SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jared Porter hung up the phone. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. He was in an utter state of shock.
It was all over.
His dream job. His 20-year baseball career. His entire reputation.
Porter, hired by the New York Mets to be owner Steve Cohen’s first general manager was fired just 38 days later on Jan. 19, 2021.
A foreign female reporter revealed to ESPN that Porter had harassed her, sending dozens of inappropriate text messages and a lewd photo in 2016 while he was scouting director of the Chicago Cubs.
Porter had informed Mets president Sandy Alderson a day earlier that an article would be coming out, and was personally optimistic the fallout wouldn’t be too severe. But when Alderson and Cohen read the published article hours later, they immediately came to the same conclusion:
They had no choice but to fire Porter, terminating his four-year contract.
Porter, who had never met Cohen in person, or even stepped inside his new Mets’ office with COVID restrictions at the time, knew his life would never again be the same.
“I was devastated,’ Porter told USA TODAY Sports. “I don’t blame them. They didn’t have a choice. But I knew I had a choice. One was to let myself sink into the ground and do nothing. Two, I could get angry and take on the world. Or three, I could dive into my mental health.
“I wanted to immediately get to work and get my life back on track.’
Porter, who made the anguishing calls to inform his wife, family and close friends, couldn’t bear to even leave his Phoenix home for two days. The Arizona Diamondbacks, where he had worked as a senior vice president and assistant general manager for four years, immediately reached out and put him in contact with their employee assistance program. He was directed to a local mental health facility for treatment of addiction and emotional trauma.
Porter was admitted 72 hours later to The Meadows, an inpatient behavioral healthcare facility in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he remained for a week.
“It was pretty crazy,’ Porter said. “Here I am, trading for Francisco Lindor, and two weeks later I’m in a mental health facility where they wouldn’t let me have shoelaces for 48 hours because I was a suicide risk.’
Porter, 45, was transferred to an intensive outpatient center where he spent the next three months. Today, he still undergoes weekly therapy sessions, attends mental wellness retreat centers with his wife, and writes down his daily thoughts in journals before bed.
“As crazy as it might sound, I’m grateful for everything that happened to me,’ says Porter, who lives in Naples, Fla., and is a co-founder of Blend, a mental health coaching company. “I’m a different person now. I’m much more balanced with my feelings, my emotions, and I’m really focused now on helping as many people as I can.’
Porter paused, slowly exhales, and says, “If that article never came out, I never would have gone down this path. It made me wake up.’
Porter, part of four World Series championship teams with the Boston Red Sox and the Cubs, has spent plenty of time reflecting on his past. He believes he was too committed to making everyone around him happy without caring about himself. He doesn’t blame his upbringing in Wayzata, Minn or cite his 48-year-old mother’s death in a car accident when he was 21 years old as a reason for his behavior. Simply, he says, it was a culmination of everything.
“The trauma of things just add up when you don’t have vulnerability,’ Porter said. “You start hiding things. Really, you hide everything. You’re so emotionally balled up and you don’t have the ability to express your emotions. So, you start acting out, whether it’s alcohol, drugs or texting.’
Porter still remembers the 2013 World Series when he was the Red Sox pro scouting director, and responsible for nearly all of their new signings from Ryan Dempster to Jonny Gomes to David Ross to Mike Napoli. When they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, he stood in back of the Fenway Park clubhouse, but instead of celebrating, simply watched without feeling emotion.
“It was the best group of guys I’ve ever been around coming off the Boston Marathon bombing and everything else,’ Porter said. “Everyone was going crazy in the celebration, but I remember just standing there. I wasn’t sad, but I wasn’t happy, either. I just cared that they were happy. I just never allowed myself to feel the highs and lows.
“I was always seeking validation from other people because my greatest fear was not being liked, not being appreciated. That was my greatest nightmare. Then, of course, when that wound up happening to me, I figured nobody liked me. Nobody approved of me. No one validated me.’
