Cleveland Indians’ Carlos Santana put team officials in a moment of shock – MLB News
Cleveland Indians’ Carlos Santana put team officials in a state of shock for a moment on Wednesday, March 2, when 24-year-old catcher was caught up in a head-first slide into home plate blockaded by Los Angeles Dodgers’ catcher Rod Barajas.
"That," Cleveland’s general manager Chris Antonetti said, "was not the highlight of Spring Training. Thankfully he got through it OK, and hopefully it will be a learning lesson for him."
Travis Hafner hit a single to left-field, as Santana was on first base. The thing that forced him to keep on heading towards third base was a ball that Los Angeles left fielder Tony Gwynn Jr. failed to catch. Santana tried hard to beat the throw at home
and slide head-first but barricaded at Barajas’ left foot who had already blocked the home plate.
Doing this, in a club that has strong rules for a person who indulges in such an incident, might have become a problem for him. Carlos Santana, who joined the Indians in 2010, did have knowledge of the rules. Yet he made this mistake and was fully aware
of it.
His views after the game were suggesting that he accept his error. He stated that he was in an organisation that has rules of ‘flat-out fined for sliding head-first’.
It seems as if the Indians have given him some relaxation due to his immaturity and new arrival in the camp as the Indians plan still is limited to words. Yet Antonetti has made it clear for him understand his limits and avoid such incidents.
"I think a number of people have talked to Carlos about it," Antonetti said. "We're constantly lecturing guys in the Minor Leagues about the dangers of sliding head-first, but it's a challenge [to get them to change]. Unfortunately, what usually breaks that
habit is a separated shoulder."
Indians’ manager Acta considers it difficult to stop young players from doing such things. However, the indication was made to keep Carlos out to make him aware of seriousness of the incident.
Indians hired Carlos after observing his 2010 season at Triple-A for Columbus Clippers where he posted .316 with 13 home-runs and 51 RBIs in just 57 games. He proved his calibre at a big level as well when he made a hit in third spot, first Tribe player
to hit third on debut after Jim Norris in 1977.
Last year during MLB he managed to score six home-runs with .260 averages and 22 RBIs. According to experts he could be a future catching star for the Indians if he avoids such mishaps.
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