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Career minor leaguer here.
My thoughts on minor league baseball’s problems and potential solutions:
— Mark Appel (@markappel26) February 15, 2022
This is relevant to some of the 40-man roster players not in the majors.
From the new CBA:
The Minor League minimum salary for players signing a second Major League contract or with prior Major League service will increase from $93,000 in 2021 to: $114,100 in 2022; $117,400 in 2023; $120,600 in 2024; $123,900 in 2025; and $127,100 in 2026.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) March 11, 2022
The long-running case of MiLB players suing MLB teams for unpaid wages reached a significant milestone with a court ruling that was released publicly tonight–MLB has been found liable for damages.https://t.co/Pz6ZlCsaxE
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) March 16, 2022
Most minor leaguers have a pretty tough time financially as it is.
It seems pretty disingenuous to chisel them over some (relatively) minor (pun intended) money.
In cases like this it is usually the attorneys and / or accountants that are behind it.
The reality is that anyone needs lawyers to pursue legal action. MLB wasn’t going to roll over and with deep pockets, they could head this off for years. Players (and in this case former players) are starting to band together to fight for what they believe is fair. The courts will decide. That is our legal system.
Especially in MiLB, old habits die hard.
This issue came to light because of this report last week from @MiLBAdvocates
Reaction from their executive director, Harry Marino:https://t.co/QBQ223UBT3 pic.twitter.com/pEsYyg22fP
— Jack Harris (@Jack_A_Harris) April 4, 2022
Today we focus our Minor League Progress Report on the NL Central.
The @Reds and @Brewers are two of the only MLB teams refusing to pay their players in extended spring training. pic.twitter.com/9G5J1JDe9a
— Advocates for Minor Leaguers (@MiLBAdvocates) May 25, 2022
MLB is settling…
The group that is currently discussing MLB's antitrust exemption with the Senate Judiciary Committee weighs in, saying it will "hold accountable each and every Major League organization that fails to" pay minor league players during parts of the season not previously allowed. https://t.co/lhpYTfzzWq
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 15, 2022
Now at ESPN: Major League Baseball agreed to pay $185 million to settle a federal class-action lawsuit by minor league players for minimum-wage and overtime violations by teams dating back to 2009, pending judge's approval.
News story, free and unlocked: https://t.co/wEXVZdADXx
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 15, 2022
Sore loser…
Harry Marino, director of Advocates for Minor Leaguers, responds to Rob Manfred: pic.twitter.com/VDIPhwld8V
— Zach Buchanan (@ZHBuchanan) July 19, 2022
Yea I think the commissioner should be making what the least paid guys make. I guarantee you their wages would go up if that was the case.
This thread outlines MLB’s stance on the minor leagues as provided to Congress. (multiple tweets)
Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball have responded to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s request for information about how the antitrust exemption affects treatment of minor leaguers with a 17-page letter.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) July 29, 2022
The full letter can be found here, thanks to The Athletic.
This could be huge.
BREAKING: Minor Leaguers have been sent a card to vote on designating the MLBPA as their collective bargaining representative
More to come at https://t.co/9R0lQQcyRF pic.twitter.com/yhaNDfTlBM
— Joon Lee (@joonlee) August 29, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Major League Baseball Players Association launches campaign to unionize Minor Leaguers
NEW YORK, Aug. 29 – The Major League Baseball Players Association has launched a campaign to unionize Minor League Players across the country. The historic effort kicked off Sunday night after receiving overwhelming support from the MLBPA’s Executive Board.
“Minor Leaguers represent our game’s future and deserve wages and working conditions that befit elite athletes who entertain millions of baseball fans nationwide,” MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark said. “They’re an important part of our fraternity and we want to help them achieve their goals both on and off the field.”
The campaign is supported by Advocates for Minor Leaguers, which has served as a voice and resource for players since 2020, bringing heightened attention to the substandard working conditions that exist throughout the Minor Leagues. Each member of the Advocates for Minor Leaguers staff has resigned to take on a new role working for the MLBPA.
“This generation of Minor League Players has demonstrated an unprecedented ability to address workplace issues with a collective voice,” said Harry Marino, outgoing Executive Director of Advocates for Minor Leaguers. “Joining with the most powerful union in professional sports assures that this voice is heard where it matters most – at the bargaining table.”
“This organizing campaign is an investment in the future of our game and our Player fraternity,” Clark said.
Announcement: #fairball pic.twitter.com/skSTbCcEOF
— Advocates for Minor Leaguers (@MiLBAdvocates) August 29, 2022
Players bought in. The next move is up to MLB.
MLBPA gets more than 50 percent of minor-league players to sign on in favor of unionization, per reporthttps://t.co/jJEWOSqyNJ
— CBS Sports MLB (@CBSSportsMLB) September 6, 2022
Something needed to happen.
The players families should not have to subsidize their minor league careers.
I’m not a big union man at all but these kids need to make enough to cover expenses through salary and / or housing / meal per diem amounts that are realistic for whatever market they ate in.
Between the MiLB unionization and now this about the international signing agreements, it appears MLB is about to have a reckoning with how they’ve mistreated their minor league talent
One of the agreements made by the Angels was with an infielder named Keiderson Pavon. An Angels employee took video of the moment Pavon was told: "You are signed." It's a fascinating insight into the emotion of the whole process. It's truly life-changing: https://t.co/h3ZBx40fCg
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 8, 2022
Doubt that is a winnjng law suit though DR contract law may be different. Certainly dont think a player that signed for 300k less can show $17 million in damages.
Surprising.
Major League Baseball will voluntarily recognize minor league players' efforts to unionize with the MLB Players Association, commissioner Rob Manfred says.
The rapid timeline for minor leaguers to join the MLBPA has now hastened. Huge news for the entire sport.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 9, 2022
It’s a little surprising that they’d recognize them without a fight…but it tells me that they’ll play the same game they did with the major leaguers over the winter and in 2020. I’ll be curious to see what the players actually end up getting.
Unless Major League players are willing tô strike and forfeit their million dollar paychecks for the benefit of minor leaguers not sure how much clout a minor league Union Will have. Minor leaguers on strike alone,? MLB teams would welcome the reduced ecpense!
Negotiations on a first-ever minor league CBA are ongoing, with a goal to have it in place by Opening Day.
MLB previously lost a lawsuit requiring them to pay $185 MM so they may have motivation to get a deal done.
https://theathletic.com/4036712/2022/12/27/mlb-minor-league-collective-bargaining/
With minor league players organizing, it is now minor league team owners who have little voice in finances.
Minor-league owners fear MLB will pass on heavy bill after collective bargaining https://t.co/rRyilTkn0J
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) January 10, 2023
If the dog won’t hunt then the minor leagues will shrink.
It’s like winning a law suit and being awarded a huge monetary settlement – only to find out the guy / company cannot pay and files bankruptcy….
After the guy moves all of his considerable assets to his wife to protect them from the settlement against him…
P.S. I speak from personal experience. I had a schlocky contractor who wouldn’t stand behind his work. I was left with no alternative but to pay others to make significant and necessary repairs. I wanted reimbursement but was ignored. I learned that my lawsuit would have been 20th in line against this guy, but with him supposedly having no assets, I had no hope of getting a dime. After taking the case to the state, they fined the contractor a nominal amount, but they could not help me. The contractor remains in business to this day, taking other peoples’ money. Every time I drive by his place, I burn inside. Good references were not enough.
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