Monthly minimum salaries for minor league players: $1,100 at rookie ball and Class A, $1,500 at Double-A and $2,150 at Triple-A, plus $25 per diem on the road. The Spending bill passed last night exempts MiLB and MLB from paying minimum wage to minor league players-I guess MLB needs a break after only grossing $10,000,000,000.00 last year. Talk about "crumbs".....
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I think those numbers work out to about what "tipped" servers are supposed to get in restaurants. Something around two bucks an hour.
So, maybe the players should embarrass the owners by walking around the stadium with tip cups?
Another example of officials having no understanding of the laws they pass. In my opinion, the only way there is any sort of meaningful change is if the players union takes a stand and as far as I know, to date they've shown no willingness to do so.
If I were one of those oppressed workers, I would quit that job and work somewhere else!
Yes, I'd quit also.
Why not?
Just because you've spent the better part of two decades becoming one of the top players in the world, getting recognized as being in that best class by getting drafted/signed. Yes, I'd go to a different baseball employer - oh wait, I can't go to a different employer because I'm bound for 4 - 6 years playing for less then minimum wage.
What you are saying is that a man who directed his entire life, efforts, sweat and tears and turned those efforts into becoming a professional should. . . .get another job in a different industry. All because the 10 billion dollar machine has decided to pay its youngest professionals $5/hr.
So understand this: A minor league player grinds it out at these "salaries" for years, often with a family. Finally gets to MLB if he is 1 out of 10. Then has to stick there through Arbitration years & may, possibly see free agency where he can cash in. If he can still hold value at this point, he may actually get a huge payday & then the fans can all talk about how these guys are spoiled prima donnas & overpaid & teachers should get more $$ instead of MLB player X.
Then, if he holds out for more $$ because he remembers cashing a check for 2 weeks in A ball for $439.01, he occasionally gets crushed even more in the media &/or by the fan base. Meanwhile, Oprah & Jennifer Lawrence make 40 Mill / Year & that's just fine.
This is really terrible for these players. Forgive my ignorance, but are minor league players not represented by a players union? (I'm assuming not.) If not, does anyone think this will lead the players to unite and take action?
These absurdly low wages remind me of my days as a new flight attendant for a major carrier in 2000. That's another group of employees required to live an unusual lifestyle that makes less money than required to live. Even today, new flight attendants can end up making less than minimum wage.
Unless the Minor League players unite, it will stay the same. These young men are chasing a dream, and most of them go into it thinking they would play for free, because they love the game. The problem is, reality sets in when their expenses start to add up. These guys should at least earn a living wage.
Another good reason to head off to college before you sell your soul to professional ball.
There are so many more important things that should be in the spending bill. But our elected leaders are more interested in putting more money in billionaires pockets, so there ya go.
Look, I get it, son was lucky to get some decent money when he signed. He had no college to pay off. He played for two good organizations that treated their minor leaguers well. No pb&j sandwiches like I heard the Dodgers feed their players. He made it work as many US players do, they don't suffer. The exploited players are not our college educated sons.
Son never made it to the show, injuries. Dropped from the 40 man. When it became about the money he went to play in PR, then in Mexico where you are treated like a rock star and paid a LOT of money. Even more money in an independent league than milb.
This is a tough business and not for everyone. You need a very tough skin to survive. No matter who you are. Seasoned professionals get treated with the same indifference as milb. Just look at what happened to those in the free agency market this past off season. For those that think a player should have a right to flip teams when they want, it just doesn't work that way. Most teams have cultures and philosophies that help to develop players over several years. If a player isn't protected after 4 years, then he can ask for a release, sometimes change is good, but chances are you won't find a job so quickly. Teams prefer the players that they drafted, or need for a trade or seasoned milk for their higher levels.
In sons case, the relationships son has made to further his professional career is money in the bank. He looks back and realizes that the difficult path (yes difficult) he took was for a reason.
The above I have posted is not for the lucky few early picks who make money. Very few late round drafted players get to the show. For those that do, most went to college first.
