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Thursday, July 02, 2009

Personal struggle leads Snell back to Indianapolis

But Triple-A hasn’t been much of a challenge for Snell. But why is he playing at this level? Snell says he’s doing it to save his life. A month ago, he says he contemplated suicide.

“Sometimes people do stupid stuff and I had to fight it, not to do something stupid and take my life for myself and from my family and my parents,” he said.

He says, emotionally, he hit rock bottom and has been battling depression. When he had bad games with the Pirates, negative comments from the media or on the Internet bothered him, so he wanted to leave Pittsburgh.

“I just want to say sorry to all the bloggers and media people for saying they don’t know anything. But I didn’t mean anything by it,” Snell said. “I was just upset at the time.”

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 01:29 PM | 23 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
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1. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: July 02, 2009 at 01:37 PM (#3240211)

“I just want to say sorry to all the bloggers and media people for saying they don’t know anything. But I didn’t mean anything by it,” Snell said. “I was just upset at the time.”

I accept his apology.

Seriously, I hope he gets better. His decline has been pretty steep considering how good he was just a couple of years ago.

2. Barnaby Jones Posted: July 02, 2009 at 01:39 PM (#3240216)

Anxiety/Depression is the new hamate bone.

3. Paul The Paranoid Android Posted: July 02, 2009 at 01:42 PM (#3240224)

Anxiety/Depression is the new hamate bone.

It certainly seems to have exploded as an explanation, but I really think that it's more guys are willing to come forward and talk about it now, rather than in the "good ol' days" where you'd drown your depressions in drink after the game.

Not to say that guys don't party hard nowadays...

4. zfan (was zambranofan) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 01:56 PM (#3240239)

This is somewhat different from some other cases, because he's not talking about anxiety, but contemplating suicide. I hope along with God and positive people, he's also consulting medical professionals. But here's to Ian Snell becoming Greinke 2.0. May he have all the success in the world for facing up to the issue.

5. andrewberg Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:02 PM (#3240246)

it's contagious

6. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:02 PM (#3240247)

I think Greinke and Khalil Greene contemplated suicide too, although it was anxiety, not depression.

7. Babe Adams Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:07 PM (#3240258)

Not specifically with respect to Snell, but I'm wondering if a diagnosis could have insurance implications for a long term contract.

8. TedBerg

Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:11 PM (#3240263)

It certainly seems to have exploded as an explanation, but I really think that it's more guys are willing to come forward and talk about it now, rather than in the "good ol' days" where you'd drown your depressions in drink after the game.

I'd also guess it's something of the George Carlin "Shell Shock vs. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder" thing. I have no examples, but I'm guessing there must have been guys in the 50s and 60s who "just couldn't get their heads on straight" or whatever, before there were more specific diagnoses and mostly -- like you say -- athletes more willing to address their mental health issues publicly.

9. Craig Calcaterra Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:17 PM (#3240268)

I wonder whether the current cases -- Votto, Greene, Willis, etc. -- aren't suffering from any number of other things, but that it's labled as "anxiety" because Greinke's experience made it acceptable in baseball circles the way depression or any number of other neurosis aren't yet.

10. Riki Tiki Javy Lopez Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:18 PM (#3240275)

Was TFA being sarcastic when it quoted a reporter as calling Snell "pal" in a condescending way? Does that really happen?

11. There are no words... (Met Fan Charlie) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:26 PM (#3240287)

Good for him for talking about it.

12. Ron Johnson Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:26 PM (#3240288)

#8 Alex Johnson is a clear example. Jimmy Piersall and Jackie Jensen too I guess, though I'm not clear either of those situations would have played out in a different way today.

13. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:38 PM (#3240307)

Steve Blass perhaps? Donnie Moore probably. I can't recall who it was, but one player who used coke a lot in the 80s said it was a way to deal with the anxiety of performing.

14. Argu!!!! SATAN!!!! (Sessile Fielder) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 02:39 PM (#3240309)

Was TFA being sarcastic when it quoted a reporter as calling Snell "pal" in a condescending way? Does that really happen?

No, it was not being sarcastic. The reporter, John Perrotto, really did get pissed off at Snell's suggestion that he and other non-baseball players wouldn't understand the situation even if Snell tried to explain it. You can listen to the exchange here (h/t Bucs Dugout).

15. Cod Guy Posted: July 02, 2009 at 03:23 PM (#3240358)

I'm guessing there must have been guys in the 50s and 60s who "just couldn't get their heads on straight" or whatever

Tony Horton was a pretty famous example of this; things got so bad with him that he had to retire.

16. aleskel

Posted: July 02, 2009 at 03:54 PM (#3240400)

Chuck Knoblauch attributed his famous throwing problems to depression brought on by his father's death.

17. puck Posted: July 02, 2009 at 03:57 PM (#3240404)

and Jackie Jensen too I guess

I thought Jackie Jensen was afraid of flying. Was it something more general/overarching than that?

18. Ron Johnson Posted: July 02, 2009 at 04:10 PM (#3240423)

#17, dunno. That's why I put in the "I guess" -- and the caveat that it might not have played out differently.

I know I'd heard that there was more to the Jensen situation than just fear of flying but it's not like I've got medical records or anything.

19. vortex of dissipation Posted: July 02, 2009 at 04:27 PM (#3240452)

I'd also guess it's something of the George Carlin "Shell Shock vs. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder" thing. I have no examples, but I'm guessing there must have been guys in the 50s and 60s who "just couldn't get their heads on straight" or whatever, before there were more specific diagnoses and mostly -- like you say -- athletes more willing to address their mental health issues publicly.

A fairly obvious case, but there was Willard Hershberger back before even then...

20. frannyzoo Posted: July 02, 2009 at 04:35 PM (#3240460)

I'm finally getting around to the Curt Flood biography "A Well-Paid Slave..." and just because these guys are doing something we all dream of, it doesn't mean it's all dreamy.

21. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: July 02, 2009 at 04:39 PM (#3240469)

No, it was not being sarcastic. The reporter, John Perrotto, really did get pissed off at Snell's suggestion that he and other non-baseball players wouldn't understand the situation even if Snell tried to explain it. You can listen to the exchange here (h/t Bucs Dugout).

Listening to that, what is Snell even speaking to the media about this? Why do players feel obligated to talk to the media?

22. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 04:40 PM (#3240470)

If I were an MLB player, I'd probably have a hard time with the popularity. Lots of people loving me, hating me, or projecting indifference. The notion that my life was now on display for all to incessantly chatter about might drive me into what Greinke or Snell deal with.

23. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: July 02, 2009 at 04:41 PM (#3240473)

Listening to that, what is Snell even speaking to the media about this? Why do players feel obligated to talk to the media?

When in Rome, do as the Romans do? They might not want to be singled out for being different.

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Personal struggle leads Snell back to Indianapolis

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