Blue Jays to impose limits on video gaming in the locker room

[dagger]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-impose-pre-game-curfew-video-games-clubhouse/

Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo revealed the team will be imposing a curfew on video games this season, restricting when they can be played in the clubhouse, according to Sportsnet’s Arash Madani.

The decision came as a result of conversations Montoyo had with players this spring, in which players articulated they felt there was too much Fortnite last year.

It’s an issue that may seem most likely to pop up on young teams like the Blue Jays, but the conversation about video games and professional athletes has been an ongoing one across all sports.

“Teams with really young players complained all year about guys not sleeping. It used to be chalked up to them partying and all that, but now it’s because of them playing video games all night,” one NBA agent told the Washington Post earlier this year.

A specific time for the Blue Jays curfew has not yet been announced.

[BigLeagueChew]

Yeah kind of weird either you're out at bars until 3am or playing video games. Who was that Tigers pitcher that had tendonitis from playing guitar hero, Zumaya.

The Phillies incident.

Players can't do anything anymore, just sit there silently until your next game. Although playing fortnite during actual games is pretty silly.

[dagger]

The Phillies had an issue, and Carlos Santana had a solution. I imagine other teams had a similar issue, and this is something that will be discussed in the media a bit more in coming days. Of course, if they just sped up games, this might be less of an issue.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/carlos-santana-smashed-a-television-because-phillies-players-were-playing-fortnite-during-a-game-last-september/

The 2018 season was expected to be a breakout year for the Philadelphia Phillies. After losing 89-plus games each year from 2013-17, the Phillies were set to incorporate several prized young prospects into the everyday lineup, and they had a bright new modern manager in rookie skipper Gabe Kapler. The transition from rebuilder to contender was underway.
The Phillies did improve in 2018, but only to 80-82, and they collapsed down the stretch. Philadelphia had the National League's second best record at 58-44 on the morning of July 27. They posted the fifth worst record in baseball thereafter though, losing 38 of their final 60 games. It was a disappointing finish to what had been a very exciting start to the season.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the team's issues went deeper than on-field play. Unnamed players would retreat into the clubhouse during September games last year to sneak in some video game time with "Fortnite." That led to veteran Carlos Santana smashing the television with a bat. From Passan:
When the Philadelphia Phillies lost their ninth consecutive game toward the end of last September, veteran first baseman Carlos Santana felt like he needed to send a message to his teammates who he said spent portions of the game against the Atlanta Braves playing video games in the clubhouse. Santana grabbed a bat, retreated to the room at Citizens Bank Park where the gaming took place and smashed the TV to ensure there would be no more "Fortnite" the final two days of the season.
"I see a couple players -- I don't want to say names -- they play video games during the game," Santana told ESPN. "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."
Video games are popular in big league clubhouses. Last September, The Athletic's Zack Meisel wrote a fun article about his attempt to dethrone Jose Ramirez as the "Mario Kart" champion in the Indians' clubhouse. This generation of big leaguers grew up playing video games. But during a game? No way. That's a major no-no. It's surprising this stayed under wraps so long.

[dagger]

Read on Twitter

[rotty]

really?... these grown men need to be babied lmao

[phillipmike]

Charlie Montoyo revealed the team will be imposing a curfew on video games this season, restricting when they can be played in the clubhouse, according to Sportsnet’s Arash Madani.

Sounds like you are asking professionals to be professionals at work. No where does it say they cant play on their free time just that they have a cut off as to when they (if any) can play IN THE CLUBHOUSE.

[Ado05]

Read on Twitter

Is he trying to say Martin felt the guys played too much or that Russ himself played too much?

edit: I see he means Russ played a lot.

[Hero_Panda]

The 2018 season was expected to be a breakout year for the Philadelphia Phillies. After losing 89-plus games each year from 2013-17, the Phillies were set to incorporate several prized young prospects into the everyday lineup, and they had a bright new modern manager in rookie skipper Gabe Kapler. The transition from rebuilder to contender was underway.
The Phillies did improve in 2018, but only to 80-82, and they collapsed down the stretch. Philadelphia had the National League's second best record at 58-44 on the morning of July 27. They posted the fifth worst record in baseball thereafter though, losing 38 of their final 60 games. It was a disappointing finish to what had been a very exciting start to the season.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the team's issues went deeper than on-field play. Unnamed players would retreat into the clubhouse during September games last year to sneak in some video game time with "Fortnite." That led to veteran Carlos Santana smashing the television with a bat. From Passan:
When the Philadelphia Phillies lost their ninth consecutive game toward the end of last September, veteran first baseman Carlos Santana felt like he needed to send a message to his teammates who he said spent portions of the game against the Atlanta Braves playing video games in the clubhouse. Santana grabbed a bat, retreated to the room at Citizens Bank Park where the gaming took place and smashed the TV to ensure there would be no more "Fortnite" the final two days of the season.
"I see a couple players -- I don't want to say names -- they play video games during the game," Santana told ESPN. "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."
Video games are popular in big league clubhouses. Last September, The Athletic's Zack Meisel wrote a fun article about his attempt to dethrone Jose Ramirez as the "Mario Kart" champion in the Indians' clubhouse. This generation of big leaguers grew up playing video games. But during a game? No way. That's a major no-no. It's surprising this stayed under wraps so long.

As a big videogame game person myself, I found this pretty sad.
Why even allow videogames to be played during game day at the clubhouse?

