Maybe the name rings a bell, because he’s already played a few games in major league baseball. But why talk about a player who barely hits for .140 at the AAA level? Because 14 months ago Drew Robinson attempted suicide and lost the use of his right eye. And this is where the word incredible comes into its own.
Drew Robinson was born in Las Vegas in 1992. He has always been a good athlete, but above all an excellent baseball player. A left-handed hitter who combines speed and power, Robinson caught the eye of scouts and was drafted in the 4th round in 2010 by the Texas Rangers.
Obviously, like many young baseball players, the road to the majors has been long and winding. We climb the ladder as quickly as someone drunk at 4 a.m. in front of the steps of Saint Joseph’s Oratory. And let’s be honest, the pay is meager in the minors and the destinations are rarely five star. But we persevere and we hope to be one of the few chosen.
Nearly 900 games later in the minors, Robinson would finally get a taste of major baseball in 2017 at the age of 25 and experience mixed success averaging at .224, but mostly due to his 42 strikeouts in just 107. batting attendance. The following year will be even more painful, when it will be limited to an average of just .188. From that point on, the Rangers threw the towel and traded it to the St. Louis Cardinals in return for Patrick Wisdom. Ironically, that same Wisdom just enjoyed the best moments of his career last week with the Cubs and was named Player of the Week. Drew Robinson will only play five games for the Cards in 2019 and will not return to major league baseball.
Robinson has never hidden that he has had mental health issues and that he has spent a lot of difficult times in silence. Especially in the world of sport, where professional athletes are starting to be a little more open than they used to be. And like many people, the pandemic has taken a toll on his mental health, and his depression issues have led to thoughts of suicide. He even decided to call off his marriage, since he no longer wanted his wife to have to follow him on his difficult journey in the minor leagues. He was probably going to find a job in the minors in the Giants’ organization, but the pandemic changed everything.
More and more dark thoughts, Robinson went to get a gun. Just over two weeks later, on April 16, 2020, Drew Robinson, at wit’s end, wrote a note to his relatives and friends, picked up a gun and shot himself in the head, sitting on his sofa at home. The most incredible thing about this story is that although the bullet caused him to lose an incredible amount of blood, in addition to his right eye, Robinson not only did not lose his life, but he woke up a few minutes later. Panicked and in bad shape, Robinson took a shower and went to bed. The next day, still with the idea of ending it, he sat down in the same place as the day before, with his rifle in his right hand. But after much thought, his left hand grabbed his cell phone and more than 20 hours after his first attempt, he decided to seek help instead of ending it. Yes, he had lost the use of one eye and his smell as well, but he was still alive when paramedics arrived 20 minutes after his 911 call.
Obviously, after such a traumatic event, there was a long way to go, both physically and mentally, to regain some semblance of normal life. A reconciliation to be made with his parents and his spouse. And a return to his first love, baseball.
Robinson confessed he had another slump in November, but this time he used the resources around him to do well. And that although he knows himself better than before, he still has a lot of work to do on himself.
Completely transformed by having a second chance, Robinson decided to give baseball another chance, but also to become a spokesperson in the suicide prevention work. From July 2020, Robinson started hitting off a tee again and seeing that he still had the taste and the touch, he decided to step up the pace. And even though he had lost the use of one eye, the Giants decided to reward him by granting him a minor league contract and an invitation to training camp.
As was to be expected, Drew Robinson did not make the club with the Giants. But he was ceded to the AAA level, with the formation of Sacramento, and is now a full member of that team. On May 7, 2021, a little over a year after his suicide attempt, Robinson returned to the game. That night he was 0 for 4, but it didn’t really matter in the game. context of the match. Just seeing him again on a professional baseball field was enough to thrill a Hollywood producer who would dream of making a movie out of him.
The odds of seeing Robinson again in the majors are pretty slim due to his difficulty adjusting at bat. But while his current .145 batting average will never live up to his expectations, that’s not what we’ll take away from Drew Robinson. Rather, it is a magnificent story of resilience, courage and knowing how to take full advantage of your second chance.
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