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ICYMI: take a look at the impact the 42 teams on the contraction list have in their communities
cc: @BRoyalsKC pic.twitter.com/UrpkMtFnxH
— Johnson City Doughboys (@JC_Doughboys) January 29, 2020
You may have heard that MLB's antitrust exemption could be put at risk by its negotiations between them and MiLB.
Here's why that's unlikely to be true.https://t.co/kELYkToJL5— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) January 31, 2020
A tidbit in this story about the Johnson City Commission passing a resolution of support for the local #stlcards affiliate in light of MLB's contraction proposal is a mention that the next negotiation session between MLB and MiLB will be on 2/20 in Dallas. https://t.co/OPznDcDqAl
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) February 11, 2020
Craig Edwards of Fangraphs has written a series about the contraction topic.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/untangling-a-minor-league-mess-part-i/
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/untangling-a-minor-league-mess-part-ii/
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/untangling-a-minor-league-mess-part-iii/
Closing section from a Johnson City Press article talking about the proposal to eliminate the Appalachian League.
At the winter meetings Manfred told the AP that “obviously there is a way to pay people more without reducing the number of franchises,” but that the question “becomes who should bear all of the costs associated with the player-related improvements that we think need to be made in the minor league system.”
Under the reported salary improvements, players in the Appalachian League will see raises of $110, pushing their weekly salary from $290 to $400. With roughly 30 players on the roster during the season, the player salaries for an entire season would come in at under $200,000 — less than half of the minimum salary for one major league player.
It’s unclear what impact the salary enhancements will have on negotiations.
If we’re going to blame it on greed of rich people, we could just as easily talk about how the millionaire owners of the minor league teams could afford to pay the players themselves.
Maybe Congress could tax billionaires and divert those taxes to these minor leaguers, their fans, the owners of those teams, and the employees.
If we’re going to blame it on greed of rich people, we could just as easily talk about how the millionaire owners of the minor league teams could afford to pay the players themselves.
Maybe Congress could tax billionaires and divert those taxes to these minor leaguers, their fans, the owners of those teams, and the employees.
Yes, and the current arrangement with MiLB is that the MLB owners pay the players’ salaries, not the MiLB owners. I’m sure this will be a topic of discussion between MLB and MiLB. Also, lets not act like MiLB owners are swimming in cash like MLB owners.
Also, the MiLB owners pay a percentage tax of ticket revenues back to MLB already.
A minor league team might be worth $5 million, although the value of the contracted teams will plummet without MLB affiliation. In fact, a number of the 42 are expected to shut down because they will not be able to cover player and coach expense.
On the other hand, MLB teams are worth as much as several billion dollars each. Light years difference, so equating the two different groups of owners is invalid. I am sure you knew that already, though.
As a point of reference, Steve Cohen had recently agreed to buy 80% of the Mets for $2.6 billion in the deal that fell through because the Wilpons would not relinquish control. That would value the franchise at $3.25 billion.
Minor league money is pocket change to MLB. I wonder how much they will have to spend in legal fees when the real fights begin?
On the other hand, MLB teams are worth as much as several billion each. Light years difference,
Yeah, one group owns something, the other is borrowing. Who do you think has the power here? I’m gonna bet on the group with a viable business plan.
Although I do have to respect the simplicity of a world where all you have to do is figure out who has the most money to figure out who the bad guy is.
Let’s see, who is pushing for change? The ones with the money want to spend less of it. That is their right, same as the rights of the ones who disagree to fight rather than accept it.
So is it having the most money or pushing for change that makes them wrong? I can’t keep up. But surely with regard to your other minor league pet story, the ones seeking change are the good guys. And the bad guys, surprise, surprise, are the ones with the most money. There’s a theme here, as much as you insist there isn’t.
ATS are you that dense you cant understand that the MLB who have the money and are pushing for change are the bad guys? No, youre choosing to be dense about this because you support what MLB is doing. They already have the money and want even more because a billion dollars just isnt enough. You can say you’re not an apologist all you want but your defense of the MLB owners is telling.
