AAA Player Posts His Pay Stub

Thanks for posting.  Bear in mind, this is a AAA pay stub.  The general public has so little knowledge of how poorly these guys are compensated.

Tyler played most of the year for the AA team and was called up to AAA on Aug 31.  

For comparison:  here is a paystub from a MLB  player in 2015.  Note, Tyler's pay stub is for the whole year while this one is only from May!

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker...3616356002227236.jpg

I've been hearing about the Twins pitcher driving for Uber on the broadcasts. The guys on the call talk about it like it's some cool thing he does on the side but it's how the man pays his rent. The pay is wild, I've always thought they should either provide housing or meals but that's not something I see happening. That being said, you get called up for one game and you're getting $3400. They definitely do a good job of dangling the steak in front of your face. 

To me the big issue is MiLB pay has not kept up with inflation over the years. The pay would be adequate had a COLA been incorporated.

84% of American MLBers come from the top ten rounds of the draft. Round ten slot money is about 150K (not interested in hearing about the exceptions). Yes, some is lost to taxes. But the signing bonus for those expected to have a shot at making it should be sufficient. 

The rest of minor leaguers are there to be long shots and teammates of the top prospects in the meantime. Enter at your own risk. Only another 10% of American players come from rounds 11-20.

MiLB guys are auditioning for one of 800 or so exclusive jobs in the world.... the pay sucks while getting there. At least this kid is smart enough to bank his bonus and work a part time job while getting there. 

Reference how many actors are waiting tables in NY and singers there are serving drinks in Nashville. 

If it sucks they can always get real jobs, make millions and buy a few minor league teams to right the wrongs in the game. Better yet, how about if the MLB players union steps into to take care of them, oh wait nobody cares about the Milb guys including the past players.

Average 2019 player salary = around 4.5m x proposed 1.5% player support tax x 800 MLB jobs = 54M for minor league players, support the dream, solidarity of players - there is plenty of money to go around. 

This is fun it is very easy to spend other peoples money. 

It's a Catch-22 scenario being played.  Aside from having the talent, you have to be a top 5 round draft pick to give yourself a meaningful chance to make it to the Show.  It is virtually impossible to get the required building blocks to give yourself a meaningful chance.  Besides the basic necessities to live on (food, water, housing) from the MiLB wages, you also have to figure in additional costs.  Training facilities (onsite and offsite), nutritional supplements, proper diet for athletes, a decent bed to prevent back problems, transportation, PT/massage therapy, etc.  Without additional monetary income (through parents/relatives/side job/friends) there is little room to stretch the $1200/month they receive.  You have some talented A/highA players who may be hindered in advancement to the next level because they can't afford the proper nutrition for their body to perform at an optimal level.  Hence, the well paid signing bonuses bridge the low wages and give them a better chance.  Of course, there are other factors such as high draft picks are given more opportunities and patience/support to succeed, but that's a whole different story.

The minor leagues are devised intentionally to exist as a form of obstacle course. The low pay, subpar living conditions, jammed game schedule, and long bus rides eventually take their toll on many; preventing front offices from having to do the dirty work of releasing players who no longer fit. Self-selection to find something else to do will always be considered preferential to having to make tough choices about who to cut.

That, plus the fact that the Major League Players' Association views an increase in minor league compensation as a potential dollar-for-dollar reduction in major leaguers' salaries combine to make the plight of minor leaguers an inevitability.

Meanwhile, who can fault a kid who is passionate about the sport from continuing to pursue his dream in the face of all the obstacles? Not I, in part because my son...like thousands of others before him and to follow...will always have the memory of having played in the midst of the best the game has to offer.

Why not reduce the draft to 15-20 rounds and cut the number of minor leaguers by 50%?

I get occasionally a 29th rounder is good but less than 1% from those rounds make it. Why not cut 1-2 affiliates and 50-60 minor leaguers per team and then pay the rest better? 

Wouldn't that be more efficient?

Dominik85 posted:

Why not reduce the draft to 15-20 rounds and cut the number of minor leaguers by 50%?

I get occasionally a 29th rounder is good but less than 1% from those rounds make it. Why not cut 1-2 affiliates and 50-60 minor leaguers per team and then pay the rest better? 

Wouldn't that be more efficient?

Rounds 21-40 serve a purpose other than future potential MLBers. These rounds provide teammates for the legitimate prospects. The only way to possibly cut down the number of minor leaguers is force players to attend college and only have A, AA and AAA ball. But even now a lot of players come out of college ball not ready for High A.

RJM posted:

Dominik85 posted:

Why not reduce the draft to 15-20 rounds and cut the number of minor leaguers by 50%?

I get occasionally a 29th rounder is good but less than 1% from those rounds make it. Why not cut 1-2 affiliates and 50-60 minor leaguers per team and then pay the rest better? 

Wouldn't that be more efficient?

 

Rounds 21-40 serve a purpose other than future potential MLBers. These rounds provide teammates for the legitimate prospects. The only way to possibly cut down the number of minor leaguers is force players to attend college and only have A, AA and AAA ball. But even now a lot of players come out of college ball not ready for High A.

Minor league ball exists for itself too, not just as a feeder.   I love going to minor league games. 

The Sacramento River Cats, where Tyler played (briefly) sold 5.5 million tickets last year.  That whole league draws well.   I wonder what their profits look like.

I’ve seen a prospectus on purchasing minor league teams. I went in on an investment group managed by a couple of former MLBers that purchased three A level teams. We’ve since made our money and sold. 

What the group was looking for was poorly run teams in potentially good markets. Too often people buy into sports without a clue to join the club (think NFL and Daniel Snyder). Our group had proven owners running the show. I never thought of myself as part of “the club.” I had no say other than “sell.” It was just a cool investment. 

The problem with purchasing AAA teams is they cost significantly more than A teams. The group purchased three A teams for the cost of one AAA. They also tend to be in markets large enough that poor promotion isn’t an issue. In smaller minor league markets the ability to properly promote the team for the least cost has a lot to do with financial success. 

One of my homes is near AA stadium. I’ll bike by and see families leaving in the sixth or seventh inning. The great thing about minor league ball is if the kids get restless, leave. You haven’t blown a couple of hundred dollars-plus. Four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas is about $60.

AA is about perfect.  Lots of MLB-bound talent, plus a smattering of stars on rehab, and tickets etc. are all affordable. We're looking at buying a house in town about 30 minutes from an AA park. Only problem is that its the Yankees affiliate.

The River Cats do draw pretty well, but to get the accurate number you need to divide the 5.5 million by 10.... 

My bad: