Giants outfielder Drew Robinson and Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons revealed past mental health problems to Jeff Passan of ESPN and Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, respectively, this week. MLBTR encourages you to read both stories in full.
Robinson, then set to enter his first season in the San Francisco organization, told Passan that he attempted suicide with a handgun last April. Still alive 20 hours later, Robinson decided he wanted to live. While Passan writes that the shot did leave Robinson’s right eye “beyond repair,” Passan explains that doctors marvel that it didn’t do even more damage. Robinson has since undergone four surgeries and received a prosthetic eye.
“It represents my new look on life,” Robinson told Passan. “Even though I have one less eye, I haven’t seen things this clear my entire life.”
Neither Robinson nor the Giants have given up on his major league career. The Giants re-signed Robinson to a minors deal during the fall, and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told Passan, “We’re proud he’s a Giant, and we’re excited to see him compete for a job in camp.”
Simmons, previously an Angel who signed with the Twins last week, opted out of the final week of the 2020 season. He explained to Fletcher that concern over his mental health caused the decision.
“It was tough for me mentally to where the thought of suicide crossed my mind,” Simmons wrote to Fletcher. “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.”
MLBTR salutes Robinson and Simmons for sharing their stories, and we wish the best to those two and all who have dealt with or are currently battling mental health problems. We also encourage those with suicidal thoughts to seek help by contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or by texting TALK to 741741.
dang man. that’s some stuff. props to these guys for speaking out.
That’s terrible, wish them the best going forward, but OMG, can’t think of a more difficult position to play than the outfield with only one eye.
Bravo boys. Talking about this helps so many people.
Hopefully it gives some people on these threads perspective. Forget politics, forget sports, forget it all. We are all people. Just respect one another because someone may be close to the edge. #BeKind
Amen, well said sgord03
Amen brother
Well said. Story came out a week or so ago about kid who was a high school senior when the pandemic started. Went from a very active pole vaulter who would have gone to states and good enough to be considered someone able to compete for the state title to having school canceled and athletics canceled. He was active in other school activities too. Went to college last fall and virtual classes and stuck in his room by himself because of protocols. Ended up committing suicide. People did not understand how this could happen and were blaming parents for letting him letting him watch TV and on the internet too much. People did not understand that the kid was the polar opposite. He was forced to the internet because of virtual school The loss of human contact and all of the activities that he was involved in that involved team mates and other students. I started thinking how my kids would have handled a lockdown in high school. They were all active with others. They would have been devastated. Like you said @ sgord03, be kind!
good for Andrelton and Drew, well wishes to the both of them
Mental health is the biggest crisis facing America today, and covid didnt help. If you need help, dont be afraid to ask for it.
The lack of sports has been especially devastating for high school athletes. People underestimate the impact sports have on teenagers and the camaraderie that comes with it. To the young athletes – things will get better.
When the numbers of suicides and attempted suicide for 2020 is released it will be staggering. Same with overdoses.
Isolation and non stop anxiety are bad for us.
Sadly, I think your probably right. At so many levels, 2020 was a mental challenge for all of us. I wish Robinson and Simmons the best. I hope 2021 is a much better year for everyone.
Agreed HH. I’ve been taking every precaution and have not left the house except for essentials in a year. It’s the right thing to do if you are able to help get this pandemic under control, but anyone who says that the mental side of this is overstated is blinded by politics or their own ego. It’s really, really hard to live with this anxiety and isolation.
Not ever something easy to talk about. More awareness the better. Wish everyone good mental health. Ik it’s been tough.
Good for them. Also, a reminder that you never know what’s going on with these guys (or anybody, really).
Right. People get so worked up because they think they know what a player is thinking. Simmons got destroyed on here and on Twitter for “quitting on his team.” I hope those people see this and realize that players are people too.
And all of those Angels fans who trashed Simmons for opting out……..
not that i have but not knowing the cause can create a mob mentality. not only angels fans but the general population tend to do it.
Guaranteed if a player did that for your team, you’d react the same.
Well as an angels fan who didn’t react like that, I can guarantee you’re wrong.
When CC Sabathia decided to enter rehab and miss the playoffs with the Yankees, I’m aware of how heavily that decision weighed on him. I was just as surprised as everybody but passed no judgment. All that matters is your own life and all those you love.
Yeah, most us figured he was preserving his physical health shed of free agency. There were a handful of “he quit” folks but they were in the minority.
Agree. I didn’t get mad or smash things about it either. Just figured the trying times got to him and he wanted to be with his family.
Thank god, I had to look back at that article to see if I trashed Simmons in the comments, I didn’t… Thank god: mlbtraderumors.com/2020/09/andrelton-simmons-opts-…
Neither did I, @Rangers29.
But I probably would have. Certainly wouldn’t be my first crummy take around here. & I certainly do remember questioning it at the time. Ooof. Really good lesson in holding off judgement, man.
Truly incredible stories. Mental health is so important, especially now.
Hopefully they can save others by speaking out.
read a story on ESPN about robinson earlier. amazing story. glad he’s turning things around. as someone on meds for mental health problems, i’m proud of these guys for speaking out about it
Life is hard I don’t care who you are, may God bless them both.