Porter knew in all of his years as a baseball scout and working in the player development side that plenty of others were dealing with mental health issues. He also knew that most teams were unequipped to help, and those teams that did have resources, players were not ready to fully trust or embrace their therapists.
When Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran revealed on a Netflix documentary this month that he attempted suicide in 2022, pulling a gun to his head and pulling the trigger, Porter applauded his courage for publicly telling his story to help others.
When Detroit Tigers assistant GM Ben Menzin resigned weeks into the season after the club discovered he sent unsolicited lewd photos to several Tigers employees and other women, Porter understood the humiliation and despair.
Porter is now hoping to help steer others from the same path that led him to a downward spiral. Blend is currently working with about 20 MLB players along with NHL players, NCAA men’s and women’s athletes, high school and youth athletes, and private clients, with the counseling fully confidential.
“The last four years have been very valuable for me on a personal level,’ Porter said, “and I’ve really dove and continue to dive deeply into my own mental health, past traumas, and personal addictions. I wasn’t able to process what I was going through. I believe an incredibly high percentage of people have similar issues.’
Sean Walsh, former CEO of Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, believes it’s vital that young athletes receive mental health guidance before the problems exacerbate as they get older.
“Unfortunately, there’s still that stigma,’ said Walsh, a Blend board member and partner. “People overlook the benefit and need for student-athletes. Too often in mental health, there’s only the focus on those struggling and perceived to be struggling. It’s also needed for the kids who are doing well, playing sports at every waking moment, because sometimes when they turn 16, they are done. The parents are upset, but they just don’t want to do it anymore because they never had a real childhood. …
“I’ve worked with a lot of professional athletes who were struggling, and sometimes at that age, it can become pretty severe and haunt them if not treated earlier. If you can bring attention to mental health at a younger age, you can avoid the trappings that come later in life. Mental health care should be treated just like health care. We all have times that we need it. No one is immune.’
It should be identified and treated as early as possible, no matter the age, as Porter can attest before it’s too much too late.
“In my opinion, a person’s ability to find their pause before they hurt themselves physically or emotionally is the key,’ Porter said. “You see how people respond in crisis. Some gamble. Some do drugs. Some drink excessively. Some send texts to women.’
Porter’s voice drops off.
“You can’t have growth unless you have awareness,’ Porter said. “I didn’t have any. It took me a full year to have awareness. I know it sounds crazy, but I didn’t think anything was wrong with me.
“I just want to help people have that emotional freedom, a truth balance in their life. I know you can be judged in the darkest moments, but if I can just make a small impact, it will be well worth it.’
Porter would love one day to get back into the game, but he refuses to let his success as a young baseball executive define him.
“I loved baseball, I still love the sport, I watch it all of the time,’ Porter says. “But what I’m doing now, this is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.’
Around the basepaths
– It’s remains unknown how firm MLB’s stance will be seeking a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement, but one owner believes they have 75% of the votes needed to call for a lockout if the current system isn’t changed after the 2026 season.
While the players union insists it would never approve a salary cap, several club executives believe a potential viable alternative would be to strip teams of valuable draft picks instead of simply penalizing teams monetarily.
“Something has to change,’ one executive said, “but we also need to have a payroll floor, too, to keep owners from just skimming their revenue sharing money and not putting it back in the team.’’
– While the Athletics have signed outfielders Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker to long-term contracts, they have yet to reach out to All-Star closer Mason Miller, who’s open to contract extension talks. He is earning just $765,000 this season, but will become eligible for salary arbitration.
– While Colorado Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens was the fall guy for their franchise-worst 3-15 start, fired and replaced by Clint Hurdle, manager Bud Black’s run could also be coming to an end after the season. Black has yet to decide whether he even wants to keep managing after this year, but if this indeed is his final year, his replacement is expected to be third-base coach Warren Schaeffer.
Hurdle, who last was in the dugout in 2019 as the Pittsburgh Pirates manager, nearly came back two years ago to become Angels manager Ron Washington’s bench coach, but declined the offer when the Angels declined to increase his salary.
– When Washington Nationals infielder Paul DeJong got hit in the face by Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller, suffering a fractured nose and broken orbital bones, he wasn’t even supposed to be playing that day.
DeJong had been sick and was prescribed a Z-pack, but he told his mother he still wanted to play Tuesday because it was Jackie Robinson Day and he wanted to put on No. 42.
DeJong is expected to undergo multiple surgeries and will be out much longer than the 10-day IL.
– Is there anyone more underpaid in the game than Aaron Judge, who is making less than half of Juan Soto?
In Judge’s last 162 games, he’s slashing /.343/.473/.739 with 63 home runs, 137 runs and 159 homers.
The only other player in MLB history to accomplish the feat, per Codify Baseball? Babe Ruth.
– The Milwaukee Brewers, who have been surviving on a patchwork rotation, are expected to get veteran starter Brandon Woodruff back as early as the beginning of May. Woodruff, who underwent shoulder surgery, hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since Sept. 23, 2023.
– The Miami Marlins know they have the game’s biggest trade commodity in ace Sandy Alcantara, but are planning to hang onto him until the final days before the July 31 trade deadline.
Alcantara, who’s coming off Tommy John surgery, isn’t just a rent-a-player. He’s still under team control through 2027 with a $17.3 million salary in 2026 and a $21 million team option in 2027.
Alcantara led the National League in innings (858 ⅓) and shutouts (four) with twice as many complete games (12) as any other starter from 2019-2023, winning National League Cy Young award in 2022.
Alcantara would prefer to stay, even though he knows it’s unrealistic.
“I want to play here and win here,” Alcantara told Miami reporters this week. “This team gave me an opportunity to be a starting pitcher and be a superstar. I signed here to stay here.’’
– Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins would love to stay in Baltimore, but said the Orioles have not engaged in any contract talks despite being eligible for free agency.
The Orioles are the only MLB team since 2019 that has not signed a player to a contract of at least four years.
– Leave it to Phillies All-Star Bryce Harper and his family to come up with the idea that teammate Trea Turner would be the one revealing the gender secret of Harper and his wife’s fourth child.
Harper ordered a blue bat and a pink bat for the game, and asked Turner to give him the one signalling whether it’s a boy or girl by handing him the correct bat.
Turner swung a pink bat in the dugout but then handed over a blue bat, letting Harper and his family know they will now have two girls and two boys in the family.
– Remember when Boston Red Sox starter Tanner Houck was an All-Star last season?
Houck made franchise history last week by allowing 12 runs (11 earned) in just 2 1/3 innings. It was the most earned runs given up by a Red Sox starter in 2 1/3 innings or less since 1901.
He has been one of the worst starters in the game dating back to last year’s All-Star break, going 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 15 starts, with the Red Sox going 4-11 in those starts.
– Kris Bryant’s seven-year, $182 million signing looks more miserable by the day with Bryant now going on the IL with lumbar degenerative disc disease. He has played 170 games in four seasons with the Rockies, hitting just 17 homers to go along with a negative 1.6 WAR.
Bryant, who’s making $27 million this year, still has three years and $81 million left on his contract.
– The Minnesota Twins certainly aren’t helping enhance their sales’ price for the franchise with their worst start to a season and drawing the fewest fans at a game last week (10,240) in Target Field history without COVID restrictions. They are averaging just 17,995 fans a game, sixth-lowest in baseball.
– The Athletics of Sacramento have yet to sell out a home game since their March 31 opener, even with outfield seats discounted to $25.
– San Diego Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada didn’t hide his disgust towards the Chicago Cubs front office when he stormed off the mound, looked up toward the suite where Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations sat, and stared him down after his 1-2-3 inning last week.
