You know that affected how he played. Last year was pretty tough on me. My focus on baseball was inconsistent. My goal this year is to redefine my boundaries. He also was reminded of an old truth, that you find out who your real friends are when times turn tough.
Every player knows how that works.
At times, when you're not doing well, you see true things. Some people will stick with you and some won't. You're going to get your head handed to you at some point. When you do well, everybody loves you. When you don't, some people still love you.