Very proud of these guys for speaking out, mental health problems have been taboo for far too long especially in this country.
Amazing post MLBTR, thank you for sharing. To everyone who reads this, take care of yourself and those you love.
I hope Andrew Toles gets the help he needs, it would be amazing to see him play in the majors again.
Covid and the polarized political climate really shined a light on mental health last year. Many people are struggling, regardless of their salary or status in the world. Good for both guys for speaking out. Some of us men will suffer in silence for decades before we admit we’re going through it. If you need help, don’t put it off.
Well said.
Stop the stigma!
Yes. This.
Absolutely
I recommend reading the article on ESPN about Robinson. It’s a rather long read, but definitely worth it.
agreed
Takes courage to speak out. Good for them. I hope they keep on getting the help they need. I hope everyone does. There’s going to be a lot of such need coming out of the recent past.
And props to MLBTR for amplifying their stories.
I give them a lot of credit for speaking up. What happened to them can happen to anyone.
Shame on anybody who said Simmons quit on his team. Baseball does not matter at all.
As the father of a bipolar athlete son who loves the Angels & who idolized Simba, I wish he would have talked about his issues earlier. Nevertheless we both wish him well in Minnesota which has world class mental health facilities.
As the father of a bipolar athlete son who loves the Angels & who idolized Simba, I wish he would have talked about his issues earlier. Nevertheless we both wish him well in Minnesota which has world class mental health facilities.
And we think that these very “healthy and wealthy” young men shouldn’t have a care in the world, that success somehow eradicates the ghosts and traumas of our past. (And there are other reasons for mental illness issues, many of them biological).
And then we remember Robin Williams, John Denver et al. It ain’t all what it looks like.
If you haven’t read the Drew Robinson story on ESPN, it’s amazing. It’ll take 30 minutes of your time, but it is well worth it: espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30800732/san-francisco-gia…
Mental health is nothing to joke about, and it is something that I’ve had my bouts with at times though not to the extent of Robinson or Simmons. They are heros. And I bet that being able to tell the world about it must feel like hundreds of pounds getting lifting from their aching backs.
If you want some insight on some other real life stories about mental health, Youtube is just two clicks away. It might not seem like a reliable place to get insight into this sort of thing, but there are tons of real life accounts into personal mental health struggles that are scarily real. My favorite video is this one: youtube.com/watch?v=azRl1dI-Cts This is a Ted Talk by a man who was moments away from being a school shooter, but was saved by the people around him who helped him out of that place. Warning: You might cry; Additional Warning: You might end up watching this 5 times.
Take it seriously because the moment you go from doing something to doing nothing is when it all ends.
Read it earlier today, amazing
I read his story this morning. It was an incredible story. Very deep and will touch you in many ways. I also would suggest it to everyone.
That is one crazy ass story.
I read a long article earlier today on Robinson from Barstool Sports. Incredible story.
That is amazing by Simmons. How courageous to talk about such a low and terrifying moment.
I really hope this encourages other players and just people in general to speak out. The Average Joe might think that an MLB player that seemingly has it all would never have such thoughts. It doesn’t matter how rich, how famous or how happy a person might seem, there can be all kinds of battles going on within that person.
Make yourself available to people, make sure they know you care. It could literally be the difference between you making them feel like someone is there and them feeling all alone.
True words.
Props to these men and MLBTR for bringing it in as a discussion thread.
God heals these kinds of thoughts. He restored my life that I thought was far beyond repair. Praying for both of these guys.
May God continue to watch over you and keep you safe. Glad you are still here to talk with us.
Blessings…
Reading that Drew Robinson story with my mental health history was an absolute stunner. Just a reminder that it doesn’t matter how objectively great your life is, depression does not care at all. Meds, therapy, both- whatever it takes. It is not unbeatable.
@Everlasting Dave. Great comment. Thank you.
My condolences, and best wishes, on the future. Like you said, sometimes everything else doesn’t matter. I wish more people would understand that.
Makes me wonder where elijah dukes of the rays is..if hes not doing hard time id be amazed..
Wasn’t milton Bradley another guy that was confrontational,,if that’s him then he was a cpl of french fries short of a happy meal
It’s awesome to see this. I wonder if these guys ended up with court dates for being suicidal? Funny how some people in the world are expected to pay the state and lawyers money because they were suicidal….
Definitely time we eliminate the stigma of talking about our mental health.
Sometimes its ok to not be ok.
Social media unfortunately has done a lot to impact people’s mental health in negative ways. Everybody posts the good times. Nobody posts the bad time or the struggles.. Gives people a warped sense of reality in way. Sometimes its ok to walk away from Facebook, Twitter, chat rooms like this, Instagram for a while and go take yourself on a date. Sounds strange I know, but taking yourself on a date and doing something you want to do is important. Spend time with yourself and treat yourself right.
800-273-8255
Don’t be afraid to call if you need someone to talk to.
