DETROIT -- One day after Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Meadows shared his mental health struggles publicly for the first time, the support he’s received from around the baseball world has been heartening.
“I think the reaction has been incredible,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. “I”m very, very proud of him.”
Meadows did another early afternoon workout on Saturday and departed before game time, but Hinch said he spoke briefly with him. Meadows has received overwhelming support on the social media accounts on which he posted a message about his struggles.
Among the messages are from Tigers teammates like Spencer Torkelson and former Tampa Bay Rays teammate Shane McClanahan.
“We all love you man,” McClanahan wrote. “We are here for you.”
Many fans left similar comments:
* “This takes real strength. Be well.”
* “Do what you need to do Austin, Tigers’ fans are here for you.”
Tigers catcher Tucker Barnhart said the support is similar in the Tigers’ clubhouse.
“There are times when you need to make sure you’re in a good place. And I commend Austin very much for doing that,” Barnhart said. “It takes a lot of courage to openly talk about it, especially since it could have easily been swept under the rug and camouflaged as a physical injury, with what he’s dealt with this year. So his willingness to come out and talk about it is awesome and I hope it just spreads more awareness, not just in the baseball world, but to everyone.”
Hinch said the baseball world and the world at large have grown in the way mental health is addressed.
“People are going to be in his corner and root for him,” Hinch said.
Barnhart said Meadows’ situation drives home the fact that baseball players are real people who experience the same life challenges as anyone else.
“I think the majority of people view us as robots,” Barnhart said. “We are as much normal people as every single person that walks through these gates to watch us play.We deal with the real world, with real-world things, just as everyone else does. I think with Austin speaking out on mental health and going through these things, hopefully a lot of other people are encouraged to seek help.”
Hinch said Meadows’ message was important for others, but also for himself.
“The number one reason is that it’s important for Austin,” Hinch said. “We need to get him in a good place and get him back on the field and feeling good about his day to day.”