JMO
I'm with TPM on the college route, at least where it concerns my son. There was contact and interest from scouts and one cross checker. All were told he's going to college. Heck, all in, college is FREE, we got room and board at private D1. Get a degree and likely come out a head of your own draft class.
However, I do realize not every player is college material. It's more a personal choice and really a tough decision for some and not so much for others.
What do you miss? Rook, Low A and more than likely A ball. Yep, go to college, get a degree, stay healthy and a little bit of luck you'll earn an opportunity IF you still want to pursue it.
The best thing to happen was the local 2015 draft class happening in front of my son's eyes. He got to see how they prepared, all were P5 commits that worked hard to position themselves. He watched, listened to the conversations with their advisors/agents. Fast forward to '18, 1 in 3 is doing very well, as expected. Second is gonna get many chances, doing well, still progressing....something about throwing 100+. The third..........stalled and can't find his way out of RK ball.
Son got to see who really gets paid on draft day...........the government, the agent, then the player gets what's left............now after a binge purchase (truck) you gotta budget the remaining (considering the odds of making the show are 5+ years, if at all) or put it away and live on the modest income that MilB provides. All the reason a baseball player must be humble and know humility. He's likely gonna have to work in 30 minute increments for cash as those before him.
There are so many things wrong about this likely soon to become law.
One is certainly it does not belong in a spending bill which is likely to further impact the financial problems of this Country and our grandchildren far into the future ,when none of those who voted for it will be accountable.
Another is the fact MLB paid big dollars with the cry to "save America's pastime" which is a total joke when most everyone knows Milb salaries are a rounding error in the resources and income of MLB. Owners of MILB teams are multi-millionaires also. This is just another illustration, similar to the NCAA and March madness of the players being the pawn when billions get traded by the owners.
For me, though, the fact that MLB's monopolistic and collusive practices in controlling MILB salaries gets approved in Congress is disgusting. This is 30 teams and the Commissioner colluding to regulate salaries, now with government support, for MILB players because they have shown they cannot control themselves when players have free agency at the MLB level. This is the classic illustration that the rhetoric about doing the business of the "people" is a farce. Looking out for middle America? Farce!
This is analogous to Apple, Facebook, Google and Netscape getting together and agreeing on the salary scale to be paid for engineers. It is not legal...except when MLB buys off Congress with a bill full of "deceit," beginning with the title-"Save America's Pastime." What a farce and joke!!!
Agree with you 100% IFDad, but just as a point of info Netscape doesn't exist anymore, and they were never a major company. Maybe sub in Intel or Oracle.
Oops!!! Got a bit emotional there. Meant Netflix...but Intel works also! Guess I showed my age a bit, huh?
Started to put this on the thread yesterday on the same topic......It's time for everyone to vote in their Primary elections and elect fresh faces, no matter what your party is. And if a candidate is for term limits and vows to not serve more than two election cycles, all the better.
Nobody can tell me that a member of congress that hasn't had a "real" job and dealt with real problems in 20+ years can effectively make decisions for those folks in their district. Flying first class weekly, having exclusive access to gyms, golf courses, private dining and doctors...of course they are voting for the status quo and the way things have always been done. I'm not against privileges for those in Washington while they are serving but it shouldn't be for the rest of their lives. Injecting MiLB salary limitations in a Federal spending bill makes a lot of sense...to about 535 people in this country (plus the lobbyists).
Not sure why I felt the need to paste this on a HS baseball forum other than the fact that we must all start screaming for term limits immediately if we ever want to change the mindset.
Our son just alerted me to this aspect of the "Save America's Pastime" bill, which could jeopardize the future of independent leagues, per Baseball America:
https://www.baseballamerica.co...r-kill-indy-leagues/
Did I mention disgusting?
infielddad posted:Our son just alerted me to this aspect of the "Save America's Pastime" bill, which could jeopardize the future of independent leagues, per Baseball America:
https://www.baseballamerica.co...r-kill-indy-leagues/
Did I mention disgusting?
Just read that. Collateral damage.
Goosegg posted:Yes, I'd quit also.
Why not?
