Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

Athletic Waldon piece on pitiful minor league compensation


AlwaysinModeration

Recommended Posts

There is a fascinating and important article in the Athletic, with in-depth reporting (and a lot of anonymity) about the terrible wages and living conditions of minor league players. It’s an eye-opening piece, behind paywall. Here is a short excerpt, but the whole piece is worth the read to get a sense of the difficulty facing all of the minor league players:

 

“Triple A:

$2,150 per month in their first year, $2,400 per month in their second year and $2,700 a month in their third year. (Estimated $11,825-$14,850 per year.)

...

Double A:

$1,700 per month, which goes up by $100 per month for added years. (Estimated $9,350+ per year)

 

High A and Low A:

$1,160-1,500 per month, raised by $50 per year for added years. (Estimated $6,380-8,400 per year)

Many players have the option of requesting equipment through their respective agencies, who are able to provide gear, cleats, nutritional supplements and other necessities. Still, factoring in all the expenses of playing professionally, even while recognizing the obvious impact of bonuses, it’s a sobering fact that in 2019, the federally recognized poverty line for a single-income household is $14,380.

 

...

 

“Let’s say it’s like a two-bedroom apartment with a common living area, we’d have seven or eight guys, probably, and this is not an exaggeration. It’s just basically a bunch of air beds around the whole thing. It actually makes it easier to fit more people into an apartment when it’s unfurnished, which they often are. It’s like, ‘Oh cool, there’s no furniture, that means we can sleep more people in here.’”

 

I’ve seen others post on this topic before, but this piece dig into the topic in a way I’ve never seen before. Covers how MLB lobbies Congress to keep these wages down, gets quotes from a wide range of people involved with the game. The comment section already has 300+ comments.

 

(This is a lengthy piece, and I am not copying much at all, so I think I am well within reason on what I am copying hear as a sample.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

‘I can’t afford to play this game’: Minor-leaguers open up about the realities of their pay, and its impact on their lives.   This is the title of the article by Emily Walden. I wouldn't be surprised if they opened the paywall on this article:

https://theathletic.com/830452/2019/03/15/i-cant-afford-to-play-this-game-minor-leaguers-open-up-about-the-realities-of-their-pay-and-its-impact-on-their-lives/

 

Some more excerpts:

Welcome to Spring Training
Players are not paid during spring training. From February until late March, the only money reaching the players’ hands is for meals.

While the process varies slightly from team to team, the amount of meal money you receive is dependent upon whether you’re starting spring training in big league camp, or if you fall under the early-March minor league report dates. The teams will generally provide breakfast and lunch at the complex, leaving you on your own for dinner, which, as a minor leaguer gives you around $20-30 a day for food.

If you’re held over into extended spring training, this financial situation continues until you’re added to an active roster.

If your next stop lands in short-season, you’re looking at June for your next paycheck.

“If you stay in extended, you don’t get paid,” an AL West Low A player said. “So, I went all the way through March, April and May to mid-June with getting $20 a day.”

 

For many minor leaguers, that long-term payout never arrives.

“You know what sucks? If I don’t do well this year, I can’t afford to play anymore and I’m done,” an AL High-A player said. “I can’t stick it out an extra year. And it’s because of pay.

“I can’t afford to play this game,” he continued. “I put my body on the line and I work really, really hard and I show up early and I stay up late and I might have to end my dream, because I financially can’t afford it.

“To say that we’re not worth it until we’re putting on a major league uniform … why the **** are we here?”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, I didn't realize it was that bad for the minor league players. Especially surprising was the part about not being paid during spring training and pre-season time. Unless you were a bonus baby I imagine that the minors are a tough road to navigate..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, it's a hard knock life to be a non bonus baby minor leaguer.

 

However, I suspect that until they are unable to find thousands of people lined up to fill those jobs, nothing will improve.

The MLB players certainly aren't going to fight for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is another article on The Athletic about the Blue Jays increasing the pay for all of their minor leaguers by 50%.  Hopefully this is the first step and the other teams will follow suit.  I'd like to see the Twins be one of the first teams to do this.

 

https://theathletic.com/872732/2019/03/17/blue-jays-ready-to-embrace-change-finalizing-minor-league-pay-increase-of-more-than-50-percent/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd really like to see the Twins do something about this. I get why MLB orgs don't see much urgency in it - how many legit prospects quit over pay? - but I think there would be upside beyond it being the right thing to do.

 

With the entire league being savvy statistically, analytically, etc., clubs will have to find other ways to gain an advantage. Investing in people - players, coaches, etc. - will be a part of that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right, paying them more, feeding them better, giving them more resources to improve physically and mentally....these all have real, tangible benefits to your talent pipeline.

 

It boggles my mind this isn't already being done by smart organizations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honstely, I'm not even sure they need to pay them more as much as they do provide for their food/housing. At that point, they can have them live somewhat comfortably and they have the ability to control their nutrition as well. Why more teams aren't doing what we do in Fort Myers is beyond me. They could do that around most minor leage parks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Provisional Member

I guess I have never heard of many players calling it quits. Seems like they all stick it out until they are cut. Some hang on until they are 30. So it can't be all bad.Most of these players take jobs in the off season and save up. They realize what is coming next season. And a lot of them receive help from home.