Initial Statement (paraphrased): “We have to cut 42 minor league teams because they play in bad stadiums.” WOW that Trojan Horse sure fell flat didn’t it. Now they are on to more ‘refined’ and ‘nuanced’ reasons. In the end I think the list will be cut but there will be a degree of contraction.
atripleshyofthecycle wrote:
Although I do have to respect the simplicity of a world where all you have to do is figure out who has the most money to figure out who the bad guy is.
Spot on Triples. It has come down to this. If you are a successful business man or woman, you are BAD. Success is not allowed anymore despite the fact that it accounts for jobs and income for millions. If you are successful your income tax form will soon be short and to the point: 1: List all income for the year. 2: Send that amount to IRS. (Note: That last sentence is not meant to be political….LOL)
BHC, at least you are up front about your beliefs on this. I don’t agree, but it is a legitimate perspective.
Congress doing more than passing resolutions…
The US House Oversight and Reform Committee has advanced a bill that would require MLB to bring their Minor League contraction proposal through the Government Accountability Office to assess economic impact first. https://t.co/05Gym1oJND
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) March 8, 2020
I wonder if MLB would challege that in court. Might have a case (due process, equal protection) but doing so could cause them even more bad publicity
The US House may do this or that but I suspect the US Senate and the White House will view the issue much differently and the MLB owners are probably counting on that. Of course things could change next November. (That is not a political statement just stating the obvious in regards to the election calendar).
Certainly it is not a major win for those against contraction, but it is more action than toothless resolutions. I doubt most public servants would want to be identified as voting against keeping affiliated minor league baseball in their districts. Especially when there is no incremental Federal funding involved. Why not support the bill?
Then again, MLB has experienced success in the past in their congressional lobbying efforts. However, at that time, the visibility level was much lower.
Certainly it is not a major win for those against contraction, but it is more action than toothless resolutions. I doubt most public servants would want to be identified as voting against keeping affiliated minor league baseball in their districts. Especially when there is no incremental Federal funding involved. Why not support the bill?
Then again, MLB has experienced success in the past in their congressional lobbying efforts. However, at that time, the visibility level was much lower.
MLB owners have the capacity to be large political donors and those political donations can lead to votes going their way.
This is a hard topic to discuss because everyone sees it in terms of their own situations.
As a Human Resource professional I was duty bound to look at things from both the management and employee perspective and I can tell you that there is quite a difference between the two perspectives. And I’m not saying that either perspective is totally right or wrong.
I hate to see any contraction of the minor league teams. Baseball is the one professional sport that is available to fans on such a broad basis and it would be truly sad to see a team like Johnson City go away.
I also think it is irresponsible for minor league players to not be paid during spring training. How did that ever happen.
Also the increases in pay do not seem to be extreme. I wonder how much the changes would cost the Cardinals system wide. How much more if any, would it be than the salary of the 26th player just added across the game.
The huge TV contracts have changed the landscape. Owners have more money and the players are getting bigger and bigger contracts. Before the TV thing small market teams seemed to really be struggling financially. Now the advantage is still with the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, etc. but it appears that most franchises are very stable.
Possibly an opportunity to better fund the minor league teams was missed when they began to garner the big TV contracts. None of us would be happy if our pay is reduced. Businesses are just as unhappy when their profits are reduced. I don’t think any of the major league teams are public or the resistance to reduced profits would be even stronger. Stockholders just have little loyalty to a business in decline. As a rule when costs increase they are made up by either passing costs to consumers like us fans or by reducing costs in other areas.
I think earlier in this thread I predicted that the increase in minor league pay would result in restructuring the minor league system resulting in less teams.
Hopefully they will come up with a solution that will continue the access to professional baseball. Frankly I prefer to attend a Cardinals minor league game. In fact when I have gone to spring training I watch the minor league teams a lot.
A major update on the situation from BA. Using a basketball analogy, MLB can play the four-corners stall game and break MiLB.
This is an important read for those following the future of Minor League Baseball. Also included is a very interesting nugget that MLB is rumored to be motivated to expand by two teams "sooner than later" to recoup some of the lost revenue from the 2020 season via expansion fees. https://t.co/hE8B6fVTty
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) April 13, 2020
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