One of the other threads asked about minor league baseball salaries and culture. I figure that it's a recurring topic that deserves its own thread, so it will be easier to find and update in the future.

Here are the minor league baseball salaries for 2013-2014:

Quote:

• Until a minor league player is placed on a 40-man roster, monthly salaries are:
  $1150 for the short season teams,
  $1300 for low A, and
  $1500 for high A.
  
  For players repeating a year at the same level, the salary goes up $50 each year.
  
  For AA, the monthly salary is $1700 and it goes up $100 per month for subsequent years.
  
  For AAA, the monthly salary is $2150 per month and it goes up to $2400 the second year and $2700 the third year.
• If a player becomes a minor league free agent, higher salaries can be negotiated.
• A player must be placed on the team’s 40-man roster or be subject to the Rule 5 Draft at the end of his fourth season (if signed at age 19 or higher) or fifth season (if signed at age 18 or lower).
• Salary for first year on 40-man roster:
  2013: $39,900
  2014: $40,750
• Salary for second year on 40-man roster or if one or more days of Major League service time:
  2013: $79,900
  2014: $81,750
• Meal money is $25 per road day.
• Minor league salary must be at least 60% of the player’s combined minor league and Major League salary in the preceding season.

Here's a link to an article from last year that describes the minor league culture, and how Garrett Broshuis, a 5th-round pitcher from Missouri who's now a lawyer, is trying to raise the MiLB salaries.

Quote: "Professional baseball," Broshuis says, "was disappointing from the first week I was there." ...

In February, (Broshius) helped file Senne v. MLB, a federal lawsuit on behalf of 20 former minor league players who allege that Major League Baseball violated the Fair Labor Standards Act and state laws by paying them less than minimum wage and failing to compensate them for overtime. ...

Most of his teammates, (Broshuis) recalls, signed for a thousand bucks and relied on their parents to pay cellphone bills and rent. The family that housed Broshuis lent him a beat-up truck to drive players to the ballpark; team meals consisted of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cold-cut trays. When the offseason came around, everyone scrambled to find temporary work, often relying on private lessons to get through the winter.

"Baseball's tough for a smart person," says Dirk Hayhurst, a longtime minor leaguer and author of the acclaimed The Bullpen Gospels. "Not that it's full of stupid people, but I would say that people who question the system don't really survive well." ...

The comments are interesting to read, too.

Should be required reading for high school and college-junior draftees?

In December, 2014, about 10 months after the Senne case was filed, a group of minor league players, (Sergio Miranda, et al vs. Commissioner of MLB) filed an antitrust lawsuit against MLB. The Senne case does not assert any antitrust claims, and those plaintiffs have fought MLB's motion for joinder of the two cases.

In the draft thread someone recommended the John Feinstein book on life in the minors. I'm halfway through and it is a great read (like most of his stuff).

It focuses on AAA, and mainly on guys who have tasted the big leagues. But it does have some nuggets relevant to the college vs. pro choice for HS draftees.

Here is an extended quote from Scott Podsednik, who was a star HS player in Waco

The Texas Rangers made him a 3rd round pick in 1994. That left him with a decision--sign with the Rangers or accept the scholarship he had been offered to attend the University of Texas, the college he had grown up dreaming about attending. In the end, he decided that turning pro was a quicker way to get to the major leagues and, if baseball didn't pan out, his bonus money would pay for college.

"I wonder now if I missed out on something not going to college for three or four years. I know it would have been fun. When you're 18 years old and you sign on to be a pro, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. You just can't imagine what life in the low minors is like. The next eight and a half years weren't a lot of fun. In fact, they were very hard."


Elsewhere in the book, the author cites an analytical conclusion that HS pitchers drafted in 1st round are unlikely to improve their position by attending college.

Ignoring compensation, it's always been surprising to me that major league teams have allowed their affiliates to have poor training facilities and terrible nutrition. If you want players to perform at their best, they have to eat, sleep and train in conditions that allow them to perform at their best. I'm not suggesting that minor leaguers fly on private jets, stay in 5 star hotels and have private chefs, but everything I hear is that there is little if any fitness equipment and the clubhouse spreads are usually fast food.

In 2004, short season pay was $850 per month. Health insurance premiums for player only were paid by the Pirates (not sure if health insurance payment varied by organizatioin). If you added a spouse and/or children to health insurance you now had premiums deducted from each pay check. I was married and had an infant. My $850 per month less health insurance for them, FICA and income taxes came to less than $200 per pay period (twice monthly).