 

I know it seems like these players are being abused. But at the same time, it's part of the process the teams use to sort the grain from the chaff. They don't want life to be too easy, they want to see if they have the fortitude to stick it out, to see how bad they really want it. 

 

I am old enough to have lived through the days when everybody started out with wages so low you could barely eat. A lot of young people, even family guys, would take a second job to make ends meet. Now everybody just sits and whines about the people that are making more than they do.

 

My other thought on this is that the MLBPA seems to have no interest in trying to help their comrades. Maybe they should all donate a share of their millions to help out their lower brethren. After all, they should all know what it's like. But they don't even make mention of it. Maybe it's not so bad after all.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Have you checked the pay for beginning teachers with 4 year degrees lately? How about a beginning police officer? How about a private in the US Army? Of course if the private is "lucky" and is in a location  that is hazardous, then an extra $150 per month will be paid for hazardous duty pay...which is an increase from the extra $65 per month I was paid when I was in a hostile fire area in the Korean DMZ in 1968 & 1969. Of course I got free medical  care, all the food I could eat when I was in camp ( but C-rations out on Guard Post Gladys  in the middle of the DMZ, where 12 of us spent 4 days at a time), free clothes and boots, and a tin Quonset hut to sleep in when we were in camp...when not in a foxhole overnight or on GP Gladys in trenches and a bunker or on night ambush patrol.  Don't get me wrong...I volunteered and I would do it again,, but I'm just saying, some things are more important than money...like serving our country, teaching children, protecting our people and property...and pursuing a dream to play baseball as a job. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The dollar amounts here are misleading. The players are paid for half a year of work but this is throwing around "x per year" and "y is the poverty level."

 

Yes these salaries suck but the only players making this much "per year" are the ones who don't work jobs over the winter. Personally I don't know why my ticket to Target Field has to cover minor leaguers being able to play video games all winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

  On 3/17/2019 at 10:53 PM, tarheeltwinsfan said:

 Have you checked the pay for beginning teachers with 4 year degrees lately? How about a beginning police officer? How about a private in the US Army? Of course if the private is "lucky" and is in a location  that is hazardous, then an extra $150 per month will be paid for hazardous duty pay...which is an increase from the extra $65 per month I was paid when I was in a hostile fire area in the Korean DMZ in 1968 & 1969. Of course I got free medical  care, all the food I could eat when I was in camp ( but C-rations out on Guard Post Gladys  in the middle of the DMZ, where 12 of us spent 4 days at a time), free clothes and boots, and a tin Quonset hut to sleep in when we were in camp...when not in a foxhole overnight or on GP Gladys in trenches and a bunker or on night ambush patrol.  Don't get me wrong...I volunteered and I would do it again,, but I'm just saying, some things are more important than money...like serving our country, teaching children, protecting our people and property...and pursuing a dream to play baseball as a job. 

 

none of those are businesses, with legal monopolies, swimming in billions of dollars of revenues and profits. 

 

And, just because we underpay teachers and police doesn't mean we should also under pay others. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone know what the Twins do in Ft. Myers? Is it a dorm room situation and players get meals. Do they have to pay a stipend to lie there?

 

What is the food situation these days at most minor league parks. Do they feed players a decent meal at least, or is it still picnic food?

 

Do most teams below AAA use community host housing....or do players just pile into an apartment?

 

How bad are facilities for hanging around all day at a park. Workout. Lockerooms?

 

Hey, there was a time when major league ballplayers needed a second job in the off-season, too. And they had to prepare for a career after baseball.

 

The big question comes when college players start getting paid to play any sport compared to people playing sports where college is not the major pipeline. Yes, many athletes get a free ride (room and board) but still have to make academic standards and need to stay in school (thus preventing some work).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

  On 3/17/2019 at 6:31 PM, sdangus said:

I guess I have never heard of many players calling it quits. Seems like they all stick it out until they are cut.

 

It's called a dream.

 

However, unlike the person who has dreams of making it on Broadway or in Hollywood, quite literally it is not possible to work another job and do all the offseason requirements the team has for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

  On 3/17/2019 at 11:27 PM, Doomtints said:

The dollar amounts here are misleading. The players are paid for half a year of work but this is throwing around "x per year" and "y is the poverty level."

 

Yes these salaries suck but the only players making this much "per year" are the ones who don't work jobs over the winter. Personally I don't know why my ticket to Target Field has to cover minor leaguers being able to play video games all winter.

 

I doubt you would see any impact on ticket prices. Teams have X dollars to spend on players. If every team decided to double MiLB salaries it would come out of MLB player salaries which is why they players union has not pushed the issue.  The current average salary is around $4.4M. Doubling MiLB player salaries would equate to that average MLB dropping to roughly 4.3M assuming revenue is stagnant going forward.

 

I assumed something in the CBA dictated the amount that could be spent on MiLB players.  Apparently this is not true and the other teams would be wise to follows Toronto's lead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

  On 3/17/2019 at 11:27 PM, Doomtints said:

The dollar amounts here are misleading. The players are paid for half a year of work but this is throwing around "x per year" and "y is the poverty level."