Wow. That story from Passan is powerful. Long read, but well worth it. Had to take a few breaks while reading just from an emotional standpoint. The level of intimacy in details provided is astonishing. So proud of both of these guys for speaking out.
Bravo fellas. Andrelton is and always will be my favorite ballplayer.
So incredibly courageous. Can really help a lot of people! Amazing!
Is it possible to hit a baseball well with one working eye?
Or is Robinson’s career basically over?
Regardless, mental health is certainly the base of the pyramid!
I highly recommend reading the full story on Drew Robinson. It’s a incredible story.
HI EVERYONE. I HAVE AN IDEA. IVE SEEN SOME UNFORTUNATE COMMENTS. ID LIKE TO START SOMETHING KIND. A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN ON THIS SITE FOR YEARS. WE LOVE THE CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION AND ARGUMENTS. A LOT OF THE TIMES WE SEE STUPID, CHILDISH BACK AND FORTHS.
I AM GOING TO BE DONATING $20 TO THREE SEPARATE MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUICIDE RELATES CHARITIES WITH THE HASHTAGS #DREWROBINSON AND #TRADERUMORSMAFIA. LETS SHOW THE WORLD THAT THERES SOME GOOD OUT THERE. THE $20 IS REPRESENTATIVE OF EVERY HOUR DREW WAS ALIVE AFTER SHOOTING HIMSELF IN THE HEAD. HE HAD 20 HOURS TO FINISH IT AND HE CHOSE LIFE. LETS SHOW SOME SUPPORT IN ANY WAY WE CAN. BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE.
One of the things I think about is that maybe it is the craziness that makes these guys so good. If you like working out, and have some type of OCD, I’d imagine working out for 2-3 hours a day is no big deal. Dennis Rodman, IIRC, spent 45 minutes before the game working out, then would play 46 minutes, then would spend another 90 minutes after the game working out. And lived in his truck for a while.
Webster, from the Steelers, said he worked out twice a day, every day, even on Christmas. And I believe he lived under a bridge for a while.
The same could be said for some of our artistic geniuses.
Yeah, but the negative drawbacks make it a wash..they make a person inconsistent and unreliable most often. It’s like a wild platoon split.
I’m a 3 time suicide survivor and am legally disabled because of mental illness. What I can say is that people with depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc…are often great at functioning and are amazing people often BECAUSE of their illness that gives them unusual compassion and energy when things are under control.
The struggle with Covid was seeing a world that you found stability in come completely destabilized. The rhetoric on all levels needs to stop.
As a person who worked as a scout, and coached high level summer collegiate baseball with mental illness….it’s TOTALLY possible for those that deal eith mental health to function. It takes knowing yourself and what you can do. My mental health issues ENDED my chances at a professional front office job in my early 20s. I have 5 years back then that I can only really piece together vaguely. But all the while I’ve spent time around the game now, and raised 4 boys as a stay at home dad. I still deal on occasion, but I deal.
As far as MLBTR goes. I used to be around the site over 10 years ago when it was fairly small with a lot of regulars. The moderators hammered the comment section hard. After mentoring teenage boys with autism one on one….I have some advice
..be KIND when you’re interacting in commet sections. I had a young friend that was obsessed with a college football team. He would go into groups and make some fairly ridiculous statements. Repetitive posts, etc. He had NO friends because of his autism…and was teased mercilessly at school. That comment section WAS his social life. And some people would DESTROY him in it. Had they knew him they never would have responded that way.
So my advice is to try really hard to imagine the people you’re interacting with are real people…because they are. They to imagine they’re physically in front of you…and imagine how you’d respond in that sense. I dont think anyone would choose to crap talk a teenage boy with autism….so you just never know who you’re dealing with. That person that seems OBSESSIVE…yeah…maybe MLBTR is all the social life they have. Be kind. I’ve checked the comment section on and off over time…but this is my first real time back in a long time. Things like this are kind of ny social outlet too..even though I have the regular routine. So let’s take some joy that we have people to talk baseball with.
Love that mental health awareness is now a topic being addressed and covered. Let’s learn from these athletes and be careful how we treat each other, even on social media, and even on mlb trade rumors. Last fall I was experiencing some pretty dark moments of my life and mlbtr was one place where I felt I could go to and escape and think about baseball and talk with other fans. I left a comment regarding a player and someone said I should reconsider life and maybe kill myself. That should NEVER be tolerated whether it’s in person or online. Glad Simmons abs Robinson spoke up
MLBTR used to do amazing with moderating. That changed with the new format maybe 7 years ago now. It opened the flood gate. I suspicion they liked as many eyes in the ads as possible. Now they’re heavily advertising the subscription service because the ads aren’t cutting it. It’s just like print news. To me…MLBTR IS the comment section. I know this is a place that aggregates into, but in my trials a simple Google search will allow the same thing. I don’t find the writing to be all that great when it veers off topic. It’s all good…I just never want to hear MLBTR get on a soapbox because they allow some stupid stuff in the comment section and it drove off some really good baseball people.
Sidenote… newspaper and radio often treat people like garbage now…they used to have the upper hand on people…but now shoes on the other foot and they have a dieing industry.