MLB proposes changes to MiLB

As predicted with those complaining about the low pay in MiLB...less teams, less players getting the opportunity to live out their dreams.  Economics 101!

Most of the likely prospects to make MLB will still get their shot. Few American MLBers come from rounds 26-40. This is also about MLB pumping in money to rebuild better minor league parks for prospects. 

This is just the opening round of negotiations. If it were to go through as proposed (it won’t) all that would be lost is short season A ball.

I find it hard to believe that the additional 1 million per year each MLB organization would pay is responsible. I find more plausible that the advances in technology and statistics which make it "easier" to identify talent earlier (and which cost each club more than that) is responsible.

For as long as I remember, the holy grail was identifying MLB talent earlier. Now tech is delivering the holy grail.

(And some MILB stadiums are truly pits; Beloit comes to mind.)

Yeah MLB definitely got a lot better identifying talent the last 30 years.

The first 20 years of the draft most first overall picks were busts or mediocre mlb players but in the late 80s scouting got much better and a series of stars were drafted first overall even though there still were some busts.

Draft still isn't a sure thing but teams did get a lot better identifying talent early.

hmmmm...do the Indy leagues eventually become adult B team travel ball for 21-25 yo's?  Should I start saving now?

Interesting article on MiLB, if you agree with this ....might make sense:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/f...league-baseball/amp/

Baseball proving that it too is vulnerable to technological based disruption. 

Absolutely keeping newer guys at the big spring training camp facility is more efficient. My son's biggest improvement came from his rehab time there; better coaches, fields, routines, tech, exercise facilities, food, parking. . . .downside is temp. 

Rookie ball will be for virtually all at camp. 

Great idea.

Goosegg posted:

Baseball proving that it too is vulnerable to technological based disruption. 

Absolutely keeping newer guys at the big spring training camp facility is more efficient. My son's biggest improvement came from his rehab time there; better coaches, fields, routines, tech, exercise facilities, food, parking. . . .downside is temp. 

Rookie ball will be for virtually all at camp. 

Great idea.

I agree. This is probably also the reason why TJ guys improve velo: much better conditioning, training, nutrition and rest than playing in season, travel, sleep badly and eat junk.

It's sort of bitter irony that MLB enlisted MiLB to carry its water during the congressional debate about minimum wage. Remember the argument that MiLB couldn't survive with a wage hike (which was, of course, BS all along)?

Burned 'em good, MLB will.

Interesting to see that a couple of proposals affect where i live. The Northwoods league will transition to  full time BB, and the St.Paul Saints(and their very nice new stadium) will become a AAA affiliate rather than an Independent, as it is now. Wonder if Veeck and Murray are good with that.

I know there are many who will be affected negatively downstream but this just seems to make sense long term.  There were always too many layers and too many "stand-in" players filling spots with no chance of ever making it.  There will still be PLENTY of MiLB, college and college summer baseball to satisfy fan's needs.  If the results includes slightly better pay and better facilities for the lower levels, this is a good move.

The idea that it's MLB driving this is at least largely incorrect.  The central management of MiLB is driving this train.

One thing MiLB is finding out as time goes on is that there is a limit to the number of communities who will underwrite an $80-100 million stadium every 15 years.  And if we know one thing, it's that MiLB expects to have big-time stadiums provided to them at low to no cost.  (Or else, they'll move a team to someplace that'll do that for them.)

I think owners who are currently with profitable franchises that would be on the chopping block will ultimately have to be paid off to get their cooperation.  My read on this is that MiLB would rather have fewer, high dollar enterprises, instead of the upper level franchises feeling undercut by low-cost competitors in the next community over.  But if they don't buy out the low-value team owners -- getting them on board voluntarily -- there'll be a big old test of that so-called antitrust exemption.

Where this leads is to fewer MiLB franchises, all with higher ticket prices.  Which is definitely the goal of MiLB management. 

I think I'd like to buy a Rookie League franchise right now, so that I can hold out when they come to buy me out.  Definite ROI there!

57special posted:

Interesting to see that a couple of proposals affect where i live. The Northwoods league will transition to  full time BB, and the St.Paul Saints(and their very nice new stadium) will become a AAA affiliate rather than an Independent, as it is now. Wonder if Veeck and Murray are good with that.

I’m guessing any Indy owner would be thrilled to have AAA come in. Affiliated franchises don’t pay player salaries. It’s also a bump up (potential stars of tomorrow) in talent.

What minor league stadiums cost 80-100M to build? Portland ME has Hadlock (AA) Field. It’s a nice, not spectacular stadium seating 7,500. It cost 3M to build in ‘94 (5M in 2019 $).

The to be built Polar Park in Worcester MA for the AAA Red Sox will cost 90M. But it’s also apartments, restaurants and shops. Plus it’s going to be downtown in a now booming, gentrifying small city of 185,000 only 45 miles from downtown Boston. Worcester pulled out all the stops to steal the team from Pawtucket RI. I remember when Worcester (Woostah) was an armpit. 

I don't see how terminating (actually it would be not renewing) the player development agreement violates any legal concept. Each MiLB owner still owns the stadium (or has a lease), and can put whatever team into it; MLB simply provides the players.

To hold otherwise would be to lock in a system regardless of new and better systems emerging.

Here, MlB isnt even taking in-house an outside profit center, just to take that profit (think Amazon). MLB believes it has a more efficient method to accomplishing its mission: MLB players. In fact, hiring the computer/stat guys costs more for each than a minor leaguer or a bunch of guys, the hardware and constant upgrades needed are expensive. This is a technologically driven change. Has nothing to do with MILB (it's not personal, its business).

MLB doesn't exist to support MILB.

I think if minors get smaller there probably will be more indy leaguers getting a chance. Maybe one of the indy leagues will develope into kind of a reserve league.

Also with high school guys why play them at all the first summer? Put them into an extreme "boot camp" training them intensely in strength, mechanics and giving them driveline style live at bats so pitchers and hitters still get evaluated and tested but get a lot more reps and can be coached closely during that process.

If you read the article correctly MLB wants to start their own Indy league for the top long shots not drafted in the twenty-five rounds. Given 94% of American MLBers come from the first twenty rounds the Indy leagues won’t be producing a bunch of MLBers. 

Thought this article was interesting and topic related

https://www.infowars.com/berni...d-kill-pro-baseball/

NewUmpire posted:

Thought this article was interesting and topic related

https://www.infowars.com/berni...d-kill-pro-baseball/

Infowars?  

Alex Jones and friends should lay off baseball and stick to charging that the Sandy Hook mass murders were a government hoax.

Alex Jones and InfoWars have zero credibility. It’s either an act (as a tried to convince the court in a divorce custody hearing) or the guy is a loon. 

RJM posted:

Alex Jones and InfoWars have zero credibility. It’s either an act (as a tried to convince the court in a divorce custody hearing) or the guy is a loon. 

Isn't that dude a right wing conspiracy theorist who believes 9/11 was done by the US goverment and other crazy stuff?

I can’t believe anyone reads his garbage...wish he never was born.