 

Yes these salaries suck but the only players making this much "per year" are the ones who don't work jobs over the winter. Personally I don't know why my ticket to Target Field has to cover minor leaguers being able to play video games all winter.

 

Minor leaguers often report around the same time as most major league players to spring training, are not paid during that time, and if they are asked to participate in fall instructs, it's an 8-month haul. Then, based on the offseason workout programs I've seen from 3 different organizations now, players really don't get much chance to have a life in their offseason outside of baseball either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son joined the Minnesota Conservation Corps after a couple years of college - he earned less, and did meaningful work in Minnesota public lands. Looks good on his resume, but I imaging pro ball player probably screams out in a pile of resumes.

 

Don't get me wrong - I would like to see everybody earn a meaningful wage. However, there are many who toil with no prestige whatsoever who do as poorly, and do harder, crappier jobs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

$1,500 a month is about $9.40 an hr in 40 hr weeks. 

 

To put a bit of perspective the average salary in the Dominican is about 5000 pesos a month or about $150 or so.

 

I think that a lot of minor leaguers in the US are doing it to pursue a dream and they are ok with fast food equivalent wages.  The foreign kids are thrilled.

 

The problem is the difference with the major league wages.  The "Players'" Union is the one to point a finger at because it is not willing to negotiate for its weakest constituents, but only for its wealthiest...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

  On 3/18/2019 at 11:05 PM, Monkeypaws said:

My son joined the Minnesota Conservation Corps after a couple years of college - he earned less, and did meaningful work in Minnesota public lands. Looks good on his resume, but I imaging pro ball player probably screams out in a pile of resumes.

 

Don't get me wrong - I would like to see everybody earn a meaningful wage. However, there are many who toil with no prestige whatsoever who do as poorly, and do harder, crappier jobs.

 

Dirk Hayhurst would give you a very, very different perspective. His piece was incredible to read.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Save America's Pastime Act. 

 

This bill (H.R. 5580) was introduced on June 24, 2016 by Republican Representative Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Democratic Representative Cheri Bustos of Illinois. The bill amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exempt minor league baseball players specifically. Basically, the bill made it illegal for minor league ball players to make a living wage. 

 

Brett Guthrie U.S. Representative from the Kentucky 2nd... Home of the Single A Bowling Green Hot Rods. 

 

Cheri Bustos U.S. Representative from the Illinois 17th... is the Daughter of Gene Callahan. Gene was long time Illinois Democratic Political Advisor who was hired in 1993 by Bud Selig to be MLB's first lobbyist in Washington. Bud felt that a constant presence in Washington D.C. was necessary to maintain the Anti-Trust Exemption and Gene was the guy he chose and Gene by all reports was pretty good at it.

Cheri pulled her support for the bill a day later after she was publicly mocked after it's introduction. 

 

Major League Baseball spends 1.32 Million a year lobbying our elected officials and we all know what happens when that happens. A bill that died quickly in the LIGHT OF DAY in 2016 when actual debate and public opinion laughed it off the stage is simply attached two years later to an Omni-Bus spending bill UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS. No committee hearings... No Vote but it's law now.  

 

Here is a copy and paste of Page 1,967 of the 2,2320 page 1.3 trillion dollar Omnibus Spending Bill. Called the "Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018". H.R. 1625. 

 

U:\2018REPT\OMNI\Final\RCP—FM.xml
1 TITLE II—SAVE AMERICA’S
2 PASTIME ACT
3 SEC. 201. APPLICATION OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS
4 ACT OF 1938 TO MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
5 PLAYERS.
6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 13(a) of the Fair Labor
7 Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 213(a)) is amended—
8 (1) in paragraph (18), by striking the period
9 and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
10 (2) by adding at the end the following:
11 ‘‘(19) any employee employed to play baseball
12 who is compensated pursuant to a contract that pro13 vides for a weekly salary for services performed dur14 ing the league’s championship season (but not
15 spring training or the off season) at a rate that is
16 not less than a weekly salary equal to the minimum
17 wage under section 6(a) for a workweek of 40 hours,
18 irrespective of the number of hours the employee de19 votes to baseball related activities.’’.
20 (B) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section, and the amend21 ments made by this section, shall take effect on the date
22 of enactment of this Act.

 

It's right there tucked between a grant for increasing background checks for those who work with children and a grant to protect young athletes from abuse. No Committee Hearings... No Vote. Just tucked in there quietly in a federal spending bill to keep the U.S. Government operating. 

 

These are the people we elect to office and this is the game I love... working together to make me sick. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

  On 3/18/2019 at 11:25 PM, biggentleben said:

Dirk Hayhurst would give you a very, very different perspective. His piece was incredible to read.

 

Oh, I'm on their side, and the side of all underpaid people, given what their employers are making.

 

It is one thing to underpaid pursuing a dream though, and another to be underpaid out of necessity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund
The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund

You all care about this site. The next step is caring for it. We’re asking you to caretake this site so it can remain the premier Twins community on the internet.

×
×
  • Create New...