I'd heard back then that the $850 per month salary for low-A had been the same for decades. Good to see it has been increased. Not sure if that is accurate.

We were not paid during spring training, although room and board was provided.

Thank God for host families and my parents and in-laws or I wouldn't have been able to play for even the brief time I did.

No doubt that nutrition was a concern but our post-game and pre-game spreads were adequate. There is nothing wrong with PB&J and trail mix before a game and lasagna and salad following. Sure, it isn't lean steak and kale but it isn't McDonald's either.

Facilities really weren't bad. Old weights are still heavy and old exercise bikes still get your heart rate up. Some of the fields were awful and lockerrooms were brutal most places but mostly on par with college (Rice was far better) and far better than the Jayhawk League or the Cape, really.

Off-seasons were really terrible - finding well-paying temporary work that allowed for training can be tough. Thank God for James Doyle letting me work at his law firm and keep hours that let me train.

There's no doubt that minor leaguers are underpaid and it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the pay violates minimum wage and overtime requirements but, MiLB and MLB have talented lawyers and I'm sure they're abiding by the letter of the law but probably not the spirit. Doubtful meaningful change will occur; there are too many waiting in the wings willing to play for peanuts.

(06-16-2015 09:10 AM)Steven Herce Wrote:  In 2004, short season pay was $850 per month. Health insurance premiums for player only were paid by the Pirates (not sure if health insurance payment varied by organizatioin). If you added a spouse and/or children to health insurance you now had premiums deducted from each pay check. I was married and had an infant. My $850 per month less health insurance for them, FICA and income taxes came to less than $200 per pay period (twice monthly).

I'd heard back then that the $850 per month salary for low-A had been the same for decades. Good to see it has been increased. Not sure if that is accurate.

We were not paid during spring training, although room and board was provided.

Thank God for host families and my parents and in-laws or I wouldn't have been able to play for even the brief time I did.

No doubt that nutrition was a concern but our post-game and pre-game spreads were adequate. There is nothing wrong with PB&J and trail mix before a game and lasagna and salad following. Sure, it isn't lean steak and kale but it isn't McDonald's either.

Facilities really weren't bad. Old weights are still heavy and old exercise bikes still get your heart rate up. Some of the fields were awful and lockerrooms were brutal most places but mostly on par with college (Rice was far better) and far better than the Jayhawk League or the Cape, really.

Off-seasons were really terrible - finding well-paying temporary work that allowed for training can be tough. Thank God for James Doyle letting me work at his law firm and keep hours that let me train.

There's no doubt that minor leaguers are underpaid and it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the pay violates minimum wage and overtime requirements but, MiLB and MLB have talented lawyers and I'm sure they're abiding by the letter of the law but probably not the spirit. Doubtful meaningful change will occur; there are too many waiting in the wings willing to play for peanuts.

It's great to hear from someone who's been there. Thanks!

The talented lawyers probably could not get around that there probably is a wage and hours violation, but nobody has decided to file a case on them yet. Maybe someone who gets cut early will sometime complain about it.

(06-16-2015 09:10 AM)Steven Herce Wrote:  In 2004, short season pay was $850 per month. Health insurance premiums for player only were paid by the Pirates (not sure if health insurance payment varied by organizatioin). If you added a spouse and/or children to health insurance you now had premiums deducted from each pay check. I was married and had an infant. My $850 per month less health insurance for them, FICA and income taxes came to less than $200 per pay period (twice monthly).

I'd heard back then that the $850 per month salary for low-A had been the same for decades. Good to see it has been increased. Not sure if that is accurate.

We were not paid during spring training, although room and board was provided.

Thank God for host families and my parents and in-laws or I wouldn't have been able to play for even the brief time I did.

No doubt that nutrition was a concern but our post-game and pre-game spreads were adequate. There is nothing wrong with PB&J and trail mix before a game and lasagna and salad following. Sure, it isn't lean steak and kale but it isn't McDonald's either.

Facilities really weren't bad. Old weights are still heavy and old exercise bikes still get your heart rate up. Some of the fields were awful and lockerrooms were brutal most places but mostly on par with college (Rice was far better) and far better than the Jayhawk League or the Cape, really.

Off-seasons were really terrible - finding well-paying temporary work that allowed for training can be tough. Thank God for James Doyle letting me work at his law firm and keep hours that let me train.

There's no doubt that minor leaguers are underpaid and it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the pay violates minimum wage and overtime requirements but, MiLB and MLB have talented lawyers and I'm sure they're abiding by the letter of the law but probably not the spirit. Doubtful meaningful change will occur; there are too many waiting in the wings willing to play for peanuts.

