=== VIEW COMMENTS Feature ===

Had everybody noticed?   In the sidebar, under CONTENT, the View Comments link takes you to a "Hottest Groks" page that allows you to scan for new material in the threads. 

It's more robust, though, with not only the author's ID but also a snippet from each post.  Kudos to our heavy-duty developers.  A legit platform for MC/DOV denizens?  Vot next?  Actual quality content?

=== San-Man Sez ===

[In reply to the Sagan thread] I mentioned before that much of my value in analysis for the Ms was due to NOT having the emotional attachment of fandom.  (and as I feel that dispassion wane, I understand the dangers).  Of course, this is why when I get a little giddy with slapping myself on the back for my insight, I always try to slap myself on the face, too.

Recently I noted the Ms are overloaded with catcher talent, making ANY catcher in the fold expendable, (cay Clement).

I mentioned recently that somewhere in the mix of Z trades, a bullpen arm would likely be coming.  (welcome aboard Robert Manuel).

I mentioned 3-4 years ago that Snell had the stuff to become the most dominant pitcher of the generation.  (before I knew anything about his depression issues).  I reached on that, but maintain that he's got the "stuff" to become a top 10 pitcher.  All he needs is a team where he can have FUN coming to the ballpark with.

.

=== 6-4-3 Relay to 1B Dept. ===

Pretty sure that does make you unique in cyber-Seattle, San'.  Believe that you're the only baseball-hyper-literate junkie who doesn't root M's.   (or does he...)

The visual impairment you mentioned also adds to your savant-type, unique perception... the result is obvious...

Also think that, many times, you're one of the few that follow the NL as closely as you do.

For those unfamiliar with Snell's depression issues, here's a sample to give you the flavor.

..................

Great call on Jeff Clement in retrospect.  Don't think you had anybody with you on that one.

So if you're looking at Snell's stuff as All-Star caliber, hmmmm....

.

=== RX for Depression:  H-O-P-E ===

Helping folks with depression happens to be part of Jemanji's day job, as it happens.  

The defining characteristic of depression, IMHO, is a lack of H-O-P-E.  A guy is depressed?  First and foremost, that means he's lost his goals.  A depressed man has no goals.  He has no dreams, no positive visuals that get him out of bed in the morning.  He doesn't think it's realistic for good things to happen.  At least, not the things that he cares about.

In Snell's case, that very possibly means thoughts like, "So what if I go 14-9, 3.75?  That's just the minimum they all want.  I go out and give up 3 runs, fine, I'm not fired yet.  On to the next survival week."

......................

Sometimes people wonder how aggressive/hostile behavior like this can be associated with depression.

Aggression is often a (childish) reaction to frustration (frustration over dearly-held, but thwarted, goals).  Often Stage 1 is rage against the snuffing out of our life goals (such as, our dream of MLB baseball being fun).  Stage 2 may be a resigned sorrow.  The two can blend and morph.

Snell obviously didn't handle losing well.  He reacted with completely unacceptable, hostile, behavior.   I think of it as immaturity, as opposed to evil. 

You see a lot of good people wind up in jail.  And after they're out, they can get it together.  They just got way off track.  They couldn't handle their lives, and they imploded.  

Athletes can, and do, grow up fast, given the right environment.  Snell will need to.  Maybe he's just a bad guy, like those dogfighting fools are, but Jack Zduriencik does not think so.

.......................

Depression can clear up in the snap of a finger, if a person is given legitimate and compelling new H-O-P-E.  But that hope must be (a) compelling to the individual and (b) very, very realistic.  (A depressed man's will to battle obstacles is on a low ebb.)

(*Yes, we know depression can remain latent.  But potential depression is latent for most of us.)

The implications for Snell are obvious.  A new team to pitch for is a reset button.  They have to be super positive with him, baptize him every day in "you're going to be an ace for us and you're going to be here for ten years" encouragement.

..................

It's a lot easier to convince a guy that he can be a good salesman again, if he used to be a #1 salesman. 

It's not liable to be hard to convince Ian Snell that he can be an outstanding starting pitcher, seeing as he WAS one in 2006-07.   "Hey, dude, we're going to get you right back where you were.  No worries."

Hey, gimme all the 8k, 2bb starters in baseball, who may just need an arm around the shoulder.  I'll take a dozen.

.

=== IMPLOSION ===

I don't know what Snell's family situation is.  If he had a wife, for example, who was impossible to deal with (at least for him), that is a huge caveat.  But in Snell's public statements, he has indicated that the fans, media, and Pittsburgh team are what are driving him crazy.  And from what I've read, Snell speaks of his family as having been part of his solution, not part of his problem.

That's not the end of the story, but ...

Public life is weird (he says as a public speaker in his day job).  A lot of times we fans dismiss the pains and pressures of having an entire city on your back.  

Apparently Snell couldn't handle it.  I don't think most of us could, either.  How do you think that YOU would do if all of Seattle was mocking you, including and especially the people on local TV?

I'd like to see how fast you or I would snap, if we were placed into a situation like Snell's.  You've been hounded and hounded and hounded, and here comes another snotty interviewer, you're tied to the flagpole and they're just zipping you across the face with a shoestring every day...

The day came when Ian told them, "Forget all of you.  I'm not taking any more shoestrings across the face.  I'm out of here."  I completely sympathize.   I just can't understand why it doesn't happen more often.

.....................

A lot of us, certainly I, have been close to the point to where we just didn't want our chosen lives any more.  If you're 40-ish, they call it a "midlife crisis."  Why bash some other human being who just can't handle his life any more?  You've never felt that way?

....................

From a personal standpoint, we wish Ian the best, of course.  There comes a point where baseball is less important than other things.  Google Donnie Moore, if you're under 25.

From a baseball standpoint, this one (superficially, anyway) bears all the hopeful signs for a fast and dramatic turnaround for Snell.

He's got a Rainbow Road to a life that millions of people dream about.  He's got the golden arm.  He's got a reset button on the video game.  It's time for him to enjoy baseball again.

Best,

Jeff