Just because you've spent the better part of two decades becoming one of the top players in the world, getting recognized as being in that best class by getting drafted/signed. Yes, I'd go to a different baseball employer - oh wait, I can't go to a different employer because I'm bound for 4 - 6 years playing for less then minimum wage.
What you are saying is that a man who directed his entire life, efforts, sweat and tears and turned those efforts into becoming a professional should. . . .get another job in a different industry. All because the 10 billion dollar machine has decided to pay its youngest professionals $5/hr.
What about the responsibility of the player? At what point while developing his professional skill is the player responsible for deciding if the pay is worth the effort? It is no secret that MiLB salary is small. It's well documented. As the player is evaluating his professional options, that should be part of his decision process on which path to take. Once he chooses a path shouldn't he live with his decision?
Steve A. posted:So understand this: A minor league player grinds it out at these "salaries" for years, often with a family. Finally gets to MLB if he is 1 out of 10. Then has to stick there through Arbitration years & may, possibly see free agency where he can cash in. If he can still hold value at this point, he may actually get a huge payday & then the fans can all talk about how these guys are spoiled prima donnas & overpaid & teachers should get more $$ instead of MLB player X.
Then, if he holds out for more $$ because he remembers cashing a check for 2 weeks in A ball for $439.01, he occasionally gets crushed even more in the media &/or by the fan base. Meanwhile, Oprah & Jennifer Lawrence make 40 Mill / Year & that's just fine.
While I don’t disagree you overlooked this ...
84% of American MLBers came from the first ten rounds of the draft. It means they started with a signing bonus of seven figures to 100K. Even most Caribbean players who make it now received signing bonuses.
I’m not anti minor leaguer. I’m pro all the facts. Players drafted after the tenth round are considered A ball roster filler by MLB. Any who make it are a bonus.
2020txcatch posted:Started to put this on the thread yesterday on the same topic......It's time for everyone to vote in their Primary elections and elect fresh faces, no matter what your party is. And if a candidate is for term limits and vows to not serve more than two election cycles, all the better.
Nobody can tell me that a member of congress that hasn't had a "real" job and dealt with real problems in 20+ years can effectively make decisions for those folks in their district. Flying first class weekly, having exclusive access to gyms, golf courses, private dining and doctors...of course they are voting for the status quo and the way things have always been done. I'm not against privileges for those in Washington while they are serving but it shouldn't be for the rest of their lives. Injecting MiLB salary limitations in a Federal spending bill makes a lot of sense...to about 535 people in this country (plus the lobbyists).
Not sure why I felt the need to paste this on a HS baseball forum other than the fact that we must all start screaming for term limits immediately if we ever want to change the mindset.
Term limits? You expect these people to legislate themselves out of cushy jobs. I would describe the step by step process to create term limits. I’ll save a lot if time and just say it wii never happen.
infielddad posted:Our son just alerted me to this aspect of the "Save America's Pastime" bill, which could jeopardize the future of independent leagues, per Baseball America:
https://www.baseballamerica.co...r-kill-indy-leagues/
Did I mention disgusting?
Come on? How can you argue that MiLB needs to increase it's pay on one hand than argue that it's disgusting that increased pay destroys another league. A league that pays much less than MiLB.
The reality is the public doesn't support low end professional baseball. If left to market forces 75% of all professional baseball would disappear.
Is that what we want? Is that what the players want?
real green posted:infielddad posted:Our son just alerted me to this aspect of the "Save America's Pastime" bill, which could jeopardize the future of independent leagues, per Baseball America:
https://www.baseballamerica.co...r-kill-indy-leagues/
Did I mention disgusting?
Come on? How can you argue that MiLB needs to increase it's pay on one hand than argue that it's disgusting that increased pay destroys another league. A league that pays much less than MiLB.
The reality is the public doesn't support low end professional baseball. If left to market forces 75% of all professional baseball would disappear.
Is that what we want? Is that what the players want?
That's not even close to the point. The point is Congress gets paid by MLB and it lobby to include a provision about "Saving America's Pastime" by controlling and limiting and allowing MLB to collude to control salaries in ways no other business in the USA can do. Because this gets done at the last minute and with no hearings or outside input, the bill is drafted with broad provisions which support the billionaires, controls Milb salaries, but is so broad it then impacts the independent leagues which are thinly financed, as BA illustrates.
