Minor Leaguers: Big Talent, Zero Pay

Lose Remerswaal

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I know we've discussed the inequities of the minor leagues (fast food money quality per diem, substandard weight and training rooms and staffs, unhealthy post/pregame spreads, etc, etc), here's a good article by one of our own members in the Providence Journal enumerating what the players have to endure, especially in spring training when per diem is all they are being paid (no paychecks for Major or Minor league players during Spring Training, nothing from the end of the prior season until Opening Day!)

2000 players have signed up to a lawsuit against MLB to try to rectify this.

I've read Dirk Hayhurst's 4 books over the past couple of months and he goes on at length (and quite well) at describing what he had to do to make ends meet during his minor league years. I strongly recommend any and all of his books (other than the "digital only" one, which is basically leftovers from the other three).
 

RoDaddy

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Jun 19, 2002
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Yeah, interesting and well written article - thanks for posting it. The one part I've never undestood is why organizations, especially wealthy ones like the Sox, contribute to unhealthy eating and training and even sleeping when - as mentioned in the article - 12% of these guys are going to make it to the show. Wouldn't you want those guys who make it to be in the best shape and to have developed maximally to best contribute? So would say doubling the amount they pay and support all minor leaguers with really cost all that much of an organization's total budget?
 

shaggydog2000

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Apr 5, 2007
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Yeah, interesting and well written article - thanks for posting it. The one part I've never undestood is why organizations, especially wealthy ones like the Sox, contribute to unhealthy eating and training and even sleeping when - as mentioned in the article - 12% of these guys are going to make it to the show. Wouldn't you want those guys who make it to be in the best shape and to have developed maximally to best contribute? So would say doubling the amount they pay and support all minor leaguers with really cost all that much of an organization's total budget?
Or just building dorms, cafeterias, and weight rooms for them to use. But the Major league team doesn't own the minor league franchises (most of the time) and move from one to another from time to time, so maybe they don't want to upgrade facilities for that reason.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Lawsuit is being heard today

A hearing Friday in San Francisco will give minor-league players a second opportunity to certify their lawsuit against Major League Baseball as a class action — increasing exponentially the liability Major League Baseball would face if found to have violated federal and state wage laws by underpaying minor-league players.

A judge denied the players’ first motion to certify their case as a class action in July but granted in August a request to reconsider his order.
(title of thread changed as originally this referred to a spring training lawsuit only)
 

Savin Hillbilly

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Jul 10, 2007
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The wrong side of the bridge....
Or just building dorms, cafeterias, and weight rooms for them to use. But the Major league team doesn't own the minor league franchises (most of the time) and move from one to another from time to time, so maybe they don't want to upgrade facilities for that reason.
Or maybe it's just a form of (not necessarily explicit) collusion--if all major league franchises treat their minor leaguers more or less equally badly, then continuing to treat them badly doesn't confer a competitive disadvantage, therefore rectifying the bad treatment isn't a strategic priority. You could argue that the flip side is that a team that invested more in the well-being of its minor leaguers would gain a competitive advantage, but that advantage would be uncertain and not immediate, so maybe it's not that surprising that teams are slow to move in that direction.
 

charlieoscar

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Sep 28, 2014
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