Baseball has a lot of problems.
Major league attendance and television ratings are down, fans are unhappy with new All-Star jerseys that break tradition, the game itself is slow and stale, and there’s a whole new box of worms about to be opened with the addition of uniform ad patches starting next season.
There’s more to add to the list, but, when it comes to the state of baseball, the consensus is: not great.
The most pressing problem facing baseball right now is hidden beneath the glitz and glamor of MLB. This is the treatment reserved for minor league players.
On Tuesday, before the All-Star Game in Los Angeles, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hosted a press conference with the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Hannah Keyser of Yahoo Sports asked, “There have obviously been efforts, both legal and potentially legislative, to address concerns about minor league pay. I just want to make sure I understand, is the problem that the owners can’t afford to pay them a living wage or just don’t want to? »
That’s the question that led to Manfred’s now-viral response: “I reject the idea that they’re not getting a living wage.”
If you’re like me and were unaware of the discrepancies within the MLB farm system, here are some quick notes:
- In 2021, rookies and short-season level players received a weekly pay increase from $290 to $400, while A-class players increased from $290 to $500, Double-A increased from $350 at $600 and Triple-A from $502 to $700.
- Salaries for minor leaguers can range from $4,800 to $14,700 during three- to five-month seasons, depending on level and team.
• Minor leaguers are only paid during the season. They are unpaid during the offseason, spring training, and sometimes even the playoffs. MLB has actually banned teams from paying minor leaguers during these times – a class action lawsuit filed by minor leaguers was settled this week for $185 million and now allows teams to pay players during spring training and in instructional leagues, among other advancements for MiLB.
- MLB just started
- provide accommodation
- accommodation for minor leaguers this season.
Add those points to the fact that Manfred earns around $17.5 million a year, and you have the basics to understand why this “rejection” of the idea that minor leaguers get a living wage is senseless and callous.
If you’re wondering, the US Department of Health and Human Services has set the poverty line for a one-person household at $13,590 in 2022. According to the Washington Post, more than 60% of baseball players minor leaguers live below the poverty line. This forces them to supplement their income with other jobs during the offseason while being expected to train and be fit in spring training.
This is the same issue that was raised when the women’s national football and ice hockey teams were fighting for decent wages.
Just to make sure all the cards are on the table, be aware that some MiLB players receive signing bonuses. According to ESPN, the top amateur players from the United States and Canada selected in this year’s draft received between $150,000 and $8.8 million. These are for high selections. Bonuses can be as meager as $1,000, if at all.
In addition to signing bonuses and housing, this year MLB also added tuition assistance and meals for minor leaguers.
As Keyser admitted in a follow-up column to this viral quote, perhaps using the term “living wage” wasn’t the best wording, because “being able to survive on a paycheck isn’t the only measure that matters”.
There is more at stake than the dollar amount. That’s how long MLB has taken to cut out the minor leaguers while leveraging its talent for profit.
Minor leaguers are not protected by a union like major leaguers, nor are they excluded from the league’s antitrust exemption by the Curt Flood Act of 1998.
MLB even lobbied Congress to excuse it from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which allows the league to circumvent all federal minimum wage laws.
The class-action settlement covering 20,000 players specifically targeted MLB for minimum wage and overtime violations by the teams.
On Monday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Manfred asking for more information about the league’s century-old antitrust exemption that allows MLB to act as a monopoly on the game of baseball. In particular, they want answers on how it affects minor league terms and wages.
Manfred and the league have until Tuesday to come up with a better response than “rejecting” the idea. However, the public relations harm is done for a sport that is already struggling to stay relevant.
MiLB is a way to train major leaguers, rehabilitate current MLB players, and give major leaguers confidence when they’re stuck in a slump. However, there’s obviously a tension between the levels, where MLB doesn’t want to put the effort or the money into making this relationship mutually beneficial. Instead, they just go after players who are chasing a dream.
The thing is, these farm teams are more than just development camps for future major leaguers.
They are a way to develop the game.
I grew up going to Altoona Curve games where I was lucky enough to see players like Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Josh Harrison, Starling Marte and many more take the field before their league debut major.
It made me listen to Pirates games despite being a die-hard Yankees fan. It allowed me to buy tickets for games in Pittsburgh. I even used my hard earned babysitting money to buy their wares.
Minor league teams build community, they build culture and they build fans for life.
Many families can’t afford to go to an MLB park, but minor league games are a cheaper alternative. They’re also often more fan-oriented, and there’s always the chance you’ll see a rising star crash a rollercoaster ride – at least if you step out to see the curve at PNG Field.
Manfred’s comments and lack of genuine concern or understanding is just another way baseball is shooting itself in the foot.
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