I’m not sure the pundits can blame this one on concussions. Deadspin is reporting that former major league second baseman Ryan Freel has committed suicide at the age of 36.
Freel played for 5 teams after entering the league in 2001 until he retired in 2009. He had a five-year tenure with the Cincinnati Reds.
His career batting average was .268 and he stole 143 bases in his career.
Since retiring from professional baseball, Freel was a part of an organization on the Florida First Coast called BLD Baseball.
BLD stands for Big League Development. Through this organization, Freel coached local youth baseball players.
Free reportedly gained negative notoriety in 2006 when he admitted that he talked to an imaginary voice in his head named Farney. Free explained Farney in an interview 2006 interview.
“He’s a little guy who lives in my head who talks to me and I talk to him. That little midget in my head said, ‘That was a great catch, Ryan,’ I said, ‘Hey, Farney, I don’t know if that was you who really caught that ball, but that was pretty good if it was.’ Everybody thinks I talk to myself, so I tell ’em I’m talking to Farney.