rookie pitcher—whose role with Akron and Buffalo was almost exclusively in middle relief, and who had recorded only three saves in the minors—was given an opportunity to close essentially by default, earning his first save with two scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on August 19.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |date=August 19, 2006 |title=Mastny saves the day for Tribe |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060819&content_id=1618387&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |website=Cleveland Indians |publisher=MLB.com}}{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=August 20, 2006 |title=Mastny Gets First Save on the Road |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2006/08/20/mastny-gets-first-save-on-the-road/25884278007/ |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=The Ledger |language=en-US}}</ref> That day, manager Eric Wedge announced that Mastny would be among those tried out in the role over the remainder of the season.<ref name=":2" /> He made 15 appearances for Cleveland in 2006, finishing 0–1 with five saves a 5.56 ERA.<ref name=":1" />
Mastny spent the entire 2007 season with the Indians, posting a 7–2 record and a 4.68 ERA in 51 relief appearances.<ref name=":1" /> In the 2007 postseason, he catapulted onto the national scene after earning a victory in Game 2 of the 2007 American League Championship Series. Mastny was brought in to face the heart of the Red Sox lineup in the bottom of the tenth inning, in which he retired David Ortiz, Manny Ramírez, and Mike Lowell in order. The Indians would go on to score seven times in the top of the 11th, handing the victory to Mastny.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |date=October 13, 2007 |title=Nixon haunts Sox as Indians tie ALCS |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20071013&content_id=2264770&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015095611/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20071013&content_id=2264770&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |archive-date=October 15, 2007 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Cleveland Indians |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref> He made three total appearances in the series, striking out three batters and walking two in {{Fraction|4|2|3}} scoreless innings,<ref name=":1" /> but the Red Sox would go on to win the series in seven games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 ALCS - Boston Red Sox over Cleveland Indians (4-3) |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2007_ALCS.shtml |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
After a spring training roster battle with Jorge Julio and Scott Elarton for Cleveland's final bullpen spot in {{mlby|2008}},<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |date=March 22, 2008 |title=Three fight for final spot in Tribe 'pen |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080322&content_id=2450922&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328105719/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080322&content_id=2450922&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |archive-date=March 28, 2008 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=MLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media}}</ref> Mastny was slotted to begin the season with Triple-A Buffalo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoynes |first=Paul |date=March 26, 2008 |title=Cleveland Indians bullpen is set as Mastny is optioned to Buffalo |url=https://www.cleveland.com/sports/2008/03/cleveland_indians_option_relie.html |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=The Plain Dealer |language=en}}</ref> He was recalled on April 15, 2008, when Joe Borowski went on the 15-day disabled list.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2008 |title=Indians place RHP Joe Borowski on 15-day disabled list |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080415&content_id=2529959&vkey=pr_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421012114/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080415&content_id=2529959&vkey=pr_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |archive-date=April 21, 2008 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Cleveland Indians |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref> Mastny made his first career start on June 3, 2008, against the Texas Rangers. He took the loss, allowing five earned runs, including home runs to Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley, in {{Fraction|1|1|3}} innings. He was optioned to Buffalo after the game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |date=June 4, 2008 |title=Early deficit does in rallying Indians |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080603&content_id=2833374&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604162346/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080603&content_id=2833374&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |archive-date=June 4, 2008 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Cleveland Indians |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref>
On December 7, 2008, the Indians sold Mastny's contract to the Yokohama BayStars of the Japanese Central League. Mastny had a 1–5 record with an ERA of 5.69 in 15 games for the BayStars in 2009.<ref name=":0" />
==Birthplace confusion== Mastny's birthplace was briefly the source of some confusion after the ''Philadelphia Daily News'''s Paul Hagen reported on August 11, 2006, "it was discovered that the Cleveland Indians media guide lists Indiana-born reliever Tom Mastny as being from Indonesia". Hagen's quote was part of a brief that was syndicated on several Internet news sites and subsequently was repeated by other writers and bloggers. That same weekend, it was reported that members of the Society for American Baseball Research had contacted Mastny's father to confirm that, although the family hails from Indiana, the pitcher was indeed born on the Indonesian island of Borneo.
That the relatively unknown Mastny's biographical trivia would be subject to scrutiny is in part due to historical implications, as he is the first Indonesian-born player to reach the major leagues, as reported by ESPN columnist Keith Law:
<blockquote>Cleveland farmhand Tom Mastny was born in Indonesia, although it was to American parents who wanted to travel the world. The 6-5 [sic] Mastny has a fringe-average fastball but outstanding control, and with a good season so far between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo, he seems likely to become the first big leaguer born in Indonesia, which would become the 52nd country to produce a major league player.</blockquote>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Baseballstats|br=m/mastnto01|brm=mastny001tho}}, or [http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=457826 MLB.com player info page]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mastny, Tom}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Akron Aeros players Category:American expatriate baseball players in Japan Category:Auburn Doubledays players Category:Baseball players from Indiana Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Category:Charleston AlleyCats players Category:Cleveland Indians players Category:Furman Paladins baseball players Category:Furman University alumni Category:Kinston Indians players Category:Leones del Caracas players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Major League Baseball players from Indonesia Category:New Orleans Zephyrs players Category:Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Category:People from Bontang Category:Sportspeople from Zionsville, Indiana Category:Somerset Patriots players Category:Sportspeople from East Kalimantan Category:Yokohama BayStars players Category:American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela