Detailed article on being a minor leaguer

very good read.

"livin the dream".

Long story is an understatement.

However, if you can sit still long enough to read it all I can say is WOW.

Not that most didn't already know the bumpy road as the life of a minor leaguer this was more of an eye opener than I could have imagined.

Incredible.

WOW2...Bottomline unless you are one of the few who don't have to stay long in the minors, only the mentally strong survive.

Long Article...but a Very Good Read. I was eating dinner with my friends a couple years ago and we were talking about their son's Minor League life. At the time, their son was doing quite well and tearing up AA. I was surprised to find out that they were still supplementing their son's income at 24. I figured, hey, professional ball player...I knew he wasn't raking in the big bucks, but I figured he was making decent money, boy was I wrong! I have a ton of respect for those that stick it out in order to MAYBE get that chance to live their ultimate dream of playing in the Show.

The good news is that this particular young man got his chance this season,and is now in the Bigs helping his team in a pennant race. He worked very hard to get to this point (in fact, he should have been called up last year!) and his family is very proud of him...pretty cool stuff!

thanks for posting.. a great read

Great article. I think it covered the minors well.

I think one of the topics they could have mentioned also was how few of these guys have college educations to fall back on. There's a whole new meaning to pressure in baseball when it really is your only meal ticket.

Stu

With on line classes there is no reason a player can't be working towards his education.... may take a while but its a start

My son's good friend is in his second year at AA. His earnings year to date was $6,000 in July. He is listed as one of his clubs top prospects, but if he doesn't get called up in September he might be out of money to play in 2011. He's going to AFL this fall, so his off-season earning potential is not good. His bonu$ is about gone.

Yes, long article, but a great read.

The realty side of playing professional baseball inthe minors never seems to get much coverage. Read this and you wonder why anyone does it with the odds on making it to the MLB being so tough.

quote:

Originally posted by Dad04:
My son's good friend is in his second year at AA. His earnings year to date was $6,000 in July. He is listed as one of his clubs top prospects, but if he doesn't get called up in September he might be out of money to play in 2011. He's going to AFL this fall, so his off-season earning potential is not good. His bonu$ is about gone.

Dad04,
Pay is good in AFL, not sure but I think it's almost as much as they make in a season, pretty good money he probably couldn't make in the off season. One of the older guys my son played with in AAA, has an opportunity to go play in Japan where they pay pretty well, with a wife and new baby, is the reasons why. He has been called up a few times, so that has helped but if he is removed from the 40 man next spring, it's not going to work anymore.
I found the article to be very informative and accurate.

Interesting article.

What jumped out at me was the following quote referring to players who have made a 40-man roster:

"In addition, they receive the protection of the Major League Baseball Players Association, with the latest perk coming in the form of being excluded from being tested for HGH with the rest of their teammates."

I'm not sure that I would have included that line considering the outcry over PEDs in the last few years.

I don't think the pay is any better in the AFL

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:

quote:

Originally posted by Dad04:
My son's good friend is in his second year at AA. His earnings year to date was $6,000 in July. He is listed as one of his clubs top prospects, but if he doesn't get called up in September he might be out of money to play in 2011. He's going to AFL this fall, so his off-season earning potential is not good. His bonu$ is about gone.

Dad04,
Pay is good in AFL, not sure but I think it's almost as much as they make in a season, pretty good money he probably couldn't make in the off season. One of the older guys my son played with in AAA, has an opportunity to go play in Japan where they pay pretty well, with a wife and new baby, is the reasons why. He has been called up a few times, so that has helped but if he is removed from the 40 man next spring, it's not going to work anymore.
I found the article to be very informative and accurate.

I hope so. He turned down a roster spot (and nice $$$) in the Caribeaan League for the AFL.

Just asked son how much he was paid, but he says he can't remember...so it didn't make much of an impression