BA draft article about Seniors

(06-16-2015 04:43 PM)75src Wrote:  The talented lawyers probably could not get around that there probably is a wage and hours violation, but nobody has decided to file a case on them yet. Maybe someone who gets cut early will sometime complain about it.

Steve and 75: it is not really as clear as you might think that wage and hour laws are being violated. There is a little known provision in the Fair Labor Standards Act that exempts employees of "Seasonal Recreation Establishments" from minimum wage and overtime requirements. You casn read about it here:

http://www.providencejournal.com/article.../150229781

i represent a couple of non profits in New Orleans for which this exemption applies due to the seasonal nature of their operations. Minor League teams which typically operate for a shorter season than those in the Show have a good argument that the exemption applies to them.

It seems to me that a better way to approach this would be to have the MLB Players union attempt to organize the minor leagues. Has this ever been tried?

(06-20-2015 11:52 AM)NolaOwl Wrote:  

(06-16-2015 04:43 PM)75src Wrote:  The talented lawyers probably could not get around that there probably is a wage and hours violation, but nobody has decided to file a case on them yet. Maybe someone who gets cut early will sometime complain about it.

Steve and 75: it is not really as clear as you might think that wage and hour laws are being violated. There is a little known provision in the Fair Labor Standards Act that exempts employees of "Seasonal Recreation Establishments" from minimum wage and overtime requirements. You casn read about it here:

http://www.providencejournal.com/article.../150229781

i represent a couple of non profits in New Orleans for which this exemption applies due to the seasonal nature of their operations. Minor League teams which typically operate for a shorter season than those in the Show have a good argument that the exemption applies to them.

It seems to me that a better way to approach this would be to have the MLB Players union attempt to organize the minor leagues. Has this ever been tried?

Very timely - seems like there is some question about whether the exemptions truly apply. MiLB leagues are certainly acting this year like they're not on firm ground.

http://www.bna.com/minor-leagues-turn-n17179923261/

Quote:Professional baseball organizations at all levels have long argued that they fall under the FLSA's “amusement or recreational establishment” exemption, under which a business that operates for seven months or less per year or generates the bulk of it's income over a six-month period isn't bound by the statute's minimum wage and overtime requirements. A patchwork of cases has left the issue undecided, however, spurring the NAPBL to ask Congress to create a separate exemption specifically for professional baseball players.

Garrett Broshuis, a former minor league player and an attorney at Korein Tillery in St. Louis, told Bloomberg BNA Feb. 18 that the players are looking to sue on behalf of a class of minor league athletes that could be “in the thousands.” Broshuis said he's also discussed with certain unidentified unions the possibility of organizing players for bargaining purposes.

Broshuis is mentioned in this Slate article from 2012:

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/spo..._vez_.html

and this from a Dodgers blog.

http://www.thinkbluela.com/index.php/201...n-the-way/

It would appear Broshuis is the only one getting major mentions on pushing for something like this. The Dodgers blog note included the following mentions on prior thinking from the MLBPA:

Quote:Marvin Miller, the well respected Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) from 1966 to 1982, certainly looked at the possibility of a minor league player’s association. He, along with retired MLB Players Association attorney Gene Orza and labor lawyer Don Wollett, cited three reasons that make minor league unionization very difficult if not impossible.

• The first reason as could be expected is a financial consideration. The financial rewards for any existing major union would be minimal with a relatively small take on union dues making it difficult to actually provide services for the members. This coupled with expenses for staff, office space, attorneys, travel and other expenses function as a disincentive for any union taking on a minor league challenge.
• Secondly, minor league baseball teams are widely spread out across the continent from Tacoma, Washington to Portland, Maine – from Jupiter, Florida to Midland, Michigan. The task of organizing a group of employees spread out across North American is a daunting task as is servicing those employees. Major sports unions face the same difficulties but their union dues are many times higher than they could ever be at the minor league level.
• The third and perhaps major impediment against a minor league union is simply the unwillingness of young players to take the risk of offending their parent team by lobbying for union status. Marvin Miller: “The notion that these very young, inexperienced people were going to defy the owners, when they had stars in their eyes about making it to the major leagues, it’s just not going to happen.” Gene Orza: “Young players are unlikely to make noise while they’re trying to get promoted—they don’t want to tick off [the club] by being the person who forms the union.”
  

Interesting that the NHL union is one that does cover many minor league affiliates.