Baseball Santa has been benched in St. Pete

For almost two decades, the holiday light fest at Straub Park celebrated baseball as well as the season with a display showing Santa Claus playing baseball. But last year, baseball Santa was sent to the dugout. And he’s not back this year. It appears that, at least for the future, Santa has been benched. City officials say baseball Santa’s disappearance has no hidden message about the future of the Rays in St. Pete. “Oh, no, no, for heaven’s sake, it’s…