Minor League Overhaul

[BrunswickDawg]

Just saw this news article - https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-floats-proposal-that-would-eliminate-42-minor-league-teams/

For the TL/DNR crowd -

The MLB/MiLB agreement ends after 2020.
MLB is proposing reducing MiLB teams by 42; limiting each team to only 5 MiLB teams (not including Rookie Leagues that are based in Spring Training Complexes); force movement of some teams from one classification to another based on geography and MLB team needs (could have teams go from AAA to A or vice versa); creating a fall developmental league for UDFA's called the "Dream League"; and moving the draft to August.

This could get really interesting for College Baseball.

[Tbonewannabe]

It sounds like they are almost admitting that college baseball is a minor league they can use so it would allow them to cut player development costs.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Just saw this news article - https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-floats-proposal-that-would-eliminate-42-minor-league-teams/

For the TL/DNR crowd -

The MLB/MiLB agreement ends after 2020.
MLB is proposing reducing MiLB teams by 42; limiting each team to only 5 MiLB teams (not including Rookie Leagues that are based in Spring Training Complexes); force movement of some teams from one classification to another based on geography and MLB team needs (could have teams go from AAA to A or vice versa); creating a fall developmental league for UDFA's called the "Dream League"; and moving the draft to August.

This could get really interesting for College Baseball.

I don't know how that would work. Programs would be held hostage and not know who's going to sign or be on campus until days before classes start? I could see them moving it to July, but I feel like there'd be major pushback from college baseball on having the draft that late.

[Dawg_Lover]

Could this have a positive effect in furthering Jake’s career?
May I be the first to say that is probably a dumb question and, yes, I am dumb as a box of rocks when understanding it’s possible ramifications. :)
I just happen to enjoy following his career, as well as a few others, and I am really interested in what this could mean.

[SheltonChoked]

I don't know how that would work. Programs would be held hostage and not know who's going to sign or be on campus until days before classes start? I could see them moving it to July, but I feel like there'd be major pushback from college baseball on having the draft that late.


With that many fewer Minor league teams (and therefore minor league roster spots), the number of players straight from HS would be very small.

It's 1,000 less players in the minor league system.

If somehow the NCAA would allow baseball to have a reasonable number of scholarships (20-27), it would really change college baseball...

[BrunswickDawg]

It sounds like they are almost admitting that college baseball is a minor league they can use so it would allow them to cut player development costs.

Actually, I think it may mean that MLB knows that they are about to lose in courts now that MiL players have been allowed a class-action suit due to violations of wage laws - https://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2019/08/16/court-ruling-allows-minor-league-baseball-players-to-seek-wage-increase-as-class-action/#712a2be7fed3

So they will have to raise wages, shell out a settlement, and the way to manage it is to reduce the labor force.

[Commercecomet24]

Actually, I think it may mean that MLB knows that they are about to lose in courts now that MiL players have been allowed a class-action suit due to violations of wage laws - https://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2019/08/16/court-ruling-allows-minor-league-baseball-players-to-seek-wage-increase-as-class-action/#712a2be7fed3

So they will have to raise wages, shell out a settlement, and the way to manage it is to reduce the labor force.

This. Mlb said they're doing this to address low pay, bad travel and to upgrade training facilities in minor leagues.

[Tbonewannabe]

Actually, I think it may mean that MLB knows that they are about to lose in courts now that MiL players have been allowed a class-action suit due to violations of wage laws - https://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2019/08/16/court-ruling-allows-minor-league-baseball-players-to-seek-wage-increase-as-class-action/#712a2be7fed3

So they will have to raise wages, shell out a settlement, and the way to manage it is to reduce the labor force.

I didn't know about the lawsuit. It is insane that MLB owners are making as much as they are and not even playing minor league players a living wage.

[Commercecomet24]

I didn't know about the lawsuit. It is insane that MLB owners are making as much as they are and not even playing minor league players a living wage.

You make absolutely no money in the minors it's terrible (unless you got a big bonus to live on) it's sweat shop wages for number of hours put in.

[WinningIsRelentless]

I didn't know about the lawsuit. It is insane that MLB owners are making as much as they are and not even playing minor league players a living wage.

Most major league owners don?t turn profits year over year. They make their money by the growth in the value of the franchise as stupid as that sounds.

[Tbonewannabe]

Most major league owners don?t turn profits year over year. They make their money by the growth in the value of the franchise as stupid as that sounds.

I would be surprised if the owners don't make a profit on merchandise and TV revenue. I could see them possibly losing or breaking even on actual ticket sales.

