Gabe Kapler admitted that his players could have been more engaged late last season.
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"I think in September our players could have been more engaged," Kapler told reporters on Monday, via NBCSportsPhilly.com. "With the players I thought could have been more engaged, those conversations were had. I addressed every situation that clearly needed to be addressed last year in appropriate settings."
Kapler spoke in response to story by ESPN's Jeff Passan, where ex-Phillie Carlos Santana revealed he took his bat to a TV in the clubhouse because of some younger teammates playing the video game Fortnite during games.
Kapler said he was unaware of players playing video games during baseball games.
All of the sudden, with the additions of Bryce Harper and other all-stars and now this, there is a ton of pressure once again on Kapler entering the 2019 season.
Does is make you angry that the Phillies were playing video games last season while the team collapsed?
— WIP Morning Show (@WIPMorningShow) March 19, 2019Personally, it all seems silly to me. Young players, on the already eliminated 2018 Phillies, playing video games in the clubhouse during games is more a product of losing than the manager "allowing this happen," in my opinion. I'm sure there are crazy things that go on in clubhouses all over baseball. You know which teams have close-knit, engaged, and perfect locker rooms? Winning teams.
And that's what the Phillies expect to be in 2019.
The Phillies begin the 2019 regular season on Thursday, March 28th vs. the Braves.