[Schad]

Baseball players have been doing all manner of **** other than playing baseball, for decades. It's been cards, it's been watching porn, and consummate pro Mark Buehrle admitted that he'd had a few beer before a World Series appearance:

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/mark-buehrle-white-sox-number-retirement

The thing a lot of people talk about with that one is this rumor that I drank a few beers before I got the save in our Game 3 victory.

There’s been some stuff that’s come out on that topic, but I feel like you all should really hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. So, here goes….

In short: Yeah, sure, O.K. fine, so I had a few. I can admit to that.

Baseballl's a lot of boredom, if you aren't an everyday player. It's easy to say "focus at all times", but no one focuses at all times. You're talking 500+ hours of actual baseball game, plus a thousand or more hours at the park beyond that. Like, don't play Fortnite during the game, I guess, but part of the baseball season is dealing with the monotony of the baseball season, and whatever does it for you...

[I_Like_Dirt]

Baseball players have been doing all manner of **** other than playing baseball, for decades. It's been cards, it's been watching porn, and consummate pro Mark Buehrle admitted that he'd had a few beer before a World Series appearance:

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/mark-buehrle-white-sox-number-retirement

The thing a lot of people talk about with that one is this rumor that I drank a few beers before I got the save in our Game 3 victory.

There’s been some stuff that’s come out on that topic, but I feel like you all should really hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. So, here goes….

In short: Yeah, sure, O.K. fine, so I had a few. I can admit to that.

Baseballl's a lot of boredom, if you aren't an everyday player. It's easy to say "focus at all times", but no one focuses at all times. You're talking 500+ hours of actual baseball game, plus a thousand or more hours at the park beyond that. Like, don't play Fortnite during the game, I guess, but part of the baseball season is dealing with the monotony of the baseball season, and whatever does it for you...

Yeah, I can understand certain restrictions at relatively particular times. Still, boring yourself so much your falling asleep in order to be ready to go at any given moment isn't necessarily the best way to stay alert. There are so many worse things than fortnite players could be doing - I don't really have an issue with it. Not playing during games seems fair but teams are going to have to figure some things out, too, because even if players just sit around talking to other players that doesn't necessarily keep them more prepared or even equally prepared.

[Yosemite Dan]

How many of you would still have your job if you pulled out a PlayStation during a slow time at work. Suspect you’d be out of a job pretty quick.

For the amount these guys get paid then having to put up with a little boredom before and during games is a very small price to pay. Typical sense of entitlement from athletes who have no idea what the real world is like. If they can’t wait to get home and play then they’re in the wrong profession and aren’t gonna get very far anyways with that kind of dedication.

Similar thing happened to a certain Leaf player years ago where rumour has it he was suspended for playing video games a little too much on company time or was nodding off at team meetings because he was up all night playing. He sure smartened up after that and became a much better player.

[Skin Blues]

His job is to play baseball, and they didn't want him to play baseball anymore... this is not the same as whatever job you do. He's not paid by the hour, and he's not gonna grab a broom and do busy work.

[Schad]

And in baseball, spending too much time doing baseball things is a genuine concern; the season is a long, physically taxing grind, so the time where they're playing Fortnite or whatever is baked in as downtime for all intents and purposes.

Honestly, I'd be much more concerned about them playing until the wee hours than if they're playing in the clubhouse, because that's more likely to result in their performance dropping over time.

[Scott Hall]

How many of you would still have your job if you pulled out a PlayStation during a slow time at work. Suspect you’d be out of a job pretty quick.

For the amount these guys get paid then having to put up with a little boredom before and during games is a very small price to pay. Typical sense of entitlement from athletes who have no idea what the real world is like. If they can’t wait to get home and play then they’re in the wrong profession and aren’t gonna get very far anyways with that kind of dedication.

Similar thing happened to a certain Leaf player years ago where rumour has it he was suspended for playing video games a little too much on company time or was nodding off at team meetings because he was up all night playing. He sure smartened up after that and became a much better player.

I remember hearing a scout say there was a very talented NHL prospect that was throwing his career away because
of Video Game addiction right before the draft a year or 2 ago.

I was never a big gamer other then Sports games but haven't played in like 3 years I have no idea what's so special
about this Fortnite game that makes the kids go crazy.

[Yosemite Dan]

How many of you would still have your job if you pulled out a PlayStation during a slow time at work. Suspect you’d be out of a job pretty quick.

For the amount these guys get paid then having to put up with a little boredom before and during games is a very small price to pay. Typical sense of entitlement from athletes who have no idea what the real world is like. If they can’t wait to get home and play then they’re in the wrong profession and aren’t gonna get very far anyways with that kind of dedication.

Similar thing happened to a certain Leaf player years ago where rumour has it he was suspended for playing video games a little too much on company time or was nodding off at team meetings because he was up all night playing. He sure smartened up after that and became a much better player.

I remember hearing a scout say there was a very talented NHL prospect that was throwing his career away because
of Video Game addiction right before the draft a year or 2 ago.

I was never a big gamer other then Sports games but haven't played in like 3 years I have no idea what's so special
about this Fortnite game that makes the kids go crazy.

I asked my son’s friends (my son is not a big gamer, he prefers to go out and meet girls) and they just shrug and say it’s the same as Call of Duty and those other shooting games. It’s just in fashion right now. They mentioned some other game that’s getting big now and Fortnight is becoming passé. Can’t remember what’s it called but I’m sure it’s just as stupid and generic.