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I had no idea how awful it was. I wish Congress, BOTH parties, would weaponize the Anti-Trust exemption of MLB to improve this. It should not be viewed as an annuity without obligations from those benefitting from it.
As stated in your link, the new CBA does provide a significant and long time due, pay increase.
They could increase even more if they continue gutting the system. No need for all the levels of MiLB. HS players should be going the route of college ball first.
College programs will develop them better then the lower levels of MiLB. For the few naturals out of HS going right into the draft, their signing bonuses will more then keep them a float.
As stated in your link, the new CBA does provide a significant and long time due, pay increase.
They could increase even more if they continue gutting the system. No need for all the levels of MiLB. HS players should be going the route of college ball first.
College programs will develop them better then the lower levels of MiLB. For the few naturals out of HS going right into the draft, their signing bonuses will more then keep them a float.
The bolded reminds me of the days of bonus babies (before MLB had a draft). Players signed for bonuses over the maximum had to stay on the parent club (possibly languishing on the bench or in the bullpen) for a certain amount of time before they could be sent down for seasoning. Big risk in many cases imo to the club signing.
The more baseball/owners are pushed to provide more $ etc. they more they are going to find ways to get rid of minor leaguers. They already cut a lot of teams a couple years ago. Look for more of that where they just use the NCAA as a breeding ground for players.
Nobody forces these players to go to the minors. Most should know deep down they have no chance of making it to the Show. But you can make friends, create networking and just have a good experience in life even though you might never make it. That will be gone for hundreds/thousands if they keep pushing for changes.
Are we supposed to feel sorry for a player that killed himself who received $400k in a signing bonus and blowing the $?
The more baseball/owners are pushed to provide more $ etc. they more they are going to find ways to get rid of minor leaguers. They already cut a lot of teams a couple years ago. Look for more of that where they just use the NCAA as a breeding ground for players.
Nobody forces these players to go to the minors. Most should know deep down they have no chance of making it to the Show. But you can make friends, create networking and just have a good experience in life even though you might never make it. That will be gone for hundreds/thousands if they keep pushing for changes.
Are we supposed to feel sorry for a player that killed himself who received $400k in a signing bonus and blowing the $?
Only issue is that as I understand it, college baseball is not a revenue generating sport like college basketball and football, so they dont get a lot of scholarships to give out. On a typical team you might have 11 or 12 scholarships that have to be split out among the whole team. College baseball is ok currently because the minor leagues absorb a lot of those kids who would be shut out if they went the college route due to cost. The only way this works is to get rid of the minors but MLB would have to be willing to finance college baseball to where more scholarships are available. Not sure if the cost benefit analysis would work out in favor of college over the minors
Only issue is that as I understand it, college baseball is not a revenue generating sport like college basketball and football, so they dont get a lot of scholarships to give out. On a typical team you might have 11 or 12 scholarships that have to be split out among the whole team. College baseball is ok currently because the minor leagues absorb a lot of those kids who would be shut out if they went the college route due to cost. The only way this works is to get rid of the minors but MLB would have to be willing to finance college baseball to where more scholarships are available. Not sure if the cost benefit analysis would work out in favor of college over the minors
Yea I've heard that as well about limited scholarships. Wouldn't surprise me though if somehow MLB could contribute to that if it meant players having more opportunity.
FYI, I'm not saying minors will go away completely. I just could see them go through another round of cuts. You need AAA because that's basically your pool of players that can compete at the MLB level just not consistently. Then you got AA, A+, A then your rookie teams. I feel like you could really get rid of at least one of those lower levels. Maybe just have AAA, AA, A.
Yea I've heard that as well about limited scholarships. Wouldn't surprise me though if somehow MLB could contribute to that if it meant players having more opportunity.
FYI, I'm not saying minors will go away completely. I just could see them go through another round of cuts. You need AAA because that's basically your pool of players that can compete at the MLB level just not consistently. Then you got AA, A+, A then your rookie teams. I feel like you could really get rid of at least one of those lower levels. Maybe just have AAA, AA, A.
The other issue that would prevent cutting the minors much more is the fact that there is a very large segment of talent that comes from Latin America, to where college is not a practical option for a lot of those players who might not even speak English well enough to enroll in college. Those players would need the minors.
Only issue is that as I understand it, college baseball is not a revenue generating sport like college basketball and football, so they dont get a lot of scholarships to give out. On a typical team you might have 11 or 12 scholarships that have to be split out among the whole team. College baseball is ok currently because the minor leagues absorb a lot of those kids who would be shut out if they went the college route due to cost. The only way this works is to get rid of the minors but MLB would have to be willing to finance college baseball to where more scholarships are available. Not sure if the cost benefit analysis would work out in favor of college over the minors
Players out of college move through the system much faster. The point of more players out of college means less minor leaguers, hence more money for those that are. At the very least low A and advanced A could be combined.
Keep in mind the salary these guys earn are only paid during their respective seasons. They get nothing in the off-season. They do not get salary during spring training.
When they are getting salary there are some pretty hefty deductions such as boarding and club-house fees. They only get meal money when on the road.
Are we supposed to feel sorry for a player that killed himself who received $400k in a signing bonus and blowing the $?
He didn't kill himself. According to the OP's linked article, Lovegrove can thank God and his pistol's safety lock that he was alive to tell the folks from Bristol his story.
I had no idea how awful it was. I wish Congress, BOTH parties, would weaponize the Anti-Trust exemption of MLB to improve this. It should not be viewed as an annuity without obligations from those benefitting from it.
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