Does Zack Greinke have a disability? Kansas City Royals veteran once considered walking away from baseball
Zack Greinke, longtime Kansas City Royals legend, is a probable Hall of Famer. Whenever he decides to retire, he will go down as one of the best pitchers of this era regardless of whether he makes the Hall or not. He's been excellent over the course of his career. That career was almost cut short, though.
Zack Greinke has anxiety, which has affected him for a very long time. At one point, it almost forced him out of baseball. He's been pitching since 2004 but his career almost came to an end in 2006.
Zack Greinke going from almost quitting baseball because of his anxiety to pitching in possibly the most anxiety-inducing game in the sport is a feat that should be celebrated.
That year, the pressure got to the Royals star and he had to leave Spring Training and he even considered retiring at that point.
Does Zack Greinke have social anxiety? Explaining pitcher's struggles
Being a professional athlete is hard, and it's even harder with social anxiety. Zack Greinke often doesn't talk to the media because of it. When a player struggles, fans boo and talk about it, as does the media.
People disrespecting Zack Greinkeβs social anxiety make me so mad
That can get to any player, and it's only exacerbated by social anxiety. Dr. Andrew Jacobs, a renowned sports psychologist, said via KSHB:
"Back when this first came out, (people said) βHere's this guy supposed to be so great, what's wrong with him? Why would he walk away?β People don't understand the pressures and demands."
Now, there's a lot more understanding about social anxiety and other mental health disorders that athletes suffer from. There's certainly still a stigma but it's getting a lot better due to openness from athletes like Greinke.