May 19: Khalil Greene Should Get Help
There was a disturbing story about Khalil Greene in today’s Post-Dispatch and on STLtoday.com, written by Joe Strauss. I’m sure most Cardinals fans who cruise the site have seen it by now, but in case you missed it, you can read it here….
Greene isn’t playing well. He’s been struggling for a long time. Since the start of last season, Greene is hitting .211 in 488 at-bats with the Padres and Cardinals. His OBP over that time, .265, is the lowest by a player in the majors since the start of the 2007 season. Greene has struck out 114 times, with 32 walks. And he’s lacked range at shortstop. Hoping to ease the pressure on a struggling player, manager Tony La Russa has eased Greene out of the starting lineup.
It seems that Greene is beating himself up — and that’s not a metpahor.
As Strauss wrote, “Greene admitted to feeling increasingly overwhelmed by his situation and did not dispute accounts that he has several times punished himself physically…several team members have expressed concern about the degree of Greene’s self-punishment.”
Remember that last season Greene’s season came to an end in San Diego when he busted his hand while punching an equipment trunk.
Now there are reports of more “self punishment.”
This is alarming.
This doesn’t sound like a player who is simply frustrated over a slump. Greene could have some issues that require attention. That he makes $6.5 million a year to play baseball is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living or how much you make; no one is immune to anxiety disorders, depression or other illnesses that can impact a person’s stability or well being. This isn’t anything to fool around with or laugh at.
Chris Carpenter comes off the disabled list Wednesday and have to clear a roster spot for him.
The Cardinals should seriously consider placing Greene on the DL so he can figure exactly what’s wrong, how to get a handle on it, and whether he can be treated for it.
BERNIE BYTES
Adam Kennedy has 11 hits in his first 30 ABs (.367) in Oakland while collecting $4 million in salary this season from the Cardinals… which means that the Cardinals are paying $4 million to a second baseman who isn’t here, and $6.5 million to a shortstop, Greene, who has been placed on the bench. Nice … The season finale of “24″ was fine but a disappointment; can we please resolve the story lines? Do we need to leave all of them hanging? … former Rams wideout Torry Holt is on Twitter; @TorryHolt … I guess I’m a weirdo, but I’d rather see Denver vs. Cleveland in the NBA Finals than the LA Lakers vs. Cleveland. The Lakers and Kobe Bryant do little for me. They show up for some games, take off others, and play when the spirit moves them. There’s no joy to Kobe’s game. He always seems so angry. They’re soft up front. Cleveland plays hard. LeBron James plays the game with great joy. Denver is another team that gets after it; the Nuggets don’t back off. Give me Denver vs. Cleveland instead of what would be an overly hyped, concocted Kobe vs. LeBron “duel” that would make the actual team compeitition secondary, because ABC and ESPN would become completely unglued in playing up the Kobe-LeBron thing. But I suspect that the Nuggets will have to work extra hard and play better than ever to reach the NBA Finals; the NBA would like nothing better than a LeBron v. Kobe showcase … please make a wish for my Washington Wizards in the NBA Draft Lotto drawing; I want Blake Griffin … smart of Cubs manager Lou Piniella to schedule lefties Ted Lilly and Sean Marshall to face the Cardinals; STL is batting .189 vs LHP this month … The Sporting News asked some scouts to rank the NFL’s best running backs, and the Rams’ Steven Jackson was rated No. 2, behind Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson … welcome back to the big leagues, Jason Isringhausen … welcome to the big leagues, Ross Detwiler, a product of Holt HS in Wentzville.
-Bernie
“This isn’t anything to fool around with or laugh at.”
Well said, Bernie. Sometimes its easy to forget that these people are just that: people.
Bernie: I was very alarmed by that article today as well, and it certainly isn’t a laughing matter at all. I’ve felt for a while, and even more so now, that his frustrations and mental state has played a large role in the teams sudden collapse. Bad energy is contagious (i,e, Manny Legacy) and it can easily destroy a clubhouse. Do you think there might be any validity in this theory of mine? I think Mo needs to get him away from the club for awhile and let the young, new energy take hold of the players again. Thanks for the great articles and I really enjoy your radio show.
I agree Khalil should be placed on the DL to work things out. Hard to understand how Mo didn’t know about the anxiety issues when he made the trade.
I am also hoping for a Nuggets-Cavs Finals, would be an entertaining series for sure. Bernie, I wasn’t aware you are a Wizards fan. Blake Griffin would be a nice fit in Washington. They had some rough injuries last season and Flip Saunders should be solid as coach.
Bernie-
I know this is a little off base here but have you heard anything of Sheldon Richardson? I heard he didn’t pass his ACT. Is he going to be a MIZZOU uniform next year? Thanks
A Wizards fan?! Les Boulez? Bernie, I guess you know something about beating yourself up then. Think they’ll do better than Kwame Brown? (fr a St. Louisan in DC)
Re K. Greene, it’s painful from up here to see how the Cards Nation is beating up on him. I can understand it from a performance standpoint, but from various San Diego sources he’s really a good guy and wants to succeed. I wish him well.
This is a sad situation. Why would Mo not have checked this out before he pushed for the trade and signed this guy? SD is far less enamored with baseball then STL. The pressure cooker here has gotten to many a player including one of Greene’s current teammates. Honestly, I see Greene as having lived up to my expectations. He is a Dal Maxvill with less range and more hitting power. He is a .210 to .230 hitter. I guess he somehow sees himself as Honus Wagner, but he is not nor will ever be. I have been real harsh on Greene in my posts but he has 6.5 million reasons to be happy. He has hit the jobs market lottery and needs to calm down. These birds are going to lose a lot of games with or without him.
This is serious if Khalil Greene is hitting himself. Wow. He’s not doing the team a bit of good right now so he might as well go on the DL.
As per 24, I totally agree. The finale was anti-climactic. I get so absorbed in the action that I want it to go on till the last second which is absurd of me. Bottom line, Jack Bauer will live. He’s our hero!! ;^)
really the Cardinals seem to have been bad against lefties for 5-6 years now (a bit of a hyperbole, and I think they might have been much better last year), but they are usually horrible against them.
and its not like we had the huge amount of left handed hitters either until now, how come this has been a continual problem?
Look at Dontrelle Willis of the Detroit Tigers. He was placed on the DL and diagnosed with anxiety disorder. He’s back with the team now and pitching pretty well. Khalil Greene seems to be moping every time I see him play. Hope he ends up figuring things out.
As for the show “24″. People still watch that?? I figured out after two seasons that it’s basically the same plot line every season. Got old REAL fast.
Bernie - I’m a woman, and I cannot stand the sensationalized style in this blog posting from you. You could have made your point about anxiety disorders affecting folks, regardless of economic status, regardless of profession, but you just HAD to get the “$6.5 million a year” into the story, since you writers were beating up on him last week, and need one more tweak in the midst of a human interest story.
(This is alarming. This doesn’t sound like a player who is simply frustrated over a slump. Greene could have some issues that require attention. That he makes $6.5 million a year to play baseball is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living or how much you make; no one is immune to anxiety disorders, depression or other illnesses that can impact a person’s stability or well being. This isn’t anything to fool around with or laugh at.)
So glad to have your professional opinion, Dr. Miklasz. I know this is a news story, but who really cares how you “feel” the situation should be handled? Give the man a little dignity, already! You make me sick. You add nothing to this story except more sensationalism. God forbid anything like this ever happen to you or yours. I bet you would place a higher premium on your privacy/dignity.
(The Cardinals should seriously consider placing Greene on the DL so he can figure exactly what’s wrong, how to get a handle on it, and whether he can be treated for it.)