Sending you a PM so not to risk diverting this thread from the issues.

Hmmm???  I agree we can see that it's a "stepping stone", which many occupations also have outside of college.  When you has you "compare" them, it seems more like you equate Milb to College?   And in some ways and for some individuals I can see that.  But. . .

 

Those going to College are still "students" and dependent on family for support (unless they've got a full scholarship or are earning enough on their summer jobs to pay for college).  Those playing in the Milb have decided to start their "professional" life and would like to make it their life's career (not so unlike others in other professions).  When one has a "profession", one shouldn't have to depend on family or charity just to meet minimum basic living needs.  So, while there ARE similarities between College and Milb Poverty, as you suggest, it really shouldn't be so.

 

From what some other posters have said, a thought comes to mind. . . because things are the way they are and have always been done that way, does that mean we shouldn't try to bring about change make things right?

 

I think if more and more people start to talk about this and not just sit back and accept "it is what it is", then change for the better can happen.

While I think milb guys are underpaid, the obvious solution would be to eliminate some of the levels such as only one "A" team instead of high and low A, no short season and invest this money in the other players however that eliminates a lot of opportunities for alot of kids.

If there wasn't low and high A a lot of mistakes would be made. Many college kids can play A ball. The two full seasons of A ball are genuine hurdles. Getting to AA ball means they're a legitimate prospect. Without short season there wouldn't be a place for high school and college players when school ends. The amount of money saved by eliminating two levels of A ball would be minuscule. AAA players aren't at the poverty level. Long term AAA players make more money than if they quit baseball.

RJM,
+1

Here's a good read I just came accross on this topic:

 

An Inside Look into the Harsh Conditions of Minor League Baseball

The HBO series Real Sports addresses the controversy this week, including extensive interviews with one of our son's former teammates from the Newport Gulls.

Fay Vincent has what I thought were pretty remarkable comments. In effect, he says MILB is not about baseball, the players, the game or the competition.. It is only about providing an entertainment  experience for the fans, while providing playing time for those with larger bonuses.

I think he was deflecting the issue.  Said another way Vincent is saying MiLB is a business.  There are about 3 agenda's in MiLB

 

1)  Making money for the owners i.e. Fans in the park + keep pay low.

2)  Playing time for draft picks (bonus) players - development + What have we got.

3)  Currency for trades or getting players ready to help the MLB club   

 

The only reason Farm Clubs exist is that it has been proven for 100 years that a good farm system = winning at the MLB level.  If that was not true the number of minor league baseball teams would be 1/2 or less than today because MLB wouldn't spend a nickel on it if they didn't think they needed to.

The former player / now lawyer interviewed for the HBO story says he will fight the MiBL seasonal minimum wage exemption in court. That may be successful, raising pay to $1,600+ per month from $1,100 for the lowest levels. That will be the extent of improvements in their pay for this century, though.

 

Baseball is a meritocracy in theory, but there are so many uncontrollable hurdles, getting blocked, injuries, team control, they need to 40 draft rounds plus hundreds of Latin free agents every year to make it all sort of work..

Re, #1 - The minor league owners of affiliated teams don't pay player salaries. The MLB organization pays salaries.

 

When I was in college I asked a scout why there were sixty rounds to the draft. He said so the twenty prospects (I'll assume the top 20 picks) have teammates. He did add they sometimes make mistakes. But 94% of American MLBers come from the top twenty rounds. 84% come from the top ten.*

 

* read it in a baseball rag in the past few years

Wonder what would happen if Goldman, Morgan, Citi, Wells and Bank of America etc. sat around a table and divided up the crop of MBA's from the Ivies, Big 10, & other elite private and State Schools and paid them less than minimum wage and would not let them work at any other banks in the US.

 

All on the premise that maybe 3 or 5 years from now they can make the salaried ranks and earn $100k for the next 6 years and then and only then go work for who they want to and potentially earn millions.

 

Personally, I intensely dislike the entire concept of a draft as a method for determining where you must work and how much people must value their services to enter a given profession. I doubt I could ever wear a T shirt that says "Property of XXXXX" It just feels very 17th or 18th century.