In my view, this is the worst of billionaires at work. They control MILB salaries which are a nit and are so self-centered they also may drive the independents out of business. Nothing inconsistent at all in my posts.
I don't know where you get your info on Milb. Owners of those franchises are making millions.
The public does support low end professional baseball, otherwise these Independent Clubs would not exist. You have an agreement between an employer and an employee in place, for low wages, & nobody is forcing anybody to do anything.
Now you add the all knowing Washington Politicians to the mix, the same ones who argue for raising the minimum wage to $15 or 75K / Year or whatever insanity they come up with under the pretense of "fairness" & what you end up with is shuttered businesses & ZERO opportunity.
I made $850 / Month in rookie ball. Did it suck? Yes. Did I still do it? Yes. Did I have to do it? No. Did it give me an opportunity? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes. Would Government help me if they made the MILB Minimum 75K ? No, there would be fewer spots because in the real world, a business has to generate a profit to exist. .
"Would Government help me if they made the MILB Minimum 75K ? No, there would be fewer spots because in the real world, a business has to generate a profit to exist."
Steve, this is where our views diverge. Milb owners don't pay the player salaries. As you know, those get paid by MLB and they can afford far more than $1100 to $2200 per month for 6 months (especially since they don't pay the off season but require players to be "on call" 24 hours per day for drug testing.) As an aside, not many employers can "require" its employees to be immediately available or on call, argue it is off the clock and not pay for that requirement. MLB is going to make big $$$$ without colluding and now having Congress empower them to control player salaries.
Milb owners are generally making big $$$ on Milb franchise investments since the community builds and operates the stadiums, mostly at the cost of the taxpayers. They are not impacted in profit margins by Milb salaries.
infielddad posted:real green posted:infielddad posted:Our son just alerted me to this aspect of the "Save America's Pastime" bill, which could jeopardize the future of independent leagues, per Baseball America:
https://www.baseballamerica.co...r-kill-indy-leagues/
Did I mention disgusting?
Come on? How can you argue that MiLB needs to increase it's pay on one hand than argue that it's disgusting that increased pay destroys another league. A league that pays much less than MiLB.
The reality is the public doesn't support low end professional baseball. If left to market forces 75% of all professional baseball would disappear.
Is that what we want? Is that what the players want?
That's not even close to the point. The point is Congress gets paid by MLB and it lobby to include a provision about "Saving America's Pastime" by controlling and limiting and allowing MLB to collude to control salaries in ways no other business in the USA can do. Because this gets done at the last minute and with no hearings or outside input, the bill is drafted with broad provisions which support the billionaires, controls Milb salaries, but is so broad it then impacts the independent leagues which are thinly financed, as BA illustrates.
In my view, this is the worst of billionaires at work. They control MILB salaries which are a nit and are so self-centered they also may drive the independents out of business. Nothing inconsistent at all in my posts.
I don't know where you get your info on Milb. Owners of those franchises are making millions.
Before an argument breaks out on how much MLB teams make it really doesn’t matter. The teams values are increasing so rapidly the owners make a lot of money when they sell.
infielddad posted:"Would Government help me if they made the MILB Minimum 75K ? No, there would be fewer spots because in the real world, a business has to generate a profit to exist."
Steve, this is where our views diverge. Milb owners don't pay the player salaries. As you know, those get paid by MLB and they can afford far more than $1100 to $2200 per month for 6 months (especially since they don't pay the off season but require players to be "on call" 24 hours per day for drug testing. MLB is going to make big $$$$ without colluding and now having Congress empower them to control player salaries.
Milb owners are generally making big $$$ on Milb franchise investments since the community builds and operates the stadiums, mostly at the cost of the taxpayers. They are not impacted in profit margins by Milb salaries.
I don't disagree with that, but what is your solution? It is a supply & demand issue. Can MLB afford more than $1100-$2200 / month? Yes, absolutely. Do they have to pay more than that if the employees (players) are willing to go to work for those $$? No, they do not because there are 50,000 guys in line behind those employees begging for a shot.