[BrunswickDawg]

I didn't know about the lawsuit. It is insane that MLB owners are making as much as they are and not even playing minor league players a living wage.

$13 an hour at AAA - IF you limit it to a 40 hour a week calculation. The reality is they are at the ballpark probably 12 hours a day - not including work related travel - so it's probably closer to $6 an hour.
So if you blew your bonus on a Porsche 911 with a Quadraphonic Blaupunkt - you are screwed.

[Commercecomet24]

$13 an hour at AAA - IF you limit it to a 40 hour a week calculation. The reality is they are at the ballpark probably 12 hours a day - not including work related travel - so it's probably closer to $6 an hour.
So if you blew your bonus on a Porsche 911 with a Quadraphonic Blaupunkt - you are screwed.

Yep. Great movie reference too.

[BB30]

Yea the pay is garbage. We were making 1100 a month before fines and out of that they took rent etc and we played 6 days a week. In rookie ball we were at the facility from about 6:30AM- 4 or 5 pm depending on how long our game ran. Once you get to full season A the hours aren't quite as bad but your still traveling crappy.

Add in fines that they would pop you with for a lot of minor stuff and you weren't clearing anything.

[Commercecomet24]

Yea the pay is garbage. We were making 1100 a month before fines and out of that they took rent etc and we played 6 days a week. In rookie ball we were at the facility from about 6:30AM- 4 or 5 pm depending on how long our game ran. Once you get to full season A the hours aren't quite as bad but your still traveling crappy.

Add in fines that they would pop you with for a lot of minor stuff and you weren't clearing anything.

Yeah most players go in the hole or have to have their parents help them.

[Tbonewannabe]

Yeah most players go in the hole or have to have their parents help them.

I am not going to crap on someone's dreams and occasionally it does happen but most of those guys are there to just give game reps to the high dollar bonus babies. It is like college football without the benefit of getting a degree. You have to have the lower level teams to fill out the schedule.

[Commercecomet24]

I am not going to crap on someone's dreams and occasionally it does happen but most of those guys are there to just give game reps to the high dollar bonus babies. It is like college football without the benefit of getting a degree. You have to have the lower level teams to fill out the schedule.

Yes unfortunately I've heard them referred to as "fillers". However if you love the game as a lot of us do, you wear that uniform til they tell you, you can't wear it anymore. Heck I'd still play today for little or nothing but I can't see worth a crap anymore and when I run parts start flying off me like Forrest Gump!

[BrunswickDawg]

Yes unfortunately I've heard them referred to as "fillers". However if you love the game as a lot of us do, you wear that uniform til they tell you, you can't wear it anymore. Heck I'd still play today for little or nothing but I can't see worth a crap anymore and when I run parts start flying off me like Forrest Gump!

Right there with you Commerce.

[Commercecomet24]

Right there with you Commerce.

I can still throw 300+ pitches a day in bp though lol. Screw all these weenie arm pitchers that have to come out after 100 pitches!

[Todd4State]

It may keep a Dale Burdick in school. I?m guessing that with 25 picks teams are going to draft mostly people that they think they can and will sign. So college teams will probably have a decent idea of who is coming.

The advantage college would have is potential picks would go through workouts with their college team in July and that may influence some decisions. Of course guys that have no intent of going to school just won?t show up to work outs. The biggest issue is having time to replace guys that get lost to the draft. I suspect JUCO recruiting will benefit that late in the game.

Contracting the minors is probably a good idea honestly.

Not sure how the Dream League will work- and might kill off Independent ball all together.

[Quaoarsking]

The reaction online seems overwhelmingly negative, but I think it's fine. It's silly for each team to stockpile hundreds of minor leaguers getting paid nothing to chase an impossible dream. Only a few dozen minor leaguers on any franchise are going to ever play in the majors if that, and that's counting the ones who just make it in a few games. No other sport does that. Personally I think it's better to pay the players who do have a chance a decent wage and tell the rest to move on with their lives than pay everyone peanuts and string all those people along, but I may be in the minority on that.

I'm totally fine with independent baseball, and this "dream league" that will give the 42 cities who lose their affiliation something to keep coming out for sounds cool. Not sure if there's any point in having something in between the affiliated minors and actual independent leagues.

One example I saw online is that the Mets will probably make the Brooklyn team their AAA team so they can do like the Braves and have a source for emergency callups within an hour. I also read where the Sugar Land (TX) and St. Paul (MN) independent may become affiliated AAA teams for the Astros and Twins for the same principle. We might end up where the AAA alignment basically mirrors the MLB alignment, and only the lower levels branch out to the other cities.