Estrada, who underwent Tommy John surgery and battled COVID, was released by the Cubs after the 2023 season.
“It kind of feels like an ex-girfriend that messed up and made a wrong decision,’ Estrada, whose work ethic was questioned by the Cubs, told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
– Harper, who played against All-Star catcher Buster Posey, now faced him again this past week as president of baseball operations with the San Francisco Giants.
“He’s got my dream job,” Harper told the San Jose Mercury News. “Being able to be president of an organization, really cool opportunity for him. Obviously, one of the best to ever do it behind the plate. Three World Series titles, MVP, countless awards and accolades. Just an all-around good person. I think he’s going to do a lot of really cool things over there and kind of let everybody do their jobs as well. I think that’s a big thing. Super excited for him.”
And just maybe, Phillies shortstop Trea Turner says, the Giants’ hot start is hardly coincidental with Posey in charge.
“You can’t measure chemistry and people and whatnot,’ Turner told the Mercury-News. “Everything’s a number nowadays. I think there’s a real advantage for the old-school right now just because everyone’s so analytical. There’s always a balance needed in both of those. You definitely need to have the technology and the information, but you also need to be able to play the game. I think he’s kind of a prime example for that.”
– Pardon the Los Angeles Dodgers for rolling out the red carpet for the Rockies when they’re in town.
The Dodgers have beaten the Rockies 33 times in the last 43 games.
– The San Francisco Giants have not had a player hit 30 home runs since Barry Bonds.
Well, if they look up to their north, they may get a little jealous seeing A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom with his major-league leading nine home runs, equalling his entire total of last season.
– The Arizona Diamondbacks’ five-year, $18 million contract extension with reliever Justin Martinez looks brilliant the way he has dominated the opposition this season. He has struck out 10 batters and walked only one in six innings this season.
“As far as arms go,’ D-backs veteran starter Merrill Kelly says, “he’s one of the more freakish velocity and movement that I’ve ever come across in my career.”
– The most stunning revelation of the week is that Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, 79, said during the Orioles’ broadcast that he has never eaten a chicken wing in his life, but will do it the next time he witnesses an Oriole hit a grand slam.
– It was a bit strange for the Yankees to go back to their luxurious spring-training home in Tampa, Fla., to play the Tampa Bay Rays only to find themselves in the small, cramped visiting clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone left a bottle of tequila and a good luck note to Rays manager Kevin Cash, “My housewarming gift, like, hey, take care of the place.’
– While the Dodgers get bashed for their payroll, the cold reality is that they scout and develop better than any team in baseball, too.
Take a look at Dodgers 26-year-old rookie reliever Jack Dreyer, who’s 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA. He was undrafted out of high school in Iowa, signed by the Dodgers in 2021, and here he is as a mainstay in their bullpen earning the major-league minimum salary.
– The San Diego Padres chase pitches outside the strike zone with two strikes (46%) more than any MLB team, but their 24 strikeouts looking are the fewest in MLB. They also strike out less frequently than any team (once every 5.7 plate appearances).
“It’s playing the game the right way,’ Padres infielder Jose Iglesias told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We as a team don’t chase analytics. We chase wins. In order to do that, you need to put the ball in play. Good things happen. We have good hitters; not analytic hitters.’’
– Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3-1, 0.93 ERA) is making his $325 million signing look like a steal. He pitched seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in his last start against the Rangers, and is yielding a .178 batting average with 38 strikeouts in 29 innings.
“I do think that right now,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters, “he’s the best pitcher in the National League.’’
– The last time the Tigers opened the season winning seven of their first eight home games was back when Sparky Anderson was manager in 1993.
– Coolest moment of the week: Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, celebrating his 70th birthday, being stunned to find out that his 6-year-old grandson, Braxton, was throwing out the first pitch to him.
“It was a little emotional for me to have him throw it,’ Bochy said afterwards. “It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. And I think he will, too.”
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This post appeared first on USA TODAY
