quote:I hve seen what happens to guys playing MiLB who wash out and depending on the guy it can be devistating.
LL, I don't have too much problem with your observations on how impersonal, and at times, brutal the business of professional baseball can be in impacting some players.
But I am having a hard time accepting your view that Clemons, Bonds and Ramirez get included in that group. In fact, the 3 of them and those protected by the MLBPA usually have an awful lot of rights in the struggle.
I feel BHD has it right here. Players in Milb have no protection at all from a "business" and/or labor perspective. The difference between the drug testing programs at the MLB level vs Milb is clear evidence.
Players in Milb can be treated pretty mercilessly. It happens everyday that a player is on the DL with a baseball related injury. He gets "cleared" by the team MD as "ready" to play and before he can step on the field to determine if he can play or not, he is released.
There are many stories of players who are logjammed in an organization where it is clear they will never play. When they ask for their release, they are told they can retire only. Even though that player has no future with that organization, they take the position that you are their property and you will not be allowed any other option for the balance of your 6 year initial pro contract.
Stories like these happen with regularity throughout the season.
What you have is very young players will very little business background and even less knowledge of the "business of baseball" trying to survive in a business where they have no union, little to knowledge of the baseball rules but are "owned" by a management which makes and knows the rules intimately.
That does not often happen at the MLB level.
If you want to get your blood pressure elevated over things that happen in professional baseball, I can appreciate there are reasons. But I would not get mine elevated over Barry Bonds. He could care less.
But that 4th year MILB player who will be cleaning out his locker tomorrow after spending the last 30 days rehabbing an injury could be a good reason...but you will never hear about him, other than he was "released".