February 3, 2021: I Can't Take the Dog
Two MLB players said important things. Michael Conforto said some things. (Virtually) hug a Rockies fan if you know one. Rickey Henderson and a dog that is it that is the tease. A proper sign off.
Punxsutawney Phil revealed we are in store for six more weeks of winter on Tuesday. Then Staten Island Chuck called Phil a damn liar and declared spring will be upon us shortly. According to Gothamist, Chuckie has been the more accurate groundhog. Don’t let me down Staten Island. Just this once.
Breaking: Players are human beings
ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote a long, excellent piece about Drew Robinson. Robinson was a Texas Ranger in 2018 and a St. Louis Cardinal the year after. Last April, he tried to kill himself by shooting himself in the head. He survived, only losing an eye instead of his life. Robinson realized he was meant to live. He meditates, exercises, and makes sure to call three people every single day. Robinson signed a minor league contract with the Giants. He will attempt to become the second player in MLB history with one eye.
I only cried once! It was the part set three days before he tried to commit suicide.
On April 13, Drew met with a woman who had a litter of puppies. He found the perfect one. He petted it, cuddled it. Then an awful feeling washed over him. He apologized. "Sorry," he told the woman. "I can't take this dog." He left in a rush, noticing the confused look on the woman's face.
"She had no idea," Drew says. "How could she? I couldn't take the dog because I was planning on killing myself."
Yeah.
Yeah. I felt that.
Finn the Dog must have read the piece, because hours after the story was published he tweeted this amazing video.
Andrelton Simmons revealed to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Observer over direct message he opted out of the Angels season with one week to go last year because of depression and suicidal thoughts.
“It was tough for me mentally to where the thought of suicide crossed my mind,” Simmons wrote to the Southern California News Group. “It was something I vowed a long time ago I would never consider again. I was fortunate to talk to a therapist, which helped me let go of those thoughts. At the end when a lot of people were still going through what most would think of as tough times, the idea of finishing the season in a bubble was too much for me to handle.”
Simmons said he has had issues with depression and suicidal ideation since he was young, but wouldn’t elaborate on those.
Andrelton decided to talk about what he went through last September when he realized it could help others be more open about mental illness.
“Some people might not like that I put this out there and some might bring their perspective and judgment to what is personal and good for my overall health. I’m ok sharing this with you because I know NOW that people’s perspective and judgment has more to do with them than me.”
Yep.
Yep yep yep.
I hope Robinson and Simmons’ stories will make other baseball players who are suffering realize it will help a lot of people if they spoke of their stories.
Well, first I hope no other MLB or MiLB player doesn’t suffer from depression, anxiety or suicidal ideation, of course. The odds of that being the case sadly are miniscule.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You could text the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. I tried the latter once and I’m still here, writing this newsletter, making the world a better, cooler place.
You could also email me or DM me or whatever. I’m around to listen/read.
Scooter! Scooter No!
Michael Conforto said he has not spoken to Sandy Alderson about an extension yet, and he doesn’t want it to be a distraction during the season, so tick tick Sandman. (I’m paraphrasing.) He also said this.
I know you can perservere, Scoots.
He also said this:
And this:
And I was all:
Scooter seemingly chose his words carefully. I suppose he is not the type to flat out say “We don’t want a douchebag on our team; we already have Syndergaard. He’s enough.”
But why can’t he say that? He’s Michael Conforto. Union rep Michael Scooter Conforto.
He made these comments as part of a presentation handing him the Thurman Munson Award, presented annually "for success and inspiration on the fields of play, and community spirit off the field." Thurman Munson definitely used the word ‘douchebag’ in his time.
It could be so much worse
Rockies owner Dick Monfort and GM Jeff Bridich…I want to say tried to explain the Nolan Arenado trade? Monfort was asked what he would tell Rockies fans, and he said, out loud, “"We know that we're not going to ever get out there and go for Gerrit Cole or some of the really top (level) free agents.”
Bridich served up a delicious word salad:
I bet he mispronounced “human”.
Here is yet another tweet:
Meanwhile in Anaheim, the Angels did not fire Mickey Callaway! He only got a suspension while they investigate. Callaway denied the accusations, even though there was plenty of, what’s the word, evidence proving his guilt.
So take a moment to appreciate the Mets now are a team that would try for a Gerrit Cole and not use the word “human” an uncomfortable number of times in thirty seconds. Remember that the Jared Porter story came out at 10 p.m. one night and he was shitcanned before breakfast the next morning. MLB is totally broken, but your team has one of the bigger pieces. Carry this fact in your heart.
Is it someone special’s birthday today?
Yes! Lucas Duda is now 35 years young. He ended up supplanting Ike Davis as the Mets first baseman of the present and future, years after he played the outfield and didn’t royally screw up. He hit exactly 30 home runs in his first full-season at his true position. He could do a JCVD split and I will never not be amazed he was capable of doing it and nobody but me seemed to care.
I still do not know how he hit this fair.
But I’m glad he did.
Duda is of course best remembered for being followed around by Curtis Granderson.
Is this the anniversary of something important?
YES! After 16 years of doing local telecasts, the New York Mets do not ask Tim McCarver to return to the broadcast booth. Tom Seaver will replace the highly-regarded broadcaster and will assume other duties within the organization.
McCarver showed up in 1983, just like me! I grew up with Timmy. And then Bobby Valentine was annoyed one too many times with McCarver pointing out when he screwed up and was shown the door. I have a lot of thoughts on McCarver but this newsletter is already too long. I promise you will read them eventually. I don’t want to deprive you of such brilliance.
I will point out I saw McCarver in a Tom Seaver tribute a month ago and to be honest I never felt the passage of time more acutely than when Tim first appeared in the video.
And now to sign off normally, pointing out for no reason the Pirates never beat the Mets 14-1 (at least since 1980)