Why Carlos Santana ruined a Phillies clubhouse TV over ‘Fortnight’ last year

Why Carlos Santana ruined a Phillies clubhouse TV over ‘Fortnight’ last year

It appears to be impossible Cleveland Indians players will play “Fortnite” in the clubhouse this season — not in the wake of hearing the story that broke Monday morning around an episode including new first baseman Carlos Santana last season.

Santana played last season for the Philadelphia Phillies, a team that drove the National League East in mid-August yet broke apart down the stretch and missed the playoffs.

He wasn’t cheerful that a portion of his partners were playing video games in the Citizens Bank Park clubhouse amid baseball games, and after the Phillies’ ninth straight misfortune in late September, Santana chose he’d had enough.

So the nine-year veteran took a baseball ash and crushed the TV. No more “Fortnite” amid baseball games, or whenever so far as that is concerned.

“I see a couple players — I don’t want to say names — they play video games during the game,” Santana told ESPN, which confirmed the story with the Phillies.

“We come and lose too many games, and I feel like they weren’t worried about it. Weren’t respecting their teammates or coaches or the staff or the (front) office. It’s not my personality. But I’m angry because I want to make it good.”

Veteran pitcher Jake Arrieta told to ESPN he wished Santana had come to him with his worries about their Phillies partners before taking such uncommon measures.

But, he added, “if I’d have known people were playing video games during the game, I’d have broken some … too.”

Going into this season, second-year Phillies manager Gabe Kapler has approached Arrieta and 12 other team pioneers to set up another group arrangement over such issues.

Obviously, Santana won’t be apart of any of it — he was exchanged to the Seattle Mariners, who at that point gave him to the Indians, amid the offseason.

Phillies general manager Matt Klentak told ESPN the Santana trade had nothing to do with the “Fortnite” incident.

“It was tough to include him in the trade with Seattle, but sometimes you have to trade good players to acquire other good players,” Kentak said.

Santana said he has no hard feelings toward his former team.

“I liked everybody,” Santana said. “Matt Klentak is great. I don’t have a problem with anybody. They’re great. They worry about their players.

“Everything is fine, positive. I worry about baseball. I worry about playing hard every day and helping my teammates win.”

John Flint

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