MLB raises wages for minor leaguers

Cleveland Indians pitcher Kyle Dowdy, front, fields a grounder as pitchers Carlos Carrasco, left, Shane Bieber, middle, and Logan Allen, right, look on during spring training baseball workouts for pitchers and catchers Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Cleveland Indians pitcher Kyle Dowdy, front, fields a grounder as pitchers Carlos Carrasco, left, Shane Bieber, middle, and Logan Allen, right, look on during spring training baseball workouts for pitchers and catchers Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball is raising the minimum salary for minor league players in 2021, according to a memo sent Friday from the commissioner's office to all 30 teams and obtained by The Associated Press.

Two years after successfully lobbying Congress to exempt minor leaguers from federal minimum wage laws, MLB opted to give those players a wage increase between 38% and 72%. The bump was discussed at last week's owners meetings and confirmed in the memo from Morgan Sword, executive vice president of baseball economics and operations.

Players at rookie and short-season levels will see their minimum weekly pay raised from $290 to $400, and players at Class A will go from $290 to $500. Class AA will jump from $350 to $600, and Class AAA from $502 to $700.

Minor leaguers are paid only during the season and don't receive wages during the offseason or spring training. That means Class AAA players can earn $14,000 during their five-month season, and short-season players at the lowest levels can make $4,800 during the three-month season.

Paul Allen, who serves as general manager of the Arkansas Travelers, the Seattle Mariners' Class AA affiliate, was surprised to learn of the wage increases when reached Friday by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

"Cost of living seems to continually be going up, so it only makes sense to try to help those guys out and increase their salaries a little bit," said Allen, who has worked in Minor League Baseball since 2005. "Over the years I've heard a lot of guys do struggle, and of course they have to have jobs in the offseason. Jumping it up from $350 to $600 [for Class AA] doesn't sound like they will be able to quit their offseason jobs, but if it helps them ... and they can have a decent apartment and living space, I think it sounds like a good thing."

"Much deserved," tweeted Ben Verlander, who played five minor league seasons and is the younger brother of Astros star Justin Verlander. "We'd put in 12 hours a day at the baseball field and all we ask for in return is a livable wage. "

The raises come as MLB is negotiating with the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the governing body of the minors, to replace the Professional Baseball Agreement that expires after the 2020 seasons. MLB proposed cutting 42 of the 160 required affiliated teams during those negotiations, a plan criticized by small-town fans and politicians at the local and national level.

"MLB's priorities include reducing the travel burden on players and improving player working conditions," Sword wrote. "These and other objectives only can be achieved with agreement of the National Association, or absent an agreement, following the expiration of the current PBA in September. However, we can move forward unilaterally with our goal of improving compensation for minor league players."

Allen called the plan "detrimental to growth of the game."

"Baseball's one of those games that ... enables 160 clubs in smaller markets that don't have big-league clubs to keep baseball growing, keep it alive, gives fans opportunities to watch games at a more affordable price, and I think it's a really valuable part of their system," said Allen, who noted the Travelers would be safe if the MLB ever followed through with that proposal. "I think what Minor League Baseball provides in the communities is something that benefits Major League Baseball in the long run with building the fan base."

Upon entering pro ball, the most talented players frequently get hundreds of thousands -- even millions -- of dollars in signing bonuses, but there are also players who sign for as little as $1,000. Paired with low salaries, the financial burden has prompted some players to use tattered equipment, accept charity from more fortunate teammates, or in the case of one player, to live out of a school bus.

"I think it'll keep guys mentally in it longer," said Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Joe Mantiply, who has played six minor league seasons. "I know I've played with numerous guys that chose to go another way just because they felt like financially it wasn't worth it for them to stick it out."

"Not to say money is the only reason to play, but you have to have money to live," he said at camp.

Said major league players' union head Tony Clark: "It's a start, but there's a long way to go before these young players are being compensated and treated fairly."

The major league minimum is $563,500 this year, and the top players make over $30 million annually. For players on 40-man rosters on option to the minors, the minimum is $46,000 this season. Only players on 40-man rosters are part of the major league players' union.

Minor league salaries have largely been stagnant since 2005, and players have strained to make ends meet on as little as $5,500 per season. Some players live in overcrowded apartments, sleeping on air mattresses, subsist on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and sacrifice potential training hours to work better-paying jobs in the offseason.

Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski spent six full seasons in the minors and 40 games last year before his promotion by San Francisco.

"I think for a long time we've had this idea in baseball that you have to put in your time. To an extent that may be true, but we need to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to make themselves better," he said.

Trenton Daeschner of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette contributed to this report.

Sports on 02/15/2020

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