I'm speculating here but I would bet that from the MLB Players Associations perspective, if they go to bat to increase MILB salaries, the result will be less $$ in the pot for MLB Salaries. The deal is this. Get to the Show & you get paid. Don't & you don't.
Does anyone have an idea of what the total average compensation of a Triple A players career? Including any signing bonus. None of the articles regarding pay ever mention the bonus factor.
One solution is for Congress to stay out and not buy the "save america's pastime" slop.
Another option is to allow Milb players to be free agents quicker than 6 full championship seasons.
A 3rd option is to allow the wage and hour lawsuit to proceed to determine if Milb players are entitled to be paid as most every other worker is entitled to be paid, by law.
The last option is to not allow MLB and the owners to collude and set the salaries. It is unlawful for Apple, Netflix, Oracle, Amazon and Google to collude in controlling the salary of engineers. (which can also be part of the lawsuit in #3 which prompted MLB to pay lobbyists to buy this bill!)
MLB picks the 1% who are in Milb. There may be plenty to stand in line to do the "work." However, MLB didn't pick them to do the work.
I fully understand MLB does a brilliant job with marketing the issue as the "players" and who wouldn't want to live the dream. The focus is not the players. It is MLB, the collusion and their controlling salaries at artificially low levels (now supported by Congress.) When it comes to MLB players, teams compete against each other for players. When it comes to Milb players, teams collude with each other to control salaries. They are the same business entity. When it comes to Milb players, they are no different than Apple, Oracle, Intel, etc colluding to control salaries. That needs to be the focus!
real green posted:Does anyone have an idea of what the total average compensation of a Triple A players career? Including any signing bonus. None of the articles regarding pay ever mention the bonus factor.
The spectrum would be huge here. If you are a 6 yr MILB free agent, back years ago, you could get 50K. Less than 6 yrs you would get whatever they told you, maybe $3500 / Month. Then you had guys sent down from the Big Leagues or veteran guys who had split contracts & may be getting a couple hundred G. Bonuses would vary widely but that $$ is gone by then or invested if they were smart (not likely).
infielddad posted:One solution is for Congress to stay out and not buy the "save america's pastime" slop.
Another option is to allow Milb players to be free agents quicker than 6 full championship seasons.
A 3rd option is to allow the wage and hour lawsuit to proceed to determine if Milb players are entitled to be paid as most every other worker is entitled to be paid, by law.
The last option is to not allow MLB and the owners to collude and set the salaries. It is unlawful for Apple, Netflix, Oracle, Amazon and Google to collude in controlling the salary of engineers. (which can also be part of the lawsuit in #3 which prompted MLB to pay lobbyists to buy this bill!)
MLB picks the 1% who are in Milb. There may be plenty to stand in line to do the "work." However, MLB didn't pick them to do the work.
I fully understand MLB does a brilliant job with marketing the issue as the "players" and who wouldn't want to live the dream. The focus is not the players. It is MLB, the collusion and their controlling salaries at artificially low levels (now supported by Congress.) When it comes to MLB players, teams compete against each other for players. When it comes to Milb players, teams collude with each other to control salaries. They are the same business entity. When it comes to Milb players, they are no different than Apple, Oracle, Intel, etc colluding to control salaries. That needs to be the focus!
Look, we are on the same page here but here is the problem. On the one hand you suggest for Congress to stay out. I could not agree more. Then we are suggesting that MILB free agency is prior to 6 years, I also agree but who forces that change? What entity, if not "Congress" or some other collection of idiots, decides on the "rules?"
If the MILB players want more rights, wages, benefits or whatever, they have every right to organize & demand those rights. The business can then fire them or compromise. Once you add some political entity into the mix to force the "fairness," you typically have a disaster in the making. This applies for almost all Government interaction. The exception would be for a major Monopoly (Like you have with MLB) but the difficulty comes as to who is the referee in deciding the issues. Penalize the business too much, you have fewer employees as a result.
The teams are going to get their $$. Insert rules that jack their costs, the result is they ultimately eliminate employees.
