Any read this book?
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YES! It was given to me by my son's GF mother. The author had two son's get drafted out of Stanford.
But, it is mostly told/quoted from the actual players, on how the minor leagues really are.
I would say that I knew pretty much all of it, but it was good to have it confirmed. Plus, those players really have some stories to tell!
What struck me the most, and it played out this year on my son's team, that I always thought that AAA was a promotion from AA ball. Not so. Half the team has already played in MLB so for them it is a demotion. So, those that are promoted to the team are so excited to be there....until they meet the grumpy players from MLB.
The title doesn't really do it justice....it was just a quote from the author's son. Plus, Stanford has TONS of money and I am sure the baseball facilities are top notch and that is what those players are used to having. So when those players drafted out of Stanford complain about awful hotels, long bus rides, blah blah blah in milb....well, my son was used to that in college lol.
Saw this yesterday that could help on the quality of life side of things;
https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/10...-housing-2022-season
Can't solve the mental grind side though.
Good point @keewart - for sure, playing at most P5's is closer to major league accommodations than being in A-ball. As @Gunner Mack Jr. notes, hopefully that's about to improve.
A friend’s son got promoted to AAA. The last week of the season he gave a rah rah locker room speech about winning out and making the playoffs. The team had a bunch of AAAA (career of up and down) and emergency call up, former MLBers on the downside with a little left in the tank. One told him to STFU. If he wanted a ring go to the jewelry store. They all just wanted to be called up or go home.
A former poster here had a son at the time considering signing out of high school versus going to Stanford. The coach asked the parents if they wanted their son meeting a Stanford girl or Betty from the diner in some podunk minor league town. The kid went to Stanford and got to the majors.
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:Saw this yesterday that could help on the quality of life side of things;
https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/10...-housing-2022-season
Can't solve the mental grind side though.
I was privy to two of my son's paystubs this year. (I have done his taxes every year until this year).
After NY state and Federal taxes (not including his home state taxes which he has to pay estimated taxes on), and the deduction for housing ($70 per night in a hotel for half the month/home games) he had $18 PER DAY for food, gas, golf and other sundries. Oh, I guess he had to pay clubby fees out of that, too.
So, after golf, there was no money to eat. Priorities 
@keewart posted:I was privy to two of my son's paystubs this year. (I have done his taxes every year until this year).
After NY state and Federal taxes (not including his home state taxes which he has to pay estimated taxes on), and the deduction for housing ($70 per night in a hotel for half the month/home games) he had $18 PER DAY for food, gas, golf and other sundries. Oh, I guess he had to pay clubby fees out of that, too.
So, after golf, there was no money to eat. Priorities
I am not sure if this is available still but I had been offered a few times, I want to say 6 years ago, the opportunity to invest in a fund that bought future earnings of minor league players. The fund would approach a player and offer him an amount based on a belief of ability to make an MLB roster in exchange for a percentage of his future earnings. For instance, they would agree to give a player $100k for 10% of all future earnings. This was to help the player with the lack of income but it is of course could be a terrible deal for the player if they hit it big. I can't recall if they built in caps. I didn't invest. $18 per day to live on is not possible.
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:I am not sure if this is available still but I had been offered a few times, I want to say 6 years ago, the opportunity to invest in a fund that bought future earnings of minor league players. The fund would approach a player and offer him an amount based on a belief of ability to make an MLB roster in exchange for a percentage of his future earnings. For instance, they would agree to give a player $100k for 10% of all future earnings. This was to help the player with the lack of income but it is of course could be a terrible deal for the player if they hit it big. I can't recall if they built in caps. I didn't invest. $18 per day to live on is not possible.
HBO Sports did a great report on this...it's run by a former Phillies pitcher.