Also, if you LOVE the game of baseball you accept the bad with the good. You don't do it because someone "makes it fun". Trust me it's not fun working that hard - I don't go out and celebrate the fact I will spend a couple of hours with a rake in my hand. I do it because the two hours I spend in practice or game is awesome. It drives me to do what I do - that is passion. I have fun in a difficult situation because I LOVE baseball and will do whatever it takes to be in the game. I know if I got the opportunity to play minor league baseball that is what would drive me - LOVE of baseball. I would have "fun" becuase I was given the opportunity to catch a groundball or take batting practice and then play a game.
I was lucky enough to play college baseball and I really wasn't that good. I made the team because I worked my butt off in practice and the offseason. At any time I could have been cut from the team so I had that hanging over my head. I chose to put myself in that position because I LOVE the game of baseball. Did I get paid? No - I played for free because I didn't get any scholarship money. Did I enjoy working out that hard and that long? No but the fact I got to spend time playing baseball was worth it - once again I chose to do this because I LOVE the game.
The point I am trying to make is that if you choose baseball as your life you are going to work your butt off and be a second class sport. Only major leaguers "have it good". Everyone below major leaguers face hardship and obstacles. They still do it because they LOVE the game. How much you work, how little you get paid or whether someone can / will take the game away from you is something you have to do because you LOVE the game and want to be there. Minor leaguers don't have a monopoly on hardships and LOVE for the game - if you play / coach this game you will have it tough in some sort of way.
If your daughter and son in law don't have to go through what I go through to coach baseball tell to never leave that school. Most schools - especially in a rural area - go through what I go through in order to coach baseball. If they don't they are VERY lucky and should not leave - then again if they don't win they will probably get fired.
I wish I could trade places with any minor leaguer because as much as I LOVE coaching I want to play the game even more. I hate seeing kids and young men in college and the minors take their talent for granted and not enjoy being on the field. If you don't love the game then don't play it because the hard work that goes with it is not worth it. That goes with anything you do. If it's worth having and doing you MUST work for it. Why do you think people who are millionaires from creating a business and seeing it grow keep their money more than people who win a lottery who are usually broke after a couple of years? It has to do with hard work - they achieved success from putting up with a lot of stuff. Same with baseball players - if they want to be "millionaires" they have to put up with the stuff that is hard to do.
I know I am probably rambling in what I have just put but as soon as I read both of your responses there were a million things that went through my head. I am glad you have sons who play minor leage ball - I would LOVE to do what they are doing but I am not good enough. But that doesn't mean I have it easy because I don't play minor league baseball. Get off your high horse and realize everyone has to work hard to achieve something.