Another thing. Recognize this. The teams revenue is generated at the MLB level. Until you get there as a player & contribute, you are a liability for the Organization. They spend tons of MLB $$ on your coaches, trainers, facilities, equipment etc. etc. You, at the MILB level, are generating zero $$ for the Big Club.
And as if exploiting players' dreams weren't enough, don't even get me started on the attitude of MLB (and also MiLB) teams, thinking they are ENTITLED to taxpayer-funded facilities.
What we really need from Congress is a law that prohibits any state or locality from paying for such things. Then the teams couldn't play one off against the other the way they do now, and the taxpayers could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that their elected officials weren't taking their money to underwrite the business profits of the MLB franchises.
Then the teams would have to pick locations based on real factors like the ability to sell tickets and generate TV revenue in the particular markets.
Why should the NY Yankees, Boston Red Sox, LA Dodgers, etc operate under a different and far more protective set of rules, laws and salary control mechanisms than any other business entity in the Country (while also in nearly every case (SF Giants) having a major cost item-stadiums-financed by taxpayers?
There may be some point where labor costs impact profitability. However, since no books from MLB or any team are open to anyone for inspection, who would know? That aspect aside, as RJM noted, there is no shortage of buyers when a team goes up for sale. That alone, to me, sends a strong message about $$$$.
Steve A. posted:Another thing. Recognize this. The teams revenue is generated at the MLB level. Until you get there as a player & contribute, you are a liability for the Organization. They spend tons of MLB $$ on your coaches, trainers, facilities, equipment etc. etc. You, at the MILB level, are generating zero $$ for the Big Club.
No major disagreement with this point, Steve.
However, with this model, should that salary cost be borne by the Milb player or the team and MLB which collude to control the risk and control it over a long period of time?
Many businesses in our Country make major capital allocations for research and development in hopes of the big pay day down the road. Do they pay an engineer less because the work is being done in R&D rather than a product being distributed into the market for profit?
I just don't see why MLB needs to be or lawfully should be exempt any longer.
infielddad posted:One solution is for Congress to stay out and not buy the "save america's pastime" slop.
Another option is to allow Milb players to be free agents quicker than 6 full championship seasons.
A 3rd option is to allow the wage and hour lawsuit to proceed to determine if Milb players are entitled to be paid as most every other worker is entitled to be paid, by law.
The last option is to not allow MLB and the owners to collude and set the salaries. It is unlawful for Apple, Netflix, Oracle, Amazon and Google to collude in controlling the salary of engineers. (which can also be part of the lawsuit in #3 which prompted MLB to pay lobbyists to buy this bill!)
MLB picks the 1% who are in Milb. There may be plenty to stand in line to do the "work." However, MLB didn't pick them to do the work.
I fully understand MLB does a brilliant job with marketing the issue as the "players" and who wouldn't want to live the dream. The focus is not the players. It is MLB, the collusion and their controlling salaries at artificially low levels (now supported by Congress.) When it comes to MLB players, teams compete against each other for players. When it comes to Milb players, teams collude with each other to control salaries. They are the same business entity. When it comes to Milb players, they are no different than Apple, Oracle, Intel, etc colluding to control salaries. That needs to be the focus!
I think the "collusion" aspect is a major part of the equation. While there are thousands of folks who would take these guys' places, there are probably plenty of MiLB players who would command a much higher salary than $1,100/month - if only they could switch teams. You cannot argue that the marketplace, principally the supply side, demonstrates that the $1,100 is sufficient to to meet demand because players and team are not operating in a free market - nowhere close.
Some folks have argued that players should be paid minimum wage along with overtime. I have previously posted that I think raising the minimum salaries would go a long way in smoothing things out where the teams would continue to collude (shortening the standard contract would be nice - maybe a reasonable buyout clause at 100% of bonus at 4 years) but players could upgrade their daily living standards. Someone quoted total MLB salaries of $2 billion with a sizeable increase in MiLB salaries coming in well below 1% of this total - so there is zero arguement that MLB cannot afford an increase.
Is there anyone that is complaining about teams "colluding" during this free agency period (driving down wages) that also feels current MiLB salaries are acceptable? I really don't feel sorry for the 30 year old pitcher that is only going to make $15 million instead of $20 million each of the next three years (although I don't doubt MLB is gaming the system). I do feel sorry for some kid living off of what little is left from his little paycheck and getting to the ballpark early so he can scrounge for food scraps. Let's just hope he doesn't have a peanut allergy.
There are some good older articles on this site that steps you through how that $1,100 check get eaten up (who knew the players actually help fund the PB&J smorgasbord). Then again, it sounds like they get fed better than the inmates in the Alabama county jails - who knew you could get reach being an Alabama sheriff.
This is just like the $15 Minimum Wage con. If you artificially raise wages, somebody has to be fired.
The draft rounds will stop at 10 or 20. Your kid won't get drafted. The teams will shrink, or the seasons will shrink.
If you don't believe in capitalism, just say it. Say it proud.
SultanofSwat posted:This is just like the $15 Minimum Wage con. If you artificially raise wages, somebody has to be fired.
The draft rounds will stop at 10 or 20. Your kid won't get drafted. The teams will shrink, or the seasons will shrink.
If you don't believe in capitalism, just say it. Say it proud.
Now I don't understand that one at all Sultan?
MLB is the antithesis of capitalism in my view!
What is artificial is the current scheme.
Open up Milb to free agency and a free market system should be the goal if you want capitalism. Heck, if there are so many qualified to compete in Milb, let the market establish that. Right now, MILB "selects" the 1% it wants and then controls the costs totally against a free market system.
If MLB was willing to accept capitalism they would not have run to Congress, paid lobbyists and craft a sleazy "Save American's Pastime" bill to protect their monopoly and possibly even to strengthen by driving out independent leagues. Cutting teams and players, or raising the fear of it, to me at least, is an illusory position since no one knows their profit margins, profits and cost of Milb players against those.
I'm not arguing against the system as it stands today as it relates to player control - I'm just of the opinion that the players toward the bottom get a few more crumbs. Lots of folks say you get paid (big time) when you get called up to the MLB. What's wrong with getting a few more crumbs when you get called to MiLB while having to put up with the collusion?
Anyone think Ronald Acuna (Braves) is getting taken advantage of? I can live with that situation as he will be earning $500k+ (pro rated of course) starting in May. I wonder how much some other team would pony up this season to have him on their team - a whole lot more than $500k I can guarantee you. So lets please not try to hold up baseball as a perfect example of capitalism where everyone sets their price daily based on supply and demand.
I find the gap in pay just a little too wide for my comfort given how much the MLB controls this economy.
At some point MLB will cut teams. But not because of MILB player salaries.
I know a few guys working in the data analysis side of MLB. For years, the hunt has been on to figure out how to more quickly determine who will make it and who won't (barring injury - though identifying players thought susceptible to injury is also front and center). Data mining has improved so much, so quickly, that clubs now believe they can determine the survivors at least a year earlier then just a decade ago.
The quicker the future MLB players are identified, the fewer players levels are needed in the minors.
MLB is no different from all other industries in using data mining to improve efficiency (read that as needing fewer players).
I don't think any player is asking for $15. All they want is to be paid the minimum wage society has set - nothing more and nothing less.
When the MILB wage was set years ago, it was at roughly the federal minimum wage. But over the years, the minimum wage rose somewhat, but MILB wages didn't. Perhaps ask yourself why did MLB originally set salaries at the minimum wage? Did MLB understand that it was subject to the law?
(Some of the studies coming out of the Seattle minimum wage increase, actually support the hypothesis that employment is little effected by the huge increase. OTOH, I owned a small biz where most employees were unskilled and were minimum wage employees. I felt that I was getting mercilessly squeezed by rapid minimum wage increases. However, when I increased prices to compensate, I lost no biz and my competitors followed with price increases. Go figure!)
infielddad posted:Oops!!! Got a bit emotional there. Meant Netflix...but Intel works also! Guess I showed my age a bit, huh?
Give me you AOL email address and I'll send you my response.
